How to Grow Marjoram

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	NC State: sow seed indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost, or direct-sow about 2 weeks before the last frost. Division and leaf cuttings also work (NC State); RHS gives layering and softwood cuttings as further methods.
Planting out	0	RHS: plant out late spring or summer after hardening off; container at least 15cm (6in) wide and deep for one plant, spaced at least 20cm (8in) apart; peat-free soil-based compost mixed with up to 25% horticultural grit.
Growth and cutting back	3	NC State: cut back stems before flowers appear to encourage bushy growth. Full sun, 6+ hours direct sunlight daily (NC State).
Harvest and overwintering	8	RHS: harvest before flowers open, spring through early autumn, by snipping shoots and stripping the leaves. Not fully hardy -- bring indoors over winter (sunny windowsill, conservatory, or frost-free greenhouse); NC State agrees it usually does not overwinter well north of USDA zone 9 and is typically grown as an annual there.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Drainage	Free-draining/well-drained; poor drainage causes root rot -- use a container or raised bed on waterlogged soil (RHS). NC State: loamy sand or sandy loam preferred, average dry-to-medium moisture, rots in saturated conditions.
Lifecycle	Tender perennial sub-shrub, usually grown as an annual in cooler climates. NC State places it firmly in USDA zone 9 and warmer, noting that further north it "usually do not overwinter well"; RHS agrees it "isn't considered fully hardy" and should be brought indoors over winter -- onto a sunny windowsill, in a conservatory, or a frost-free greenhouse.
Edible parts	leaves

At a Glance

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: RHS: harvest before flowers open for the best flavour, snipping a few shoots then stripping off the leaves, from spring through early autumn. NC State: collect leaves before flowering; cut back stems before flowers appear to encourage bushy growth.

Storage

RHS: used fresh in cooking, salads, oils, vinegars or tea.

Diseases

Mint rust

low

Named directly by RHS. NC State reports no serious disease problems, a genuine regional contrast kept honest.

Pests

Mint moth (caterpillars)

low

Pyrausta aurata

Named directly by RHS.

Sage leafhopper (leafhoppers)

low

Eupteryx spp.

RHS names "sage and Ligurian leafhoppers, cause pale mottling" -- recorded against the existing sage leafhopper entry. NC State reports no serious insect problems, a genuine regional contrast kept honest.

What the research guides add

Sweet marjoram is a Mediterranean tender perennial, which is the key to growing it in cooler places.

• A herbaceous perennial sub-shrub in the mint family, native to Turkey and the Mediterranean, reaching about 2 feet high and wide; the leaves have their best flavour before the small white flowers bloom in summer. (NC State Extension)
• Plant it in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun; it prefers sandy loam and needs good drainage, with excellent drought and heat tolerance once established. (NC State Extension)
• Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost, or sow outdoors about two weeks before it. (NC State Extension)
• It is a tender perennial that may not survive a winter north of USDA zone 9, where it is typically grown as an annual; container plants can be brought in before frost but usually do not overwinter well. (NC State Extension)
• Cut stems back before flowers appear to encourage bushy growth. (NC State Extension)

Sources for this section

• NC State Extension: Origanum majorana (Plant Toolbox)

Section researched and checked on 25 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

The full list of 2 sources behind this guide (North Carolina State University Extension (Plant Toolbox), Royal Horticultural Society) is in the references of our UK guide to marjoram; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.