I have never been able to grow marjoram from seed. I buy established plants in 4-inch pots, then repot in larger containers. Water regularly but must have good drainage. Full or part sun. They die off in winter in my area of New York Zone 6, so I treat them as annuals. The only things I grow from seed are dill and cilantro.

Marjoram is a half-hardy perennial often treated as an annual in cold climates. Marjoram is a little grey-green plant that will grow up to 30cm high if grown as an annual and up to 60cm high as a perennial. Branches that hang down will take root and grow to form a loose, airy clump. It is very slow to propagate from seed - once you've got a plant, it can be divided. In severe winters, pot up the roots and winter indoors. It has a tidier growth habit and a less robust flavour than Oregano. Yes, the leaves can be dried - they tend to be much smaller than those of oregano, and for drying, should be harvested before flowering. The seeds form inside the tiny, insignificant (almost unnoticeable) white flowers, and can be hard to find, but since commercial seeds aren't always easy to find either, it might be worth your trouble to look for them! You will need to ensure that any plant or seeds you buy are labelled Origanum majorana, or else you'll be fobbed off with oregano.

I started it from seed in pots in June, and I've got four plants out of half a pack of seeds. Not a great germination rate. BUT... The four I've got seem happy. A trick I learned COMPLETELY by accident to promote growth is to bend the stem over gently when it's about 6 inches in height, and pin it there. The plant will quickly produce abundant new growth in the new upwards direction.

I'll be digging it up and bringing it in for the winter, as the ground will freeze solid by January.

Thanks for the info. How is the success of bringing a plant in for the winter? It sounds as though it could be propagated by laying a stem on the ground - is that correct? How do most of you use it - fresh/dried? Can you use it in place of oregano? I had never used marjoram before until last weekend and helped someone cook and they used it - it smelled divine.

Marjoram is marjoram and oregano is oregano... Substituting one for the other is like substituting onions for garlic.

Yes, layering works well for multiplying your marjoram.

Here's a good page on bringing your herbs indoors for the winter: http://www.plantea.com/herb-garden-indoor.htm

It's best fresh, but nearly every herb is. There's no shame in using dried, though. I like to take whiting (or cod or haddock) fillets, sprinkle on a good coating of chili powder, sprinkle marjoram atop that, wrap them in foil and broil them. :)