Taking care of your plants

Overview

A hardy herb with aromatic leaves. Grow in sun and well-drained soil, and pick little and often to keep plants bushy. Essential for pizza, pasta sauces and Mediterranean cooking.

• Vegetable Type: Oregano
• Key Characteristic: Essential herb for pizza and tomato-based sauces.
• Hardiness: Hardy (tolerates normal UK winter conditions).

PLANTING ADVICE

Plant in well-drained, light soil in full sun. Suitable for ground or containers.

• Outdoor cultivation

Grow outdoors in a sunny, well-drained position.

• Greenhouse cultivation

Not usually required for greenhouse cultivation.

CARE & HARVEST

Keep soil moist and weed free. Harvest little and often to keep plants bushy and productive. Remove flower stems where leafy growth is preferred. Trim back lightly after flowering to maintain shape.

• Watering: Water sparingly once established, as these herbs prefer drier conditions.
• Feeding: Feed lightly with a general-purpose fertiliser during active growth; avoid overfeeding.
• Cutting and prunning: Trim lightly after flowering to keep plants compact and encourage fresh growth.
• Harvesting: Snip leaves regularly, ideally before flowering, for the strongest flavour.
• Pest and diseases: Generally trouble free, but check for aphids and mildew in humid conditions.

Verve recommends...

• Harvest regularly to keep plants compact and encourage strong new growth.