The Simple Guide to Rosemary Plant Care

With its pleasant, pine-like scent and pretty dark green foliage with silvery-green undersides, rosemary is a must-have for any garden. As a member of the mint family, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) comes in both upright and creeping forms and is super easy to grow. Small purple-blue, pink, or white flowers appear on branches in late spring to early summer. She grows equally well in garden beds or in pots on your deck, patio or balcony.

Native to the Mediterranean region, rosemary is drought tolerant once established. In zones eight and warmer (find your zone here), it is a perennial evergreen shrub that can grow up to six feet tall and four feet wide, depending on the cultivar. In colder parts of the country, you can bring your rosemary indoors for the winter before nighttime temperatures drop to forty degrees. Just put it back up next spring when all danger of frost has passed!

Now that you’re convinced you need it in your garden, find out everything else you need to know about growing rosemary below.

How to grow and care for rosemary

Rosemary can be grown from seed (if you have a lot of patience as germination is doubtful and can take up to a month!), but it’s easier to buy a small plant that will grow quickly, especially in the right conditions.

Exposure and Weather Preferences

For starters, rosemary loves sun and lots of it. It requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It develops a weak, scrawny growth if you try to grow it in the shade. Rosemary doesn’t mind the heat, although it can get powdery mildew in particularly high humidity or rain. Usually it doesn’t kill the plant; Just do not use affected branches for cooking. To prevent disease, ensure good air circulation around the plant.

ground conditions

As for soil, rosemary is also tolerant of poor soil and thrives in sandy species similar to its native range. If you have heavy clay, grow it in pots instead. An unglazed terracotta pot is a good choice as it allows excess moisture to evaporate. Also, make sure each container has a drainage hole, because no plant likes wet feet.

Irrigation and fertilizer needs

Although rosemary prefers soil on the dry side, water your plant every few days when it’s not raining. Let them dry slightly indoors before watering again. Stick your finger in the pot and if soil sticks to it, wait another day or two to check again.

Also, rosemary is not a heavy feeder, so you really don’t need to feed it like other garden plants. If you grow in soil in a warm climate, you can add some compost every spring if you like. Otherwise, you’ll probably find that rosemary grows quite vigorously in the pot without your help.

Grow rosemary indoors

If you don’t have a lot of outdoor space and are wondering if you can grow rosemary indoors, the answer is a definite absolute! And it’s actually as simple as following the same tips for growing rosemary outdoors. The biggest challenge is making sure it gets enough bright light. Keep them by a bright east, west, or south window, or use a grow light. North-facing windows don’t provide enough light, especially in winter in northern climates. Inadequate light will cause your rosemary plant to develop sluggish growth and shed leaves.

How to harvest your rosemary

Rosemary is amazing when used in both fresh and dried forms. Just cut a few inches long piece to use (like DIY popery or displayed in a vase!). Harvest from different parts of the plant throughout the year to encourage branching all around. If you’re going to dry it for later use, tie a few sprigs together, hang it upside down, out of direct sunlight, and let it air dry. Rub the sprigs gently with your fingertips to remove the dried leaves and store in a jar with a lid or in the freezer.

Mature plants in warm climates can be pruned gently to maintain their spherical shape. Pruning also helps develop into a bushier shape. You can even cut it into a shape, e.g. B. in the form of a Christmas tree if you are feeling particularly ambitious.

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