Oregano is a must-have herb for your garden. I keep it on my veranda which makes it really handy to pick when I’m cooking. I recommend trying it in omelettes, pasta sauces, pizza, soups and plenty of other dishes. It’s even great sprinkled on top of things like salads and stews.
Today I want to share with you the best ways to use oregano in your kitchen and medicine cabinet, how to propagate it, and where to plant it
Oregano in medicine
Did you know that Oregano has been used as far back as 3000 BC? The Assyrians actually used Oregano as the main herb for health and medicinal purposes. So did the Greeks and the Romans.
These days most of us only use oregano for food and flavour, but it also makes great medicine.
Oregano is
- antibacterial,
- anti-fungal,
- a great cough and asthma treatment
- a great lung strengthener, and
- a decongestant.
Having oregano accessible in your garden is so handy for when you want to get on top of a cough or cold.
Use it as soon you get that itch on your throat. Just put a bunch of the leaves in a bowl, and add hot water then use this as a steam inhalation. This really helps to break up phlegm and allow your lungs to clear.
You can also make an infusion – steep the leaves in boiling water and drink it as a tea. This helps with things like persistent coughs, digestion, mouth ulcers and cold symptoms. Or alternatively infuse it in oil and rub this on your abdomen for period pain or on joints with arthritic pain. It can also help to numb the pain of a toothache – rub the oil around the area, or just chew some leaves.
Download my free Oregano Medicine Guide.
How to Propagate Oregano
It’s very easy to propagate oregano. If you don’t have it in your garden yet, now’s the time.
- Talk to your neighbours, friends or family to find someone who has an Oregano plant.
- Snip off a section at the side where it has roots attached. Keep the roots in some water until you get it home.
- Plant this section in a hot and dry spot in your garden (it doesn’t like to be moist). Try the edge of a rockery or hanging over a terrace wall. It also does well in a pot.
In the video below, I will teach you more about how to use and propagate oregano.
What is permaculture?
To learn more about permaculture check out my 4 part permaculture series and take a look at Our Permaculture Life youtube channel where I have uploaded over 100 films I have made in my permaculture garden and in conversation with others. Dive deeper into this blog too and you will find over 400 permaculture articles.
Now is such a great time to learn more about permaculture and consider making permaculture your way of life and livelihood too. To help with this, I offer two online permaculture courses:
- Permaculture Educators Program – Permaculture Design & Teaching Certificates
- The Incredible Edible Garden – permaculture gardening course
I also encourage you to support free permaculture education programs for women and youth in the global south through our registered permaculture charity, the Ethos Foundation.
