Syrian Oregano and Marjoram, last harvests of the season.

[pepperhead212]

I harvested two herbs today, since we are under a freeze warning - marjoram (something I like better fresh, than oregano) and Syrian oregano (my favorite way to add thyme flavor to dishes). They dry easily, and, while both are fairly winter resistant, and grow back in the spring, I take a few of these every year, mostly the Syrian oregano, since it is the least cold proof (though it has come back every year for me), and root them in pots on my back porch! I put the Syrian oregano in my hydroponics the first off season I had it, but it grew too much, like it was on steroids! Fortunately, it comes back up every winter, but I can't be too careful! I just strip about 2" of a stem, and dunk them in rooting hormone, and put 2 in each of some spots in a Jr Earthbox, on my back porch. The rest of these I'll dry - they keep flavor well, and leaves strip from the stems easily.
Marjoram (L), and Syrian (a.k.a. thyme scented) oregano, harvested when freeze is forecast. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[taxlady]

I have never found any marjoram seeds. Did you? And the Syrian oregano, that is also called za'atar (because it is associated with the spice blend) and it might be biblical hyssop. It sounds interesting.

 

[pepperhead212]

@taxlady The Syrian oregano I have is not the za'atar, that I actually got seeds for, but had no luck at all growing. However, back in winter of 2017/18, my rosemary was killed by cold, when I couldn't go out and cover it, due to a knee surgery. So that spring, I ordered some plants from Richter's - an herb company in Canada, that has more herbs than any other company I ever saw! Besides a cold resistant rosemary (hill hardy), I looked for something I had many years ago, that was killed by 3° temp one night - Thyme Scented Oregano, which I got from a local herb farm, who stopped carrying it. I looked through all of the oregano they had at Richter's - more than I knew existed! And the description of this one looked like the thyme scented one I had, so I ordered it. I had to order 6 plants, so I ordered 2 rosemaries, plus this, plus a large leafed sage, and a couple other things, and I could tell this was the one I had been searching for years! It grew fast in a pot, and rooted easily. I wasn't sure how invasive it would be, so I planted it behind my shed - if it spread like regular oregano, I didn't care there! Let it choke out the weeds! This, and marjoram, however, aren't as bad, but they do spread some. And the bees love the flowers! However, it seems to be sterile, like a lot of those odd oregano varieties - when I tried getting seeds, there didn't seem to be any in those dried flowers, unlike the marjoram.

Here is is at Richter's, along with a page showing all those varieties of the plants they sell:

https://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X4316&show=&prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Plants&=7813050.2763993

https://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?show=list&prodclass=Potted_Herbs

The sweet marjoram I got seeds for from Renee's Garden, but they have them at Richter's, too. I've ordered seeds from them, too, with lower shipping than from many companies in this country!

 

[taxlady]

I am familiar with Richter's. I'm surprised that you could order plants cross border. I guess I haven't looked for marjoram seeds in quite a while. I adore the smell of marjoram.

 

[cookiecrafter]

I have thought about starting a container garden for these. Is there a type of soil that works better for one and another type for the oregano?

 

[pepperhead212]

I have thought about starting a container garden for these. Is there a type of soil that works better for one and another type for the oregano?

Oregano grows easily in soil that isn't very rich - just needs to be well drained. That za'atar was the only species that did not grow well for me - the seeds would germinate, but just wouldn't grow well. Usually seedlings of oregano or marjoram take off, even though very small, at first, but those just wouldn't grow for me.