Oregano is one of the few herbs whose aromatic flavors intensify when dried. If you have oregano plants on the balcony or in the garden where the harvest is very plentiful, you can easily dry the cut branches to use them later.

The best time to harvest

The flavor of oregano is most intense before or during flowering. If possible, cut the oregano sprigs on a rainy morning, because the aroma of the herbs is less intense in the evening hours and on rainy days.

Preparation for drying

With herbs from your own garden, which are usually neither sprayed nor regularly fertilized, you should avoid extensive washing before bundling. The moisture remaining on the leaves delays the drying process and the aroma of the herb would suffer. It is sufficient to shake the branches vigorously after harvesting to free them from loosely adhering dust and garden soil.

If it is necessary to wash the oregano, pre-dry the branches on absorbent kitchen paper. Please do not crush the twigs, as the precious essential oils will escape at every break or cut.

Bundle and dry the oregano

Herbs should always be air dried:

  • Gather sprigs of oregano into loose bundles and tie with twine.
  • Hang branches upside down in a warm, dry, wind-protected spot.
  • Leave enough space between the individual bundles of herbs; this prevents mold growth.
  • The room temperature should not rise above 30 - 35 degrees.
  • Ideal places for drying are covered garden houses or attics that are not too warm.
  • You can also dry the oregano in the apartment. Bundled with a pretty ribbon, the small bouquets of herbs make an attractive room decoration.

After four to seven days, the oregano is completely dry and can be stored.

Oregano dry in the oven or dehydrator

Only use adjustable dehydrators that gently remove the moisture from the herbs at temperatures between thirty and fifty degrees. Even with faster drying in the dehydrator, the aromatic substances of the oregano are destroyed at higher temperatures. Since the dehydrators offer less space, the oregano branches have to be chopped up a little before drying.

Darn oregano in the oven

When drying in the oven, make sure you choose the lowest possible temperature. Spread the oregano sprigs loosely on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The oven door should remain open slightly during the drying process. It has proven useful to clamp a wooden cooking spoon in the door so that the upper part remains slightly open.

Save oregano

When the herb is completely dry, the small leaves and flowers are carefully removed from the branches (rubbed). Store the herbs in well-sealed containers made of dark-tinted glass or ceramic. As a result, no light penetrates the herbs and they are well protected from fading and loss of aroma due to oxidation.

tips and tricks

Make sure the oregano has seen a day or two of sunshine before harvest. As a result, it develops a particularly large number of aromatic substances and tastes more intense.

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