Marjoram

Origin & history

Marjoram comes from the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor and was already grown in ancient Egypt; it has been in Central European gardens since the Middle Ages. In Germany it is called Wurstkraut, sausage herb, for good reason — without it Thuringian liver sausage and Grützwurst do not taste as they should. Around Aschersleben in Saxony-Anhalt marjoram was grown as a field crop for centuries, and the town still carries the nickname Majoranstadt.

Varieties

The trade distinguishes leaf marjoram from knot marjoram: leaf types grow larger and leafier, knot types form many of the characteristic flower knots and are considered the more aromatic sort for drying. What is sold as winter or perennial marjoram is usually Origanum × majoricum, a cross with oregano — perennial in mild spots and tasting somewhere between its parents; for true marjoram look for the species name Origanum majorana. The seed is very fine and needs a steady temperature above 18 °C to germinate, which makes raising it on a windowsill more reliable than an early direct sowing into cold soil.

Care

Marjoram wants more warmth than any other herb in this group: below about 10 °C it simply stalls, so plant it out only after the mid-May frosts and into warmed-through, sheltered soil. Pinch out the growing tip of young plants once and they branch out bushily instead of making one thin main stem. It likes moderate moisture and moderate fertility — drier than parsley, but nowhere near as lean as thyme. After the first cut it will push out again as long as you do not go back further than two pairs of leaves.

What can go wrong

The commonest mistake is impatience: in cold, wet soil marjoram germinates badly, and young plants set out too early just sit there for weeks without growing — waiting two weeks achieves more than any remedial work. On the windowsill seedlings topple over easily where sowing was too dense, too warm and too wet; sow thinly, keep only the surface moist and give plenty of light. In dense, damp stands a wilt can appear in which individual plants brown from the base upwards: pull out affected plants with their roots, plant further apart, and like oregano do not bring marjoram back to the same ground for three or four years.

Harvest, storage & kitchen

Marjoram belongs to hearty cooking: potato soup, fried potatoes, minced meat, kale and, of course, liver sausage. Fresh, it goes in towards the end of cooking; dried, rub it between your palms directly over the pan, which releases the aroma best. For the store cupboard cut the whole plant as soon as the first flower knots show — that is when the aroma peaks — hang it upside down somewhere dark and airy, and strip the leaves off once the stems snap.

Frequently asked questions

Is marjoram winter hardy?

No. Marjoram is frost-tender and grown as an annual here, since the first frost finishes it. A pot can be overwintered somewhere bright at ten to fifteen degrees, but it usually stays puny; a fresh sowing from 20 March gives you far more.

When do you harvest marjoram?

From early July to the end of September, with two or three cuts a season. Take whole shoots in the morning of a dry day once the dew has gone, as damp material moulds easily while drying. The last cut comes before the first frost.

When does marjoram flower, and can I still use it then?

It flowers from July with small white to pink knots. It stays usable afterwards, though the leaves get smaller and the stems wiry, and buds and flowers can be eaten too. If you only want leaf, pinch the knots out and the plant branches once more.

Does marjoram grow in a window box?

Yes, and in a box against a warm south wall often better than in a bed, because it gets more warmth there. A small pot or an ordinary box is enough, and three plants 20 centimetres apart cover kitchen needs. On an indoor windowsill it stays thin.