To pick oregano effectively and encourage regrowth, gather a handful of stems and cut approximately two-thirds down using sharp, clean scissors, ensuring at least six sets of leaves remain on each stem.
Harvesting Your Oregano
Picking oregano correctly allows you to enjoy its fresh flavor while promoting a bushier plant that will yield more harvests throughout the season. The key is knowing where and how much to cut.
Here's a simple guide based on recommended practices:
- Timing is Key: While you can pick oregano as needed once the plant is established, a major harvest is often done before the plant flowers, when the oils (and thus flavor) are most concentrated. However, the cutting method remains the same regardless of timing for individual use.
- Identify Stems: Look for healthy, vigorous stems on your oregano plant.
- Locate the Cutting Point: The critical part of the process is knowing where to make your cut. You should cut approximately two-thirds down the stem. This specific location is important for the plant's recovery and future growth.
- Make a Clean Cut: Use sharp, clean scissors to make a precise cut. This prevents damage and reduces the risk of disease.
- Leave Enough Leaves: Crucially, ensure at least six sets of leaves remain on each stem below your cut. These remaining leaves are vital for the plant to photosynthesize and recover.
- Harvest Multiple Stems: Gather a handful of stems and apply this cutting method to each one you wish to harvest.
By cutting about two-thirds down the stem, leaving at least six sets of leaves, you are following a method that encourages the plant to branch out from where you cut. This allows the oregano to regrow efficiently, making another harvest later in the season possible.
Following these steps ensures you get delicious oregano for your culinary needs while maintaining a healthy, productive plant.
