How to Easily Harvest Your Own Homegrown Oregano

Learn to harvest your garden grown or potted oregano plants easily, and increase your yield.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cutting device (ie. scissors or garden shears)
• Dry dark place for hanging herbs

1. Observe your oregano plant to make sure that it has rooted and is established enough to grow and keep growing well.

2. When the plant starts to grow vines that are a good 6-7" or so, cut all the vines down. Cut them all relatively short, but be sure to leave a few inches and several sets of leaves on each vine. This way the oregano plant will continue to create food for it's roots.

3. As it continues to grow, keep cutting it back to a few inches. This will make it start to get bushier toward the base of the plant, and you'll get a greater yield.

4. Rinse the clippings in cold water.

5. Lay out on counter on dry washcloths or a dry towel, until most of the moisture has evaporated.

6. Hang in small bundles, still on the vine, upside down in a dark, dry place. (cabinets work quite well)

7. Once oregano has completely dried and there is no sign of moisture in the leaves, remove from dark dry hanging spot. Hold one end of the vine with your thumb and forefinger and pull all the leaves off of plant with your other thumb and forefinger.

8. Store in glass jars or your preferred storage container.

Tips & Warnings

• Use fresh oregano by clipping off a few inches of a vine, or as much as necessary. Rinse your clipping. Then pull leaves off with your thumb and forefinger.
• To save fresh herbs to use within a few days, keep in a storage container in the refrigerator. Make sure there is moisture in with the plant (like a wet paper towel or a splash of water), so it doesn't dry out.
• When watering, do not water on top of the leaves. It's the roots that need the water. Watering the leaves can attract bugs and, if done on a sunny day, can leave burn spots on your leaves.