How To Grow Oregano From Cuttings

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a low-growing herb with small leaves that pack a punch of strong flavor. The plant will produce seeds, but the easiest way to propagate oregano is through plant division or cuttings. Like the other plants in the mint family, many cultures use the leaves for medicinal and culinary purposes.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a low-growing herb with small leaves that pack a punch of strong flavor. The plant will produce seeds, but the easiest way to propagate oregano is through plant division or cuttings. Like the other plants in the mint family, many cultures use the leaves for medicinal and culinary purposes. Oregano is native to the Mediterranean and might not survive areas with harsh winters.

Step 1

Cut 3- to 4-inch sections of new growth from the ends of stems of an established oregano plant with a clean pair of garden trimmers.

Step 2

Make a mixture of equal parts of sand, perlite and dampened peat moss. Fill a 6-inch deep planting container with the soil. Make sure the container used has drainage holes in the bottom.

Step 3

Strip the lower leaves from the branch and set the stem directly into the planting container. Firm the soil around the base of the cuttings.

Step 4

Water the planted cuttings gently to settle the soil around them.

Step 5

Cover the planting container with a clear plastic bag to create a humid environment around the oregano cuttings and to hold the moisture in the soil.

Step 6

Keep the oregano cuttings in a warm place for about two weeks by which time they should have sprouted roots. Remove the plastic bag and keep the soil moist until you transplant the cuttings into the garden.

Mix a loose, well-draining rooting medium of equal parts sterile perlite and peat moss. Fill a 4-inch pot with the medium for each cutting and moisten the medium with a fine spray of water. Stripping the flowers and buds channels the cuttings' energy into developing new roots; taking the lower leaves keeps them from contaminating the rooting medium. Discard the powder remaining in the saucer. Make a hole in each pot's moist rooting medium. Shut the bags with twist ties. Check each cutting's rooting medium every two days. Tamp those that pull loose back in place and wait two weeks before retesting the roots.