katyh777
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:13 pm

Oregano lost it's flavor!

I was cutting some leaves off my oregano plant today to dry and started to notice there was no smell. I'm used to the strong smell oregano gives off when snipping it. I ripped one of the leaves and there really wasn't much of a smell to it. I did this to many more leaves and even had my mom smell them and it didn't smell to her either. The plant itself is very healthy. How can an entire plant lose it's smell and flavor? I have it in a nice size pot with Miracle Grow soil. I've used cuttings from the plant before and there was nothing wrong with them. Any help would be great!

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rainbowgardener
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Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Babying it too much! Too much water and fertilizer. Oregano (and other mediterranean herbs) have best flavor when they are kept pretty dry and in lean soil. It concentrates the essences. Only water it when it is really dry. Don't fertilize.

Other thoughts- did you let it bloom? If it starts making flowers and seeds, the leaves lose their flavor. Have you been trimming it back? If you just let it grow, it gets woody and tends to lose flavor.

katyh777
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:13 pm

Yes it did start to flower. I cut the flowers off but maybe it's too late? If I cut it back will that make a difference?



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