How to Grow Marjoram From Seed

Sweet marjoram is a tender perennial that most gardeners grow as an annual, since it cannot survive frost outside of zones 9 and 10. Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost to give this slow starter a head start. Transplant out only once the weather is warm and settled, well after the last frost, because marjoram loves heat and sulks in cold, damp soil.

Marjoram seeds are very tiny and need both light and warmth to germinate, so surface-sow them on moist seed-starting mix and press them in gently without covering. Keep the soil around 65 to 70F, ideally on a heat mat, and mist to keep it evenly moist. Germination is slow and can be uneven, taking 7 to 14 days or more, so do not give up. Grow in full sun and light, well-drained soil, and space or transplant seedlings to about 8 to 10 inches apart.

Marjoram is easygoing once it is warm and growing. Give it full sun and well-drained soil, water moderately, and let the surface dry slightly between waterings, since it dislikes soggy roots. It needs little feeding; lean soil keeps the flavor concentrated. Pinch the stems back regularly to keep the plant compact and bushy and to delay flowering. Climate sets how long marjoram lasts: it is frost-tender and lives as a short-lived perennial only in the mild winters of USDA zones 9 and 10, such as Florida, the Gulf Coast, southern Texas, and coastal California. Across the rest of the country it is grown as a warm-season annual, so start it after the last frost, or pot it up in fall and carry it over on a sunny windowsill.

Marjoram is a friendly companion herb whose aroma helps deter some pests, and when allowed to flower it attracts bees, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects. These four make especially good neighbors, and you can add any of them in one click:

Start snipping marjoram once plants are 4 to 6 inches tall and bushy. For the sweetest, most aromatic leaves, harvest just before the little knot-like flower buds open, cutting stems back by up to a third so the plant keeps branching. Cut in the morning after the dew dries. Marjoram dries beautifully; hang small bundles in a warm, airy place, then strip and store the leaves in a jar.

Marjoram is milder, sweeter, and more floral than oregano, so treat it as the gentler option. Add it fresh near the end of cooking to roast meats, poultry, lamb, tomato dishes, egg dishes, soups, and herb blends, since its delicate flavor fades with long heat. The dried leaves hold their gentle aroma well and are worth drying your own. A little goes a long way, so start light and taste.

• Slow, uneven germination: normal for marjoram. Surface-sow, keep it warm around 70F on a heat mat, and stay patient.
• Cold damage: marjoram is frost-tender. Do not plant out until the weather is warm, and bring pots indoors before frost.
• Leggy plants: pinch the tips often to keep it compact and bushy.
• Faded flavor: harvest before flowering and grow it in lean, well-drained soil in full sun.