Oregano, what a delight to season! Indispensable in the pizza, but it looks great in almost everything, especially in vegetable dishes and vegetables. This aromatic herb has, in addition to flavor, many nutritional properties. Get to know everything about oregano and be convinced to plant this herb at home so that you can always enjoy its flavor and its benefits.
Oregano: origin
Oregano, or oregano, is a condiment widely used in the culinary of the Mediterranean. The leaves, fresh or dried, of the oregano give the food a pleasant flavor and aroma. The dried leaves have a deeper aroma and flavor.
Several species of the genus come from the Mediterranean. The oregano plant is native, mainly, from the mountainous regions of southern Europe, Great Britain and western Asia.
Oregano: properties
Oregano, in addition to its use as a condiment in sauces, mainly tomato, has antioxidant properties due to the presence of phenolic acid and flavonoids.
This herb also has antimicrobial properties against bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes and other pathogens that may have on food, in order to keep it longer, well-maintained.
According to ethnopharmacology, this plant has analgesic action and stimulating properties of the nervous and digestive system.
Information about oregano (gender and characteristics):
Oregano, known scientifically as Origanum vulgare L. belongs to the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae), which is also part:
- Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.);
- Basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.);
- Mint (Mentha arvensis L.);
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.);
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.);
- Salvia (Salvia officinalis L.).
The species Origanum majorana L and Origanum vulgare, are the most prominent among the 205 existing species of the genus Origanum.
Other names of oregano
- Wild manjerona
- Spanish
Oregano producing countries
The main oregano producing countries are:
- Spain;
- Greece;
- France;
- Turkey;
- Chile;
- Mexico
- Peru
HOW TO PLANT ORÉGANO
Soil, temperature, fertilization, how to collect and other information
Oregano is a perennial (durable) plant that reaches from 20 cm to 80 cm.To cultivate the oregano is necessary a drained and fertile soil.
Oregano can grow in poor soils. The recommended soil pH, for the sowing of oregano, is between 6 and 8.
The calcareous soil favors the best growth of the oregano plant.
The most favorable climate for the oregano plant is the pleasant or, moderately, hot.
The ideal temperature for the cultivation of oregano is between 21 and 25 ° C, but it is also possible to grow it at temperatures between 4 and 32 ° C.
The oregano plant should receive daily in direct sunlight.
Oregano leaves will be more aromatic, if they receive more sunlight.
It is advisable to water the soil frequently, so that it is kept, slightly, humid.
PLANTING FORMS
There are three ways to spread oregano:
- By seeds
- By gum division
- By estaquia
By division of gums
In the case of the planting of a group, it must be removed (September to November), through the leaf of the mother plant, when 10 to 15 cm long and transferred into cups or plastic bags, kept in nurseries protected.
The rooting of the stakes can be done in trays and tubes (tube-shaped containers).
Plants by seeds
Planting by seed takes time for the growth of the plants and the beginning of the harvest.
You can plant the seeds in:
- an orchard;
- a garden;
- in sowing;
- vases;
- Beds;
- pet bottles
- or copito
The germination of the seeds usually happens in two weeks. The seeds are very small. Approximately 12,000 seeds, weigh 1 gram.
The sowing of the oregano must be done, preferably, in the spring, in sowings (beds, glasses, tubes, etc.) kept in shaded nurseries.
The soil for sowing can be composed of a mixture of clay soil 1/3, 1/3 and 1/3 of medium fertilizer sand, and mixed.
To plant the seed should be introduced in a hole, to a depth of 5-10 cm.
Planting by stake
Planting by stake results in plants identical to the mother plant and usually have rapid growth.
To make the stake, branches should be cut, about 15 cm long, taking out the leaves, leaving only the closest ones to the end of the branch (leave 3 or 4 pairs of leaves).
Next, submerge the lower half of the branch, in a bowl of water, until roots appear. When roots arise, it is planted in a place with soil or in pots and planters. The distance between the plants of the culture of oregano, generally, is of 30 cm, nevertheless, the measurement varies with the size of the culture or of the species.
It is necessary to maintain the space where the oregano was planted, only for its cultivation, not placing several plants, in the same place, because, this can harm its development.
HARVEST
The harvest of the leaves can be done when the plant is at least 20 cm tall.
The flowers, which are also used as a condiment, should be harvested when opened.
The leaves have the best flavor, when they are harvested at the time the flowers start to appear.
If they are grown under favorable conditions, oregano produces well for 4 or 5 years.
The oregano plant dries in winter and springs back in the summer.
The branches are annual and if they are not harvested, they are dried.
The most efficient irrigation systems for the cultivation of oregano are:
- drip
- microaspersion
Drip
The drip is a method, in which the water is conducted by an emitter of irrigation (dripper) to hydrate the root of the plant, continuously and frequently, without wetting its aerial part (preventing the plant is left with excess moisture ).
This system is efficient, however, it requires an installation cost.
Micro-dispersion
Micro sprinklers are emitters that throw droplets of water irrigating the plantation. This system is used with localized irrigation, has an efficiency greater than 90% and a flow rate of the emitters (micro-sprinklers) greater than that of the drippers.
CARE WITH THE PLANT
The cultivation of oregano, because medicinal and aromatic plants, planted in the soil should be free of heavy metals and waste chemicals.
It is necessary that the culture area of the oregano culture is far from roads (at least 2 km), industrial areas, avoiding contact with pollutants and chemical contamination.
To make a pile of earth, around the plant, protects the oregano favoring the multiplication of its branches and avoiding the attack of fungi and rotting of its roots.
Keeping the cultivated area covered is important for the conservation and preservation of the soil. The oregano has better development in regions of subtropical climate with a lot of light.
The oregano plant does not work well with high relative humidity (ideal between 60% to 65%), nor with the action of strong and cold winds or under the effect of strong frosts. The oregans have tolerance to the accentuated variations of altitude (50 to 3400 m) and temperature.
The high attitudes, approximately 2,000 m, are the most favorable for the good development of oregano. The dry and sunny winters are the most suitable for this plant. Temperatures below 5 ° C impair the growth of this plant, burning its leaves.
It is advisable to keep the soil moist, watering when it is drying.
ADVANTAGES OF CULTIVATING THE OREGAN AT HOME
Now that we know how to plant and take care of oregano, how about producing it, in a homemade way?
The advantages of cultivating that plant at home is to have and consume organic ore and more natural, in addition, the question of economics, well, well-taken care of oregano develops well and multiplies and springs for years.