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Hi Everyone,

My oregano plants have been doing very well until lately. Some of the young leaves have been drying from their tips, eventually the entire leaf dries and dies. Does anybody know what could be causing this? It was happening to one plant at first but now both of them are affected.

Any ideas anyone?

Roseamore

If this is in a pot, it might need to be repotted. I regularly have to divide herbs in pots or they dry out. They can tolerate wilting once or twice but that is a hint that the plant needs dividing or up potting. If it keeps wilting eventually it does not come back.

Thanks for responding Iamfan26.

I currently have them in 8 inch pots and I was looking to see when the roots started coming through the drainage holes; I usually take this as a sign that a plant needs repotting. There are no roots coming through the holes.... I'm a little confused.

Roseamore

I've repotted one of the oreganos in a three gallon container. I'll see if this remedies the problem.

Roseamore

Have had similar troubles with oregano and the reason in my case was overwatering. I let it dry abit and now I have lot of new leaves, even flowers.

uaiko wrote:Have had similar troubles with oregano and the reason in my case was overwatering. I let it dry abit and now I have lot of new leaves, even flowers.

You know you don't want to let it flower very much. Once it flowers, it puts its energy in to making flowers and seeds, not growing more, making more leaves. To keep more oregano coming, keep clipping off the flower buds as they appear. That said, I usually do let one or two stems on a plant flower, because the bees & butterflies love the flowers. So probably do the braconid wasps and other beneficial predatory insects.

Thanks guys.

I repotted and I am still having the problem. I'll try watering less and see if that helps; hopes this works because I don't know what else to do.

Roseamore

Hey there! I think I may be having a similar issue with my oregano. The leaves are turning brown and crispy on the ends. I very recently repotted it, and I don't water it unless the top inch of soil is dry. Does anyone have any suggestions?

What is your potting mix? It might be holding too much water. My potting mix is very lite 50/50 peat moss and perlite so I need to water it daily or it dries out. I don't have problems with the oregano blooming, I keep cutting the stems. It is the best way to rejuvenate the plant.

I just have it in an organic potting mix. Do you think I need to change it?

When I lived in TN I never could grow oregano. I know a chinese lady in town that has the best oregano growning in a raised bed made from 3 old car tires in a stack filled with dirt, no compost, no organic material.

Now I live in AZ and learn oregano is a desert plant. It grows like a weed here, hot and dry is what the plants like.

Oregano does not seem to respond to good soil and fertilizer. Full sun, soil dry on the surface but moist soil down deep inside, not much rain works good.

We had a heavy frost this year and temperature dropped to 26 degrees and all my herbs died. I'm not planting anymore they are so cheap here 1 lb. bag of oregano is $2 at the store.

Do you see any leaves that look like they are brown, but only in a spiral or curve? you may have leaf miners in the pot. check the leaves at the very bottom. If it is, remove the leaves, and spray with a insecticidal soap or neem oil. My oregano plant has been browning leaves also, but I did see the leaves like that. Maybe it is an outdoor issue, but check to be safe