How To Propagate Oregano Indoors For Bountiful Year-Round Harvests

If you like aromatic herbs such as oregano, growing them at home is probably a favorite hobby. It is a quite rewarding experience, after all. And, if you could somehow propagate oregano indoors, it will provide you with bountiful year-round harvests regardless of the season outdoors. Luckily, with oregano, indoor propagation is a routinely practiced thing, and there are several ways in which you can do it. Seeds, cuttings, division, and layering are all feasible options. 

Now propagation with seeds might sound like the most straightforward and simple option, right? But it isn't the best when it comes to herbs. For example, seeds take time to germinate and then mature. Plus this method often comes with a cost: a less flavorful herb.  Propagating oregano with cuttings is a second option. In fact, cuttings are an easy herb propagation technique offering a never-ending supply of fresh oregano. However, it isn't perfect either. 

The process requires careful handling, and less-than-ideal conditions can lead to cutting loss. That is where propagation by division and layering can help. Layering offers reliable rooting from attached stems as the new plants initially use the food reserves of the parent plant. Whereas division is especially useful for woody herbs such as oregano that can get clumpy. And the best part? It preserves plant vigor and flavor over time.

Since oregano is a woody, perennial herb, it tends to make dense clumps over time. So, division is not just a way to propagate it, but it also helps keep it tidy and neat. The very best time for dividing perennial herbs such as oregano is in spring or fall. During these times, the cooler temperatures put less stress on the plants when moving, and it helps the plant establish itself quickly.

You can start by watering the soil a day before division. This will allow the root ball to slide out of the pot more easily once the soil is soft and malleable. Next, cut the root ball into two or four pieces, depending on the size, with your hands or a clean, sharp knife. Just make sure that each section has several strong shoots and roots. Once finished, repot them in pots with drainage holes.

Afterwards, water the plant until the liquid seeps out of the drainage holes at the bottom, and place the repotted oregano in a well-lit spot in your home. Before you know it, they'll take root and grow into new plants.

Propagation with layering works particularly well for oregano because it takes advantage of the herb's sprawling, flexible branches. To start propagating your oregano indoors, take a small pot of moist, well-drained soilless mix and put it right next to your existing oregano container. Then, pick a stem that can easily reach your new container and slightly wound the underside of the stem at a node with a clean knife.

Then, apply a suitable type of rooting hormone to the wounded spot, and bury it in the new container, about 1 to 2 inches deep. Just make sure that the growing tip stays above the soil surface. Use a paperclip, a small rock, or anything that can help you secure the buried section in its place. Proper contact with the soil is a must if the wounded branch is to take root.

It might take around six to 12 weeks, but eventually the wounded spot will produce roots and attach itself to the new pot, and at that point you can cut it from the parent plant. Just make sure to keep the soil moist and place both containers in a bright spot indoors during the process.