You can grow oregano from cuttings as a cheap and easy way to get a new oregano plant. This article outlines the few simple steps needed for how to grow oregano from cuttings successfully.
Growing oregano from cuttings
Save money and time by growing oregano from cuttings and turn one plant into an endless supply of new ones.
Oregano is a traditional, aromatic herb that adds authentic Italian flavor to pizza, pasta, bread, soups, and salads.
Besides its culinary uses, oregano is an attractive plant, easy to grow in sunny herb gardens containers hanging baskets where it can trail lazily over the rim.
This easy propagation technique involves snipping a stem from a mature herb plant, putting the cutting in water, and waiting until it grows new roots.
Scroll down for the printable instruction card, or read on for all the details!
How to take oregano cuttings
There are lots of places to get cuttings, from mature plants in your own garden to friends’ and neighbors’ gardens (with permission, of course!), and even herb sprigs that you buy at the grocery store or farmers’ market as long as they are still fresh.
For best results, take cuttings from healthy, disease-free plants in spring or summer. Take your cuttings in the morning. At this time of day the plant will be full of water (vs after a day in the sun).
Select a stem that has good growth at the top, and a thick well established stem. Aim for a cutting of around 6 inches (15cm) or longer.
Using a clean pair of secateurs or scissors, and ensure they are sharp so you get a nice clean cut.
If the stem that you selected has leaves down to the bottom, remove them so that there is a length of bare stem of around 3 inches at the base of the cutting.
How to start oregano cuttings
The most successful way to cultivate oregano from a cutting is to allow it to grow roots in water first. This means that when you transplant it to soil it will have a better chance to become established successfully.
To do this, simply place oregano cuttings into a tall vessel of fresh water, and leave them in a well lit place.
I like to use a tall drinking glass as it is easiest to keep an eye on the root development.
After a few days you will notice rootlets starting to grow at a few points along the stem where it is in the water. When these have grown to at least an inch (2cm) long, the cutting is ready to be planted out in soil.
Alternatively, you can skip this stage if you dust the ends of the cuttings with a rooting hormone before planting directly into soil – see section below for details.
How to plant oregano cuttings
When the cuttings are ready to be planted, fill a small pot with good quality potting mix. Poke a hole in the moist potting soil with a pencil or your finger around 3 inches deep, and plant oregano cutting into the hole. Gently press the soil into place around the cutting to support the stem.
If you have more than one cutting to plant, space them out with at least 6 inches between cuttings.
You can replant it as it grows if you are wanting a large oregano plant, or keep it in a small pot and prune it back regularly to keep it small (e.g. if you wanted to keep in on your kitchen windowsill).
Growing Oregano from Cuttings Instruction Card
How to Grow Oregano from Cuttings
Instructions for growing an oregano plant from a cutting.
Materials
- A healthy oregano parent plant
- Fresh water
- A tall vessel
- A herb pot with potting mix (or garden bed)
Tools
- Sharp scissors or secateurs
Instructions
- Take a cutting from the parent oregano plant. Ensure it is a healthy stem. The cutting should be around 6-7 inches (15-17 cm) long.
- Remove the leaves from the lower half of the stem.
- Place the cutting in a tall vessel (e.g. a drinking glass) with 3-4 inches (7-9cm) of fresh water in it.
- Leave cutting in a bright place (such as a window sill) until roots have sprouted and grown to at least 1/2 inch long (approximately 2 weeks).
- Plant cutting into a pot filled with fresh potting mix. Water and place in a sunny spot.
Notes
- If some time has passed between taking the cutting and placing in water then re-trim the ends to ensure the cut is fresh.