Marjoram is sweet marjoram's gentle cousin to oregano — softer, sweeter and more delicate — and its harvest is timed the same way: cut the sprigs just before the flowers open, when the leaves are at their most aromatic. It is a tender perennial with low water needs, grown as an annual in cold climates, and the main harvest comes in early summer, with a second cutting possible if the weather stays warm. Pick it in the morning and dry it promptly, and you will have sweet marjoram all winter.
Marjoram takes 70–90 days to mature, according to the Garden Grove crop data. It is a tender herb in the Lamiaceae family with low water needs. For the full growing picture, see our growing guide for marjoram, and use the Harvest Date Calculator to work out your picking window from your sowing date. Browse the full guides hub and the tools hub for more harvest timing advice, and check your local extension service for dates suited to your climate.
Marjoram at a glance
| Growing factor | What marjoram needs |
|---|---|
| Days to maturity | 70–90 |
| Category | herb |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Cold tolerance | tender |
| Water needs | low |
Signs marjoram is ready to pick
Marjoram is ready for its main harvest when the plant is about eight to twelve inches tall and the flower buds are forming at the tips of the stems but have not yet opened. At this stage the small, soft, grey-green leaves are at their most flavourful, with a sweet, warm scent when you brush them. The stems should be soft and green, not woody, and the plant should be dense and bushy.
Once the tiny white or pink flowers open, the leaves are still usable but the flavour starts to decline, and the plant's energy shifts to flowering and seed. If you miss the bud stage, harvest anyway — marjoram picked in flower is still good — but aim for the bud stage for the best drying harvest. Avoid picking from stems that are yellowed or woody at the base.
How to pick marjoram
Cut marjoram stems with clean scissors, snipping each stem about two inches above the ground or just above a leaf node. Take the whole stem for drying, leaves and buds together, and work across the whole plant so no one section is stripped bare. Take up to half the stems at the main harvest and leave the rest to flower for the bees.
Harvest in the morning after the dew has dried, when the leaves are dry and the oils are concentrated. Do not wash the stems before drying — brush off any soil instead, because wet leaves dry slowly and can go mouldy. If you only need a few leaves for cooking, snip the tips of a few stems rather than cutting whole stems. For the full growing picture, see our growing guide for marjoram.
The best time of day to harvest
Harvest marjoram in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun gets hot. That is when the leaves are dry, crisp and most aromatic, because the essential oils are at their most concentrated after a cool night. Leaves picked in the afternoon heat are often limp and less flavourful, and wet leaves picked while the dew is still on them dry slowly and can go mouldy in storage.
Choose a dry day for harvesting if you can, and avoid picking after rain, when the foliage is wet and heavy. If you must pick on a damp day, spread the cuttings out in a single layer in a ventilated spot for an hour before you bundle or bag them. And get the harvest out of the sun straight away — a basket of cut herbs left in the sun for an hour will wilt and lose much of its aroma. Morning picking is a small habit that makes a real difference to flavour and keeping quality.
How often to pick
Marjoram is a pick-little-and-often crop, and regular picking is part of good plant care, not just a way to get a harvest. Once the plant is established, you can take a small picking every week or two through the growing season, always leaving enough growth for the plant to recover. Each cut encourages the plant to branch and push out fresh, tender growth, so a plant that is picked regularly stays bushy and productive far longer than one that is left alone.
Do not wait for a single big harvest unless the plant is one you cut whole for drying — for most herbs, steady, small pickings give you better flavour and a healthier plant. Take a few sprigs from several plants rather than a large handful from one, and always leave at least two-thirds of the plant intact. If you go away for a few weeks, ask someone to pick the herbs, or cut the plant back before you leave so it regrows while you are gone.
What happens if marjoram is left too long
Marjoram left unpicked flowers, sets seed and becomes woody and sparse. The leaves grow smaller and less aromatic, the stems turn brown and tough at the base, and the plant's growth slows as it puts energy into seed. In cold climates the plant will die with the first frost anyway, so an unharvested plant is simply a wasted harvest.
If your marjoram has flowered, cut the whole plant back to a few inches above the ground — it will usually regrow with fresh, leafy stems within a few weeks, giving you a second harvest. Dry the cut stems even if they have flowered, because the leaves are still useful in cooking. The best prevention is the main harvest itself: cut the stems just before flowering each year.
How to store marjoram
Marjoram dries well and keeps its sweet flavour for months. Tie the cut stems into small bunches and hang them upside down in a warm, dark, well-ventilated spot for one to two weeks, until the leaves are crisp and crumble easily. Strip the leaves into a jar, discard the stems, and store the jar in a dark cupboard. Use the Herb Drying Calculator for timing.
Fresh marjoram keeps for one to two weeks in the fridge, wrapped loosely in a damp tea towel inside a bag. You can also freeze it, chopped and frozen in ice-cube trays with oil, though drying is the traditional method and works very well. Dried marjoram keeps for six to twelve months, and is at its best in the first few months — crush the leaves just before using them.
Succession and continuous harvest tips
Marjoram is tender, so in cold climates it is grown as an annual and must be harvested before the first frost. Sow new plants each spring, and sow a second small batch in early summer so there is a fresh plant coming on when the first one starts to flower. In warm climates it is a short-lived perennial that can survive mild winters, but it is still worth starting fresh plants every year or two.
The harvest rhythm is a main cutting just before flowering in early summer, then a second cutting in late summer if the plant regrows well. After the second cutting, leave the plant alone so it can harden off. In cold climates, take a final harvest before the first frost and check your local extension service for your frost dates. Keep the soil well drained and do not overwater — marjoram with low water needs rots easily in wet soil.
If you are also growing other herbs and vegetables, our guides to harvesting bay leaves and harvesting blueberries follow the same picking principles, and check your local extension service for advice suited to your area.
Frequently asked questions
When is marjoram ready to harvest?
When the plant is eight to twelve inches tall and flower buds are forming but not yet open, typically 70–90 days from sowing.
How is marjoram different from oregano?
Marjoram is sweeter, softer and more delicate than oregano. It is also more tender and is usually grown as an annual in cold climates.
How much marjoram can I cut at once?
Up to half the stems at the main harvest. Cut stems about two inches above the ground and leave the rest to flower for the bees.
Does marjoram dry well?
Yes, very well. Hang small bunches upside down until crisp, strip the leaves into a jar, and store in a dark cupboard.
Can marjoram survive winter?
Only in warm climates. It is tender, so in cold areas grow it as an annual and take a final harvest before the first frost.