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Would you like to know how to harvest and store your oregano seeds? Instead of buying them, it’s easy to harvest seeds from your oregano plants and have unlimited supplies for the years to come.
To harvest oregano seeds, you have to wait for the oregano plant to bloom. Once the flowers become brown and crumbling, flick the flowers to release the seeds into a container. Store the seeds inside a paper envelope and place them in a cool and dark spot.
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Let’s see how easy it is to get your oregano seeds.
What is Oregano?
Oregano is a flowering plant or perennial herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Typically oregano grows in western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. It is perennial and it grows and blooms every year during spring and summer. (3)
It has been used for thousands of years to add flavor to dishes. It treats health conditions, such as skin sores, aching muscles, asthma, cramping, diarrhea, indigestion, colds, fights bacteria, relieves inflammation, regulates blood sugar and lipids, and allegedly even fights cancer.
Also, based on recent research, oregano can help to combat type 2 diabetes. It improves insulin resistance and helps restore damaged liver and kidney tissues. Oregano is found effective in relieving stress from individuals and other conditions if ingested.
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How to Get Seeds From Oregano Plant
If you have an oregano plant already and if you want to grow more plants in your garden or indoors, you have to harvest seeds from it and plant them to grow more plants outside or in other containers. (1)
If you do not have an oregano plant yet, you have to grow one and then get seeds. Here are the steps to get seeds from an oregano plant:
- Wait for the oregano plant flowers to bloom.
- Wait for the flowers to die, becoming brown and crumbling.
- Get a container like this one found on Amazon.
- Point the flowers downwards and flick them
- Release as many seeds as possible without breaking the flower
- Separate seeds from chaff
- Repeat
The seeds are usually very tiny. Oregano flowers do not dry at the same time. Therefore you have to watch them and harvest them as soon as they dry to avoid any seed dropping down and be lost.
How to Store Oregano Seeds
Incorrectly storing seeds can lead you to waste an entire season for oregano to grow. Once you plant the seeds, you have to wait a couple of weeks to realize that nothing will grow. (2)
Storing has to be done correctly to avoid wasting time and seeds.
Once the seeds are collected, it is best to place them in small sealed containers and place them in a dark, cool, and dry location, such as a cupboard. It is possible to use a sealed paper envelope too. The temperature has to be consistently cool.
The types of containers that you can use to store oregano seeds are:
- Glass,
- Metal
- Plastic
- Tupperware-type container
- Mason jars
- Silica gel packets
Airtight containers are best suited for storing seeds. Airtight means its lid fits so tightly that no air can get in or out. Oregano seeds stay viable for 3-5 years.
If you want to store seeds for very long and do not have a basement or cupboard with a consistently cool temperature, consider freezing seeds in a glass jar.
When it comes to using them, place the jar outside the freezer until it reaches room temperature and exposes the seeds to air, opening the lid a few days before planting. Let the seed reach room temperature gradually. A sudden increase in heat can crate moisture and ruin your seeds.
Be sure to want to use the seeds before taking them out of the freezer. If you move them in and out, you will reduce the viability of the seeds.
Organizing Seeds
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Suppose you have more than one type of seed; you have to label and store them to avoid mixing them up correctly. Additionally, a system to organize seeds allows you to know what seeds you have and what you are missing, so you don’t end up buying seeds you already have. (4)
It can help you track your seed’s age so that you can use the older seeds first, and in case you have expired seeds, you can compose them instead of planting them.
At first, it may not sound that important to get a system to organize seed storage, but if you are going to harvest oregano seeds (and many other seeds) every year, it is necessary.
How can the seed be stored?
- Cards catalog system: Using an airtight container, you can store seeds packets standing up, used dividers between the packages to categorize the seeds, writing name and time of the harvest.
- Use a shelf system in a cool and dark place: label each shelf or part of a shelf with the name of the seeds you are storing. Remember to write the time of the harvest.
- Use a mason jar: Store seeds in it in smaller amounts. Place envelopes with seeds in them and labels each envelope. It is a sound system if you are planning to freeze seeds.
Frequently Asked Oregano Seed And Plant Questions
Oregano is very easy to grow in a garden or indoor. Oregano uses to grow in arid and hot regions and thus used to lack water. Oregano is so easy to grow, using multiple methods like cutting and planting from seeds.
You can place oregano seeds on the soil. You do not even need to cover them. Seeds can be placed in the ground, moistened with water. You can cover everything with a container.
Oregano is a perennial herb that returns year after year without much work, and it can last for years and years. When it comes time for harvesting, cut the plant back of ⅔, cut back above the growth node, or set leaves. Regularly cutting the plant encourages the growth of new leaves. Overall, besides harvesting, watering, and general care, oregano doesn’t require complicated operations to grow back again.
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If you should let oregano to flower depends on the use you want to do with it. For example, if you’re going to use it for culinary reasons, you should not let oregano bloom but cut it before it because it tastes better. If you need to harvest its seed, then you can let oregano bloom, let the flower dry, and get the seeds from it.
Yes, before drying oregano, it is necessary to wash it to remove dirt. It is only required to wash it under cold water and rinse well. It is better to wash it even if it looks clean since it is something you will eat. Then it possible to dry oregano.
Okay, so I really like the Gorilla Carts Steel Garden Cart. The sides are removable and it can take up to 400 pounds of weight. Just make sure you take care of the tires over the winter or you will need to replace them come spring.
The Last Harvest
Harvesting oregano seeds is pretty easy, as it is to grow oregano. It is a plant that doesn’t require a re-planting every year, and it contains tons of good nutrients.
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But, you still have to know how to do it and store them correctly to avoid wasting the seeds or use seeds that are not good anymore. The steps to do so are simple but have to be done precisely in that way.
Following the simple methods listed above allows you to harvest and store oregano seeds successfully.
Sources
- YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H-DviXpjbY, Accessed March 9, 2021.
- YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LzwrQtiU08, Accessed March 9, 2021.
- Medical News Today, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266259#benefits, Accessed March 9, 2021.
- Tenth Acre Farm, https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/storing-seeds-long-term-seed-saving/, Accessed March 9, 2021.
- Featured image by Redbud Patriot from Pixabay
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