Oregano cultivation
Practical Action
How much to use?
Amounts are resultant of soil analysis. As a point of reference, the following quantities are
suggested, per hectare:
300kg of island guano and 150kg of humus
450kg of island guano and 150kg of compost
9 metric tons of farmyard manure and 300kg of triple calcium super-phosphate.
When and how to apply it?
Fertiliser should be used when the ground is moist.
Lay the first dose when ploughing the ground, the day before planting, and again exactly a
year later. Do this by making holes between the plants. Use a hoe or pick-axe.
Pests and blights
A wide range of insects cause damage to oregano, destroying the leaves: plant lice,
woodworm, leaf-cutting worms and citrus red mites (Panonychus citri).
Plant lice
These species drink the vital fluids (ie. the sap) of the plant, as well as spreading disease.
They breed rapidly, their onset generally occurring in winter months (May-July in the Southern
Hemisphere).
The pest is controlled using tobacco-based insecticides. Ash and other home-made
substances work very well.
Tobacco insecticide:
Blight
Ingredients
Preparation
Application
Plant lice 50grams of strong In a pan, boil the tobacco with 2 Spray the tobacco
(aphids)
tobacco
litres of water.
mixture from a
Mix this into a large bucket fumigation pump.
15 litres of water
containing the remaining 13
litres.
Leave the mixture to sit for a day,
stirring occasionally. Lastly,
strain it.
Recommendations:
• Avoid skin contact with the tobacco mixture: use gloves or plastic bags. Do not inhale
• Do not apply the pesticide less than three days before cutting.
• To improve the effect of the pesticide, add 300ml and 150g of detergent.
Citrus Red Mites
This pest appears in times of drought, when the oregano plant’s leaves grow tender. The plant
becomes covered in a very fine thread, within which the mites (or tiny spiders) can be found.
They restrict the plant’s ability to photosynthesise. As a result the leaves turn yellow and drop
off and stalks dry out. Large numbers of plants will die if this is not controlled.
If the crop is not seriously affected, frequent watering is advisable. If the affliction is severe,
use insecticide (such as C-Omite Acarin, Omite) in the dosage suggested on the label. Only
do this having watered first. In order to conserve quality oregano, do not apply insecticide less
than thirty days before harvesting.
4