Marjoram is a delicate strong-tasting herb, very fragrant and easy to grow. It is perfect to flavor meals.
Name – Origanum majorana and vulgare
Family – Lamiaceae
Type – herbs and spices, perennial
Height – 16 to 24 inches (40 to 60 cm)
Exposure – full sun
Sol – ordinary and light
Foliage – evergreen
Flowering – summer
Harvest – May to November
Sowing marjoram normally takes place at the very beginning of spring, towards March, in a sheltered place. You can transplant them in the ground at the end of the feasts of the Ice Saints, in the middle of May.
It is also possible to sow directly in the plot, either in the ground or in a garden box for herbs and spices, but wait for the middle of May to avoid late frosts.
Whichever is practiced, thin to 4 inches (10 cm) to let the most vigorous young plants develop well.
Grown as a spice, marjoram is appreciated for its very tasty leaves.
They are used both fresh and dried. They are often mixed with other herbs to multiply flavors and pleasures.
Pick your marjoram leaves when you need them.
If possible, pick them in the morning: that is when they are most savory and your harvest will retain more of the aromas.
Marjoram doesn’t like it when winter cold and moisture meet, so it is best to plant it on a small mound.
It isn’t all that hardy, and that is why even though it is a perennial, marjoram is grown as an annual.
Very tasty, marjoram is particularly well suited to dishes with gravy, and also marinades and pizzas when it is dried.
Oregano, from which the second name of marjoram derives, is less tasty than marjoram.
From a health point of view, marjoram seems to have antiseptic properties, can treat anxiety disorders, as well as sleeping or respiratory disorders.
Its evergreen leaves make marjoram a perfect vegetable patch herb. You can also use marjoram along edges and in pots and garden boxes.
Credits for images shared to Nature & Garden (all edits by Gaspard Lorthiois):
Marjoram with bee by Fablegros under Pixabay license
Marjoram leaves by Markéta Machová under Pixabay license
