From my perspective as a Greek oregano plant (*Origanum vulgare* subsp. *hirtum*), pruning is not an act of harm but a vital conversation. My natural tendency is to become woody and leggy at the base, especially if left unpruned. This woody growth produces far fewer of the fragrant leaves you desire. When you prune me correctly, you are speaking my language. You are telling my apical meristems (the dominant growing tips) that their control has been cut, literally. This signal redirects my energy away from solely growing taller and encourages the activation of the dormant lateral buds lower down on my stems. The result is the bushy, dense form you are after, filled with tender new growth perfect for your kitchen.
My internal calendar is governed by light and temperature. The most crucial pruning should occur in mid to late spring, once I have put on several inches of new growth and the threat of a hard frost has passed. This timing is perfect because I am entering my most vigorous phase of growth and can recover quickly from the stress of a hard prune. You can and should continue to harvest throughout the summer, which acts as a form of light, continuous pruning. However, you must stop any major pruning by late summer, at least 6-8 weeks before your area's first expected frost. I need this time to harden off my new, tender growth before the cold arrives. Pruning too late leaves me vulnerable to winter damage.
This is the most important cut you will make. In spring, look for my new, green growth emerging from the woody base. Using clean, sharp shears, you should cut me back by about one-half to two-thirds of my current height. Make your cuts just above a set of healthy leaves or a node (the bump on the stem where leaves emerge). This precise cut is a clear directive to the plant. It removes the apical dominance and stimulates those lower nodes to burst into life, sending out two new branches where there was previously only one. Do not be afraid to cut back into the older, woody stems; I can often sprout new growth from old wood if I am healthy. This aggressive cut sets the foundation for my entire season's bushy structure.
Throughout the growing season, your regular harvesting becomes a form of pruning. Instead of just plucking individual leaves, which is inefficient for you and doesn't provide the shaping signal I need, you should practice "heading back." Use scissors or shears to snip entire stems right above a leaf node. Always aim to take a bit of the stem with the leaves. This method encourages branching at that point, making me even fuller. Furthermore, consistently pinch off any flower buds you see forming. Flowering signals the end of my vegetative growth cycle; by diverting my energy into producing blooms and seeds, I will slow the production of the flavorful leaves and begin to get leggy. Removing flower buds keeps me in a perpetual state of leafy growth.
