Oregano ordinary (oregano) is a type of perennial herbaceous plants that has a number of useful properties and is widely used in cooking and medicine.
Given this, the herb oregano is considered one of the most popular spices in the world. It would not be superfluous to start it on your own personal plot.
In this article we will try to tell you as much as possible about this grass, as well as how to plant it and care for it in open ground. You will learn about diseases and pests that can harm oregano when grown.
The timing of planting in open ground in the Moscow region, the Urals and Siberia
The planting time of the oregano depends on such indicators as temperature, weather and climatic features of the region.
It is necessary to plant the plant in the open ground only when the threat of return frost is completely gone, the soil is warm enough, and average temperature should not fall below + 15C - + 17C. Naturally, the north of the region, the later such weather conditions occur.
- Moscow region. Sowing of seeds for seedlings is made in the first decade of March, planting seedlings in the ground - in May.
- Ural. The second half of March is the optimal time for sowing oregano for seedlings. Planting in open ground - May: at this particular time, the threat of return frost completely passes.
- Siberia. The end of March - the beginning of April - the period when it is advisable to sow the seeds for seedlings, young seedlings are planted in open ground in late May - early April.
Where to grow spice and then better to place?
Oregano can be planted after potatoes, carrots, beans and peas. But after other spicy herbs are not worth it, since it is likely that oregano will be subject to the same diseases as its predecessors.
How to choose a plot in the garden or in the country and prepare the land?
Consider where it is better to plant oregano in the garden or garden, how to choose the right place and soil for cultivation. For oregano, a sunny plot of land protected from drafts is suitable, to the surface of which ground waters do not fit, since the plant does not tolerate stagnant water.
For him, the ideal would be a sandy soil with neutral acidity (20% turf ground, 75% peat, 5% sand). Usually Experienced gardeners begin to prepare the planting bed for oregano since autumn. They dig up the ground with a shovel and apply 1/3 of a bucket (or 6-7 kg) of organic matter (manure, compost, humus) and 2 tablespoons of mineral fertilizers (potash salt, superphosphate) per square meter.
If the pH is below average, the soil is lime-ground by adding dolomite flour, fluff lime or wood ash (250-300 g per square meter). As for sowing seeds into a container, any nutrient soil mixture from a store, to which a small amount of ordinary sand is added, can be used as a substrate.
Which plants can be placed next to, and with which it is impossible?
Oregano gets along well with flowers and shrubs: daylilies, echinacea, chamomile, strawberries, grapes, sea buckthorn. It is not necessary to place a number of cucumbers and zucchini.
Methods of reproduction of oregano in the open field and photos of them
Let us examine what are the methods of propagation of spicy grass in the open field, and bring the photo with them.
Division
- Bush age 3 - 5 years in the spring must be carefully dig a shovel in early spring.
- The root of the plant should be divided into several parts so that on each of them there will be 2 to 4 healthy buds at least.
- Place the slices on the roots to sprinkle with wood ash or crushed activated charcoal.
- Prepare planting pits, the depth of which is equal to the volume of the root system of the parts (approximately 30 to 50 cm).
- Wells need to be shed.
- Drop new plants into them, cover them with earth.
- The ground surface needs to be crammed.
Layering
- In the spring of the most healthy and direct escape of the mother plant should be lowered into the garden.
- Pin the iron or plastic bracket (can be stud).
- Place of contact with the ground should be covered with earth, leaving only the tip above the surface.
- After rooting, the young plant should be separated from the parent and planted on the prepared place.
Cuttings
- In early July, the cutting of a length of 12 to 15 cm should be cut from the apical part of the mother plant.
- Before planting, it can be treated with a root formation stimulant, for example, "Appin" or "Root plant".
- At the bottom of the prepared container it is necessary to lay a layer of expanded clay and nutrient and loose substrate. Having made a dimple with a finger, deepening the cutting in it by about half.
- From above it is necessary to tighten the container with plastic wrap or cover with glass.
- Moisten with a spray bottle 4 - 5 times a day.
Seeds
How to grow a plant from seed? Oregano seeds can be sown immediately in open ground, but this method is not as popular as the reproduction of oregano seedlings, as it is suitable only for the southern regions.
- It is necessary to prepare the ground for the beds, as indicated above.
- In loosened and moist soil should be made furrows with a depth of no more than 1 cm and a row spacing of 25 - 45 cm (depending on the grade).
- They need to sow the seeds, which to facilitate their visibility can be pre-mixed with sand (1: 1).
- Top sprinkle with a layer of loose earth (no more than 0.5 - 1 cm).
- The earth should be compacted and moistened with an atomizer. You can plot the hay.
Seedlings
Breeding oregano seedlings is considered the most popular. Sowing seeds for seedlings can be made in a wide and shallow container, peat cartridges or other suitable container.
- The bottom of the container should be filled with drainage, then nutrient soil.
- It is necessary to moisten it and spread the pre-soaked oregano seeds on the surface (2 days in water + 35С). Peat is above, but not more than half a centimeter.
- Everything should be moistened with a spray bottle and covered with a film (plastic bag) or glass, which can be removed with the appearance of the first shoots (after 1.5 - 2 weeks).
- Further, with the appearance of 2–3 true leaves (5–7 cm), saplings dive into separate containers.
- Care of future plants consists in regular airing of crops (opening the film, shaking off condensate from it).
- When young plants turn 45 to 60 days old, they can be transplanted into open ground.
- The bed for oregano should be prepared in autumn. In the spring it is usually only slightly loosened.
- For planting seedlings of oregano, planting holes are prepared at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. The seedlings extracted with the earthy clod are placed in the hole, covered with earth, which is lightly crushed around the trunk.
How to care?
- Temperature. The optimum temperature for oregano is + 18С - + 20С, but the plant can withstand vibrations + 12С - + 35С. However, temperature differences of 5 to 8 degrees are poorly tolerated by oregano.
- Watering. Oregano requires moderate watering: in no case can not over-moisten the soil, but also should not overdry too. The frequency of irrigation - as the upper layer of the soil dries out, approximately once every 3 to 4 days.
- Shine. Oregano loves a lot of light, but still direct sunlight directly on the tender foliage should be excluded. In especially hot summer days the plant will require shading. If the weather is overcast, then the oregano seedlings need more lighting by fitolampa.
- Top dressing. If oregano is not grown as an ornamental plant, then it needs systematic feeding. After each cutting of the stems under the bush, it is necessary to add the infusion of chicken manure (1 part of the litter: 15 parts of water) or mullein (1:10). It is possible to produce fertilizer and mineral fertilizers (15 - 20 grams of nitroammofoski per square meter in the dissolved form).
- Nip. As the bush grows, the tips of the shoots should be pinched (broken off by hand) to form its crown and stimulate branching.
- Loosening. The plant needs after each watering systematically loosening to a depth of 1.5 cm, especially in the first two years of life: the formation of a dry soil crust should not be allowed.
- Weeding. We can not allow the site to become clogged with oregano weeds, especially in the first years of life. But after three seasons weeding can be excluded.
How to propagate and care for oregano at home - features
For the plant will need pots with a capacity of 2 - 3 liters with good drainage and drain holes. As a substrate, any nutritious soil, purchased from a specialty store, or sandy-loamy loose soil with a pH of 6.0 - 6.5 will do.
Oregano can be propagated by dividing the bush or seedlings. The care system is the same as for oregano in the open field. Additional measures - in the warm season, the plant can be exposed to the open air, but with the onset of the first cold weather should be placed back in a warm and sunny place.
Diseases and pests
Oregano is exposed to attacks by aphids and defeat by Alternaria (black rot). The disease provokes excessive watering, respectively, you can get rid of it by adjusting the irrigation pattern. If the roots are too rotten, then the plant will be appropriate to transplant.
And to get rid of aphids, you can use the popular method: insist 100 grams of dry wormwood in 400 ml of boiled oxen, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. You can try to get rid of the pest by spraying garlic or onion infusions, dusting with ashes and tobacco dust (1: 1).
When and how to harvest?
In the first year of life, oregano does not bloom and grows slowly., and in the second and subsequent years - begins to throw out the buds and quickly grow. The cut of the shoots is made during the flowering of the plant (July - August), which has already reached 15 - 20 cm in height. The stems are cut to 1/3 in height, which contributes to their further intensive growth. Then they are dried at + 35С in a shade dry place.
Oregano - unpretentious plant. After completing a series of simple requirements for its maintenance and reproduction, you can get a real home green pharmacy in your own yard or apartment.