Most potted herbs, like oregano, are low-maintenance and can sit on your windowsill for weeks without much attention. However, they start to need more care in summer as hot weather causes them to grow thicker and woodier stems to conserve water.
However, this new growth requires a lot of energy, so your herb plants will not grow leaves, and any leaves they still have will taste extremely bitter. If you want to keep oregano, as well as thyme and mint, tasting delicious, then Nell Foster, a gardener and founder of Joyus Garden is urging houseplant owners to take a few minutes to prune them once a week.
Nell explained: “Oregano, like mint or sweet marjoram, has softer woody stems. Those old stems will eventually get woody over time, especially in warmer climates.
“The plant becomes quite dense, making it harder for new growth to appear in spring and summer. This is why pruning is important.
“The fresh oregano leaves are much tastier than the tougher, older ones. I prune my mint, thyme, and marjoram in the same way—out with the old and in with the new.”
Pruning encourages herbs to keep producing fresher, tender, and therefore more flavourful leaves instead of focusing on stem growth.
It also keeps the herbs healthy as it stops them from becoming overgrown, which not only looks messy but can make it more likely for fungal diseases to infect plants.
Keeping your herbs in their best condition is very easy, but it is important to check up on them and cut them when needed if you want them to stay productive in summer.
How to prune oregano, thyme and mint plants
Before you prune your herbs, make sure to water them the day before, as it helps them become less stressed and recover quickly after being cut.
You simply have to lightly prune your herbs to cut off any old or woody-looking stems. This is an easy job and should only take two minutes.
Make sure you have a pair of clean and sharp scissors and cut around three inches back.
Then, simply place your herbs somewhere sunny in your home, like a windowsill or balcony if you have one. It is also great to keep them in your garden.
Make sure to water the herbs once the soil feels dry to the touch, which should be roughly once a week. However, be very careful not to overwater them as woody herbs are Mediterranean plants that cannot survive soggy, waterlogged soil.
However, if you take the time to care for your oregano, thyme and mint plants once a week, then they should grow spectacularly this summer, so you can enjoy having lots of fresh fragrant herbs