Back when my mother was alive, she was able to take a small pot of
oregano from the nursery and grow it into large perennial shrub that
we could harvest from all year.

Now that I've got a home and garden of my own, I've been trying to do
the same thing. My last several attempts have been pathetic failures,
however. I generally buy a well established pot of oregano, transplant
it into a larger pot, and let the plant grow.

Unfortunately, what generally happens is that rather than sending up
new stems to fill the new pot, the old stems simply get tall, the
lower leaves die off, and the plant gets leggy. Early in summer, the
plant goes to flower, and what was once a robust (if leggy) plant
rapidly dies back.

Lately, it has occurred to me that I really ought to be pruning the
plant if I want it to expand into a large bush. However, I know very
little about pruning techniques. Where and how much should I cut back
and when?

Right now my present oregano plant is fairly tall but leggy and going
into flower. If from this point I want to train it into a large shrub
that will fill the pot I've transplanted it into, what steps do I
take?

Also, are the pruning techniques for oregano generally applicable to
other herbs?

Thanks,
Peter

Hi Peter,
General rule of thumb with herbs is that you snip it down before it flowers.
The pungency of the herb lessens during flowering. You can snip it
frequently for your culinary requirements, but don't snip it down to the
base.Just take an inch or two off every time. This will also delay it's
flowering
J.Lane
"Peter Werner" wrote in message
om...
Back when my mother was alive, she was able to take a small pot of
oregano from the nursery and grow it into large perennial shrub that
we could harvest from all year.

Now that I've got a home and garden of my own, I've been trying to do
the same thing. My last several attempts have been pathetic failures,
however. I generally buy a well established pot of oregano, transplant
it into a larger pot, and let the plant grow.

Unfortunately, what generally happens is that rather than sending up
new stems to fill the new pot, the old stems simply get tall, the
lower leaves die off, and the plant gets leggy. Early in summer, the
plant goes to flower, and what was once a robust (if leggy) plant
rapidly dies back.

Lately, it has occurred to me that I really ought to be pruning the
plant if I want it to expand into a large bush. However, I know very
little about pruning techniques. Where and how much should I cut back
and when?

Right now my present oregano plant is fairly tall but leggy and going
into flower. If from this point I want to train it into a large shrub
that will fill the pot I've transplanted it into, what steps do I
take?

Also, are the pruning techniques for oregano generally applicable to
other herbs?

Thanks,
Peter

J. Lane wrote:

Hi Peter,
General rule of thumb with herbs is that you snip it down before it flowers.
The pungency of the herb lessens during flowering. You can snip it
frequently for your culinary requirements, but don't snip it down to the
base.Just take an inch or two off every time. This will also delay it's
flowering
J.Lane
"Peter Werner" wrote in message
om...

Back when my mother was alive, she was able to take a small pot of
oregano from the nursery and grow it into large perennial shrub that
we could harvest from all year.

Now that I've got a home and garden of my own, I've been trying to do
the same thing. My last several attempts have been pathetic failures,
however. I generally buy a well established pot of oregano, transplant
it into a larger pot, and let the plant grow.

Unfortunately, what generally happens is that rather than sending up
new stems to fill the new pot, the old stems simply get tall, the
lower leaves die off, and the plant gets leggy. Early in summer, the
plant goes to flower, and what was once a robust (if leggy) plant
rapidly dies back.

Lately, it has occurred to me that I really ought to be pruning the
plant if I want it to expand into a large bush. However, I know very
little about pruning techniques. Where and how much should I cut back
and when?

Right now my present oregano plant is fairly tall but leggy and going
into flower. If from this point I want to train it into a large shrub
that will fill the pot I've transplanted it into, what steps do I
take?

Also, are the pruning techniques for oregano generally applicable to
other herbs?

Thanks,
Peter


I have a Purple Ruffles Basil that I bought more for the garden and than
the kitchen, it just started blooming. Can I just deadhead the flowers?

Janine

HI Janine,
Been my experience that once it flowers, it's too late to get the full
essence of the herb. You can still prune or harvest it, but the strength of
the flavour won't be as good.
I've mass harvested flowering and non flowering herbs. Cut them down to 4 or
5" from the base of the plant and snip off any flowers, tie the stems
together, hang them upside-down to dry, and remove the dried leaves from the
stems over a cookie sheet. Put in a labelled jar for winter use.
Cool huh?
J.Lane

"jrstark" wrote in message
news:0FlUa.146836$ye4.101419@sccrnsc01...
J. Lane wrote:

Hi Peter,
General rule of thumb with herbs is that you snip it down before it
flowers.
The pungency of the herb lessens during flowering. You can snip it
frequently for your culinary requirements, but don't snip it down to the
base.Just take an inch or two off every time. This will also delay it's
flowering
J.Lane
"Peter Werner" wrote in message
om...

Back when my mother was alive, she was able to take a small pot of
oregano from the nursery and grow it into large perennial shrub that
we could harvest from all year.

Now that I've got a home and garden of my own, I've been trying to do
the same thing. My last several attempts have been pathetic failures,
however. I generally buy a well established pot of oregano, transplant
it into a larger pot, and let the plant grow.

Unfortunately, what generally happens is that rather than sending up
new stems to fill the new pot, the old stems simply get tall, the
lower leaves die off, and the plant gets leggy. Early in summer, the
plant goes to flower, and what was once a robust (if leggy) plant
rapidly dies back.

Lately, it has occurred to me that I really ought to be pruning the
plant if I want it to expand into a large bush. However, I know very
little about pruning techniques. Where and how much should I cut back
and when?

Right now my present oregano plant is fairly tall but leggy and going
into flower. If from this point I want to train it into a large shrub
that will fill the pot I've transplanted it into, what steps do I
take?

Also, are the pruning techniques for oregano generally applicable to
other herbs?

Thanks,
Peter


I have a Purple Ruffles Basil that I bought more for the garden and than
the kitchen, it just started blooming. Can I just deadhead the flowers?

Janine