{"product_id":"semences-marjolaine-sucree-ancestrale","title":"Sweet Marjoram","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOriganum majorana.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe refined, delicate cousin of oregano. From the same botanical genus \u003cem\u003eOriganum\u003c\/em\u003e, it shares with it an ancient Greek lineage — Aphrodite, says the myth, made it grow where she had touched the body of her wounded lover Adonis, a living symbol of sweetness and amorous grief. The Greeks and Romans wove crowns of it for the newly-wed; the Egyptians used it as a funerary offering; and all of ancient Mediterranean cooking considered it one of the most precious herbs of the garden. Its name \u003cem\u003emajorana\u003c\/em\u003e may have a Latin origin evoking \"the greatest\" or \"the beloved\" — perhaps in reference to its status as the chosen one among cultivated oreganos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn annual in Québec (tender; perennial only in zone 7 and warmer), 30-60 cm tall, with a delicate habit and small oval, grey-green, slightly downy leaves, dotted in summer with clusters of flower buds shaped like little knots — hence its English nickname \u003cem\u003eknotted marjoram\u003c\/em\u003e. The fragrance is very different from oregano's: softer, more floral, almost sweet, with lemony and thyme-like notes underneath, and without the peppery heat of its cousin. It's the perfect herb for delicate preparations where oregano would be too dominant: as a finish on a fines-herbes omelette, infused into cream for a béchamel sauce, added to a poultry stuffing, a compound butter, a white-fish marinade — and above all in European-style sausages and terrines, where it is an absolute classic (Polish \u003cem\u003emajeranek\u003c\/em\u003e, German \u003cem\u003eMajoran\u003c\/em\u003e). Unlike oregano, which stands up to cooking, marjoram gives its best when added at the end of cooking or raw — to preserve its volatile essential oils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrower's tip:\u003c\/strong\u003e Germination is capricious and slow (10-14 days), demanding warmth and light: start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost, at 22-25 °C, sowing barely on the surface without covering. Transplant once all frost risk has passed, in early June. Marjoram grows slowly — plan a gradual hardening-off before garden planting and a warm, sheltered spot. For drying, cut the stems just before full flowering (the buds are then most aromatic), hang them in bundles in a dark, airy place, then strip them into airtight jars — it keeps its fragrance better than one might think, up to a year if well stored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen-pollinated. Annual in Québec (perennial only in zone 7+). Self-pollinating but visited by bees, which can lead to occasional crosses with other nearby oreganos.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 30-60 cm.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaturity: 60-90 days for full size; first usable leaves at 6-8 weeks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExposure: full sun.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrdinary to rich soil, well-drained, slightly alkaline. Tolerates drought once established. Space plants 25-30 cm apart.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStart indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost, on the surface without covering. Transplant once all frost risk has passed and the soil is well warmed (15 °C minimum).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Joual Vert","offers":[{"title":"800","offer_id":42601072984236,"sku":"GC-H-MARJOR-800","price":0.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4k","offer_id":42601073017004,"sku":"GC-H-MARJOR-4K","price":3.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20k","offer_id":42601073049772,"sku":"GC-H-MARJOR-20K","price":12.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0532\/1388\/8684\/products\/marjoram.jpg?v=1664221280","url":"https:\/\/joualvert.ca\/en\/products\/sweet-marjoram-heirloom-seeds","provider":"Joual Vert","version":"1.0","type":"link"}