Are you wondering about what are the best ways for growing rosemary? If so, then this guide will help you!
Rosemary is a well-known evergreen herb native to the Mediterranean that has a great aroma. It’s certainly more than just a decorative plant with many culinary and medicinal benefits.
The herbs offer good protection against pests and are fairly easy to maintain. It also works as a natural fertilizer for the garden. The taste and smell of rosemary closely resemble the bay leaf.
Now that you know some common reasons why you should plant rosemary, let’s learn how you could ensure its good growth:
Things Required to Grow Rosemary
Before you start growing rosemary, make sure you are familiar with the growing conditions it requires. It’s important to meet this requirement so that the plant can thrive nicely:
Sun: Full sun
Climate: Warm and moderately dry climate
Soil temperature: Above 65 degrees Farhanitrate
Soil: Well-drained
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Bloom time: Summer, spring
Hardiness Zone: 8-10 (USDA
Spacing: 4-6 inches
Water: 1 to 2 weeks during dry periods
Accessories: Herb growing accessories, seeds, cuttings, pots, potting mix
Soil Requirements for Rosemary
Rosemary requires loamy, sandy, well-drained soil with a pH of about 6.0 to 7.0. Although it can be grown in poor soil conditions, the plant does not prefer water-logged areas. So, avoid such conditions.
You can add well-decomposed organic matter and prepare the land with 3 to 4 deep plowing. As it doesn’t grow well in heavy clay and wet soils, avoid such soil types.
How to Grow Rosemary?
Now that you know about the requirements for growing rosemary, let’s learn about the main process, which is how to grow rosemary. You can grow rosemary from both seeds and cuttings. Make sure to choose the method with which you are most comfortable and follow these steps:
Growing Rosemary from Seeds/Cuttings
To grow rosemary from seeds, prepare the planting trays and add a sterile medium to up to 1 inch of the tray. Water the planting medium so it gets wet but do not overwater it.
Add the rosemary seeds about one to ½ inches apart and press them firmly. Ensure that the temperature is about 75-85 degrees Farhanitrate so it can germinate easily. The soil should be moist and there shouldn’t be any seed disturbance.
You can transplant the rosemary seedlings when it is about 4 to 5 inches tall. Make sure to harvest the plant after 70 to 90 days after germination.
To grow rosemary from cuttings, cut some healthy, non-flowering sprigs of rosemary that are about 4 to 6 inches long. Keep about 2 inches of stem bare for the base of future roots. You can also dip the stem in the hormone, but it’s optional.
As soon as you see some healthy roots, plant them in the potting soil. About 6-8 weeks later, you will notice some indicators of rosemary plant growth.
Growing Rosemary in Pots
If you want to grow rosemary in pots, simply go for a container that’s 12 inches or 30 cm in diameter. It should have enough space and drainage to grow perfectly.
Next, you can add the cuttings/seeds to the pot along with the potting mix. Make sure to plant the rosemary at the same depth as the actual container since deep penetration can suffocate the plant.
Growing Rosemary Outdoors and Indoors
Just like all other plants, growing rosemary indoors requires some attention and tending. The plant should be exposed to lots of light and water cadence. It’s recommended to keep the water optimal (neither too much nor too little)
For an outdoor herb garden, keep the rosemary pot in an easterly spot, so it gets full sun until mid-day. You must also provide it some protection during chilly months and keep the soil well drained.
How to Maintain Rosemary?
The best thing about maintaining rosemary is that it’s not difficult to care for them. Simply keep them in the mentioned growing conditions, and follow the below steps:
- Keep the rosemary bush away from extreme cold conditions. It’s best to expose the plant to 6-8 hours of sun.
- Prune the rosemary in the late spring just after it completes the flowering
- Water the plant throughout the growing season but do not go overboard with it.
- Keep the top inch of soil dry between waterings.
- Although it doesn’t require fertilizer, if it seems that the plant growth is slow, go for all-purpose fertilizer before any new growth.
That’s it! Once you meet the above conditions, you will soon get thriving rosemary all over your garden or indoors. Hopefully, we have covered everything about growing rosemary in detail.
