From my perspective, a Greek Oregano plant, light is my primary source of sustenance. I use it to create the energy that fuels my growth and produces the potent aromatic oils you love. Therefore, your first task is to find me the sunniest spot in your home. A south-facing windowsill is my absolute favorite, where I can bask in at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. An east or west-facing window can suffice, but my growth might be a bit less compact, and my oils slightly less concentrated. Without sufficient light, I will become "leggy," stretching out weakly with sparse leaves, as I desperately reach for any available photon. A warm spot, away from cold drafts in winter and excessive air conditioning in summer, will make me feel right at home in my native Mediterranean hills.
My roots despise being wet for too long. Soggy soil is a death sentence for me, leading to root rot which you'll notice as wilting leaves despite wet soil—a tragic irony. Please, do not use heavy, moisture-retentive garden soil or generic potting mix. Instead, plant me in a container that has excellent drainage holes and fill it with a gritty, well-aerated potting mix. A perfect home for my roots is a blend specifically formulated for cacti and succulents, or you can create your own by mixing two parts of a standard potting soil with one part of perlite or coarse sand. This ensures that after you quench my thirst, the excess water can drain away freely, allowing my roots to access both water and oxygen, which is crucial for my vitality.
My watering needs are simple: I prefer to dry out a bit between drinks. The best way to understand my needs is to touch the soil. Push your finger about an inch into the topsoil. If it feels dry, it's time for a thorough, deep watering. Water me slowly until you see it running out of the drainage holes at the bottom. This encourages my roots to grow deep and strong. Then, leave me be until the top inch of soil is dry again. I am drought-tolerant by nature, so I would much rather you underwater me than overwater me. Constantly wet feet will cause my roots to suffocate and decay. In the winter, when my growth naturally slows down, I will need even less frequent watering.
To keep me lush and productive, you need to understand my growth habit. I tend to grow upwards and can become woody if left unattended. The secret to a bushy, leafy plant is regular harvesting, which you can think of as pruning. Whenever you need leaves for your cooking, don't just pluck a few from the top. Instead, use clean scissors or your fingers to snip a whole stem right above a set of leaf nodes (the point where leaves emerge from the stem). This action signals to me to send out two new branches from that point, making me denser and fuller. Most importantly, please do not let me flower. If you see flower buds forming, pinch them off immediately. When I put my energy into producing flowers and seeds, my leaf production slows, and the leaves can become bitter. By preventing flowering, you direct all my energy into creating the lush, flavorful foliage you desire.
I am not a plant that craves a lot of space or constant feeding. I actually enjoy being slightly pot-bound, as this can help concentrate my essential oils. You will only need to repot me every couple of years if you notice my growth has significantly slowed or roots are circling the bottom of the pot. When it comes to food, a little goes a long way. During my active growing season in spring and summer, you can feed me once a month with a diluted, balanced liquid fertilizer. However, over-fertilizing will cause me to grow rapidly but with less flavor. It's far better for my taste to be slightly underfed than overfed. In autumn and winter, I am resting, so please withhold fertilizer entirely.
