– you’ve probably thought about growing your own. We'll tell you how to grow rosemary at home, and it's quite easy to do.
Growing rosemary is possible in almost any climate. There's no excuse why you shouldn't grow your own!
From the article you will learn:
Rosemary: cultivation
Rosemary (lat. Rosmarinus officinalis) is a necessity for any garden. In warmer areas it is spicy evergreen can form chic hedges or be an elegant addition to a rock garden. In cooler areas, rosemary is an ideal candidate for growing in containers. It is important that it receives sunlight and is planted in well-drained soil, which it adores.
Rosemary is a very unpretentious herb and is almost not susceptible to pest attacks. Your only concern may be powdery mildew. This can be avoided by not over-watering the soil and by providing adequate space and air circulation among neighboring plants.
If you want to quickly start harvesting, we recommend starting to grow rosemary from a small plant. This is due to the fact that rosemary grows very slowly in the first year.
How to plant rosemary
- Where: Rosemary can be grown in warmer climates right in the garden or vegetable garden open ground . If you live in a cooler area, you can add rosemary to your garden. But at the first frost, be prepared to either harvest the leaves or transplant your rosemary into a container and take it indoors. The best way Growing rosemary in a cooler zone makes your rosemary mobile. This way the fragrant herb will be with you all year round. And of course you can grow rosemary at home. Your main task is to prepare well-drained soil for it, provide a sufficient amount of sunlight and the absence of excess moisture.
- When: If you want to grow rosemary in cold weather climatic zone, it's best to start indoors eight weeks before the first frost. To move to open ground, you should wait until the soil warms up to 20 C. If you live in a warm climate or plan to grow rosemary at home, plant rosemary at any time.
How to care for rosemary
- Soil: Rosemary should be grown in well-drained, loamy soil. Although rosemary does well in poor soils, adding fertilizer to the soil each spring encourages its growth.
- Sun: The plant requires six to eight hours of sunlight daily. When planting rosemary indoors, make sure it gets plenty of sunlight. If there is a lack of sun, it can be compensated by adding artificial light.
- Water: The shrub is relatively drought-resistant. Allow the soil to dry out between each watering; Rosemary grows best when the soil is not too wet.
- Distance: in warmer areas, rosemary can grow into a thick, large plant. This means leaving about a meter of free space for other plants. In areas with frequent frosts, we suggest planting rosemary in containers to grow the herb year-round.
- Reproduction: cut a seven-centimeter cutting from the very end of the stem, remove the leaves 3 centimeters from the base. Plant it in a rooting mixture that includes both peat moss and vermiculite. Roots will appear within three to four weeks. Transfer to a small ten-centimeter pot and allow a root ball to form. And then transplant it into a larger pot or directly into the garden.
How to collect rosemary
Harvest rosemary whenever you need it. Its pine needle-like leaves grow profusely along the stem, so you don't have to pick the perfect spot to cut them. Just don't cut the leaf all the way down to the base of the plant, this will encourage future growth. Again, if you live in a warmer area, your main concern will be to contain this vigorous grower.
Bonus: Rosemary Bonsai
Most people don't associate rosemary with the art of bonsai, but this zesty plant can be used for more than just seasoning. Its hardy, fast-growing nature makes it an excellent choice for bonsai beginners. And the main bonus is that when you trim your bonsai, you will receive valuable aromatic leaves that can be used in cooking.
Rosemary is a type of exotic plant.
Many people have fallen in love with this plant; it has an original taste and aroma, and is also considered a medicinal plant.
In addition, rosemary is very interesting and beautiful plant, its leaves resemble needles.
Such a bush will become a real decoration of any garden.
This article examines the features of growing rosemary in open ground.
Growing rosemary is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
To do this, you first need to choose the right place in the garden or vegetable garden. Site requirements:
- Any excess moisture negatively affects the growth and development of the plant. That is why a flat place is selected, where there is no stagnation of water.
- The area should be sunny. Lack of light leads to the fact that the taste and aroma of the plant become less pronounced, the concentration essential oils is significantly reduced.
- Eastern or southern side of the site - best place where you can plant rosemary.
- Much depends on the climate of the region; the plant does not like cold or temperature changes. It is advisable to choose for him open area no strong winds.
As for the composition and quality of the soil, the shrub does not tolerate acidic and clay soils.
The best option will choose a light one, preferably limestone.
You can prepare the soil yourself. To do this, mix equal amounts of river sand, peat, black soil, and dry leaves. You also need to add lime.
For 10 buckets of prepared soil, 100 g of crushed lime is enough.
1-2 weeks before planting rosemary, prepare the beds. They are first moistened and applied after 3 days. mineral fertilizers.
Overwintering rosemary in open ground at temperatures below -10ºC is impossible; the plant simply will not survive.
If it is necessary to grow it as a perennial, then prepare a greenhouse.
Rosemary is often grown as an annual. When spring comes, bushes are planted, and harvesting begins in the fall.
Rosemary seeds begin to germinate in the spring. Rosemary can be propagated through seedlings or cuttings.
If you sow seeds directly into open ground, you may not have time to get a good and high-quality harvest.
Most likely, the bush will grow only in late autumn.
To grow rosemary from seeds and harvest in mid-summer, it is recommended to start sowing seeds at the end of February.
First, the seeds are germinated. To do this, follow the instructions:
- The gauze is folded several times and moistened well.
- The seeds are laid out and covered.
- Harvest until complete germination.
- Optimal temperature+18-22 ºC.
- During this time, it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the gauze. It shouldn't dry out. If this happens, carefully spray it with a spray bottle.
- In a few days the shoots will appear. This usually happens on the 3rd or 4th day.
Pay attention! When you remove the seeds from the gauze, act extremely carefully. The sprouts are very fragile and thin, they can be easily damaged! In addition, they often get confused among the gauze fibers.
- Prepare the containers. These can be special pots, plastic cups, wooden boxes and any other container. Each gardener has his own favorite containers where it is convenient for him to grow seeds.
- They fill them with soil, moisten them, and make grooves.
- Carefully place the seeds along the grooves and sprinkle a little earth on top.
- Cover the containers with glass or film and put them in a dark and warm place.
- Water approximately once every 2 days. You can determine whether watering is needed by the condition of the soil. If it is dry, watering is required. It is better not to water soil that is too wet, as this can lead to rotting of the plant roots.
- When the sprouts appear on the surface, the glass or film is removed. Rearrange containers sunny place. Plants now need it for normal growth and development.
When the seedlings become stronger, the plants can be planted in open ground.
As a rule, this occurs 45-60 days after the first shoots appear.
Rooting cuttings
It is much easier and faster to grow rosemary by propagating from cuttings.
Cut shoots from an already mature plant are suitable.
In addition, you can take purchased greens.
The optimal time for cuttings is the end of April or the beginning of May.
Proceed as follows:
- Take several branches, expose some of the stems, and remove the leaves from the bottom of the branch.
- Now you can go two ways. The first is to place the seedling in the ground, the second is to put the branches in water. In both cases, you need to wait until the plant takes root.
- If the branches are standing in water, change it after 3 days.
- When rooting in soil, moisten it as needed, usually after 1 day.
- Roots will begin to form in about 21 days.
Now the seedling is ready for planting permanent place growth.
Planting rosemary seedling in the garden
When the seedlings grow and become stronger, they are ready to be planted in open ground.
As a rule, this occurs in mid-May.
Rosemary should be transplanted when the weather is more or less warm at night, without frost.
It is better to prepare the soil in the fall. Before the onset of cold weather, it needs to be dug up.
Humus is used for fertilizer.
This distance will be optimal for bushes. After this, you need to take containers with seedlings, carefully, so as not to damage the root system, remove the plant with a lump of earth.
Place it inside the prepared hole and cover it with soil.
If grown from cuttings, planting a seedling looks like this:
- When the plant has taken root, it is ready to be transplanted. First of all, prepare the holes. Choose a depth so that the roots fit in.
- Water the soil generously.
- Place the seedling in the hole and cover it with soil.
- Follow-up care: regular watering.
Reproduction by cuttings is considered the fastest and most successful, since almost all seedlings take root and subsequently produce good harvest.
Features of caring for rosemary
Proper care of rosemary is an important point during the development of the bush.
The health of the seedling, as well as the quality and quantity of the harvest, depends on it.
By providing proper care for the plant, you will get tasty and very aromatic rosemary, which still has medicinal properties.
Watering and fertilizing
You need to water rosemary in your garden constantly. It is important to monitor the condition of the soil.
You cannot overwater the plant.
Most often, watering is carried out once every 3 days.
In general, the regularity depends on the climate. In hot weather, watering is increased, and in rainy weather, reduced.
An important point Here also is the timely removal of weeds and looseness of the soil.
Weeds prevent the bush from growing because they take away some of the soil. nutrients. They need to be removed.
It is better to loosen the soil after each watering. The earth is saturated with oxygen, which goes to the roots of the plant. This makes rosemary strong and healthy.
You should start loosening the soil immediately after the snow melts, when it warms up a little.
Also, do not forget about fertilizers for rosemary. They use mineral organic fertilizers. The plant needs to be fertilized every month.
During active growth, the shrub needs nitrogen. Water with mullein infusion, ratio 1:5. In autumn and winter, you can fertilize with phosphorus.
Pruning rosemary and preparing for winter
perennial bush rosemary is cut. In spring, the stems at the top of the plant are carefully removed using pruning shears.
Thus, the bush will be beautiful, spherical. It is also necessary to update the greens.
To do this, all shoots must be removed, cut right to the root.
IN warm regions In our country, shrubs do not need special preparation for winter.
However, where the climate is more severe, it is better to take care and protect rosemary from frost.
The plant is covered so that it does not freeze in winter.
Many gardeners do it differently: they dig up the plant and plant it in pots, boxes or similar containers. After that, they bring it home and leave it until winter is over.
Disease and pest control
The shrub contains essential oils that repel most insects.
At proper care As a rule, rosemary diseases should not occur.
However, sometimes it happens that various insect pests or diseases still appear, for example:
- white spots on leaves- they indicate that the soil is too moist.
It is necessary to stop watering for a while. Stagnant moisture causes rosemary to lose some of its taste and become less aromatic;
- spider mite– to prevent it, humidifying the air around the bush will help. If the plant is already affected by the pest, chemicals are used. The foliage is periodically sprayed.
Pay attention! To prevent chemicals and poisons from getting into the soil, it is recommended to protect the soil before spraying the plant. Place it directly on the ground plastic film or other material, only then begin to treat the bush with chemicals. After treatment you need to carefully remove protective material from the ground so that drops of solution that fall on it do not spill onto the ground.
What to plant after rosemary
Rosemary is most often grown in the garden as a perennial. Sometimes gardeners decide to clear an area of it and plant other plants in its place.
Then you need to remember that you need to carefully remove all plant remains and dig up the soil. It is also recommended to add humus.
The following will grow best in the area after rosemary:
- carrot;
- garlic.
How to Preserve Rosemary in Winter
In winter, in the northern regions of our country, the plant will need shelter.
To prevent the shrub from freezing and surviving the cold, professionals advise preparing a polyethylene greenhouse.
In addition, sawdust, straw or hay will help protect the root system.
Given that home grown in winter, rosemary needs to be watered 1-2 times every 7 days.
Growing an exotic plant in winter depends on the region of the country. In southern places the plant overwinters well outside.
It does not require additional shelter for the winter, since it is short and not frosty.
Rosemary is wonderful perennial, it is used in cooking and has medicinal properties.
Depending on the variety, the plant can be miniature or tall. This beautiful shrub with needle-like leaves will decorate your garden or vegetable garden.
We recommend you find out:“Freshness of the sea” or rosemary is a shrub of the family Blue-flowered or Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean coast. Since ancient times, the shrub has been used as a seasoning or medicine. In some countries it is a sacred bush.
Rosemary is a perennial evergreen shrub with dense branches, olive or grayish leaves, similar to spruce needles. The bush has a dense crown, the flowers are small, white or light blue. If you rub the twigs with your hand, you can feel a bright, characteristic aroma. On open ground with good care and with watering you can grow a bush of about two meters.
It grows wild on the Mediterranean coast. Residents of countries especially actively use rosemary Western Europe and Morocco. There, the bush is grown as a spice for meat, fish, poultry, mushrooms, soups, salads, and even baked goods. Eucalyptus, camphor, lemon, pine - all these aromas together resemble the smell of rosemary.
Rosemary is famous as a medicinal source. The plant is used to treat diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems, as an antiseptic for small wounds and fungal diseases. Branches of the bush help overcome insomnia, increase blood pressure, stimulate the brain and activate memory. Essential oil is used as an ingredient in many shampoos and also for rubbing. People suffering from epilepsy and hypertension, as well as pregnant women, should be careful with rosemary. It is worth growing a bush in an apartment as a disinfectant, it neutralizes bad smell, kills germs and viruses. Often, bags filled with rosemary are used to combat moths.
Planting and care
Although rosemary exotic plant, it can be safely grown in your garden at the dacha or on the windowsill. But it is worth remembering that the plant has a strong root system. Therefore, he needs a pot that is wide, but not very deep, with drainage. In the summer, the pot with the plant must be taken out to the southern and windless part of the garden.
The bush loves care, timely watering, systematic weeding and loosening. As a top dressing, you can use a solution of water and mullein in a ratio of 1:5. Mineral and organic fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus. It is enough to water and fertilize once every 30 days. Nitrogen fertilizers are best used in spring. They promote intensive development of the root system. Phosphate fertilizers are best used in the fall to grow green mass.
To rejuvenate the bushes, the plant is cut down to soil level every 7-8 years. This type of pruning is most often carried out in commercial cultivation. When grown at home, rosemary sprigs are trimmed to form a beautiful shape. It is best to carry out this procedure in late March - early April. But you should not prune more often than once a year, otherwise the plant will take a long time to revive, and garden shrub may die.
Growing Rosemary
Seeds, layering, division or cuttings are the main methods of growing rosemary. The best and most successful option is to grow rosemary from seeds and then plant seedlings in the ground. Before sowing, the seeds must be wrapped in damp gauze and kept that way for about a month. It is not recommended to allow the seeds to dry out or rot. To be on the safe side, the seeds can be laid out in groups and turned over periodically. The optimal temperature for seed germination is +12 - +22 °C.
You can sow seeds in late February - early March. The sowing depth is 0.3-0.4 cm, since the seeds are small. The main thing is that you do not need to fill the soil with water, it should be moderately moist. You can simply spray the crops. After a month, the stronger plants can be planted in separate pots. After the last frost, seedlings can be planted in the garden after 50 cm. If you plan to grow small bushes, then 10 cm between plants will be enough.
When planting a plant in the garden, add a mixture of rosemary and river sand, fertile soil and peat in equal parts. Also, for each kg of the resulting mixture add crushed chalk (1 tablespoon).
To propagate rosemary by cuttings, you need to cut young branches from the bush at the end of June. The length of the seedlings should be from 8 to 10 cm. At an angle of 45°, the lower tips of the cuttings are planted in the ground to a depth of no more than 5 cm. The optimal gap between the cuttings should be 10 cm. The branches quickly take root and actively begin to grow. When propagating a shrub by layering, it is necessary to dig in a shoot of the plant. After flowering young plant separated from the bush, replanted and provided necessary care and watering.
Growing conditions
Rosemary is a heat-loving, light-loving and non-frost-resistant plant. It is best to plant in open ground when there is no threat of frost. An adult plant can survive frosts, but not below -4. Rosemary needs a lot of sun in summer, and in winter - coolness up to 10–13 ° C, otherwise the bush will not bloom. In winter, the dose of light should be 6-8 hours, so rosemary often needs additional lighting. Due to lack of light, the upper leaves of the bush will become less dense and elongated.
The plant loves loose and moisture-permeable, calcareous soils. He doesn't like it too wet or acidic soils. Although this bush is picky, it is not afraid of diseases. He is also not afraid of pests.
To grow rosemary indoors, you need to buy a terracotta or clay pot. It is also necessary to provide good drainage, you can use pebbles or expanded clay. It is necessary to periodically rotate the plants to form a uniform crown.
It is necessary to regularly ventilate the room. In summer, you can put a pot with a plant on the balcony or plant it in the ground. It should be borne in mind that rosemary does not like sudden temperature changes. The bush gets along with basil, thyme, bay, parsley, so they can be grown in the same container.
Rosemary growing in open ground is a strong plant. He is not afraid of pests. Indoor shrubs are weaker, so they can be affected by downy mildew, whiteflies, and aphids. To get rid of pests, it is enough to buy the rosemary bush several times in warm water (be sure to cover the soil).
Watering the plant
Watering rosemary should be systematic and moderate. The plant doesn't like strong moisture, tolerates drought more easily. If the leaves of the bush begin to turn yellow, it means that the plant does not have enough moisture. If there is a lot of water, it can shed its leaves en masse, and the roots can rot. If the leaves have faded, begun to dry out, and the bush is under sun rays, then this means it’s time to move the plant to the shade.
Only timely care can avoid these mistakes. Since rosemary loves the alkaline balance of the soil, it can be watered with settled tap water without fear. Occasionally you can spray the leaves of the plant - gives beautiful view crowns
It is necessary to collect aromatic greens at the time of flowering in hot weather. It is picked, then dried and the seasoning is ready for use. Growing and caring for rosemary is a difficult task, but anyone can do it. If you provide the bush with the necessary care, it will thank you with a spicy harvest.
Rosemary is an evergreen plant better known as a herb. However, rosemary is used not only in cooking; it has some medicinal properties and essential oils used by perfumers and cosmetologists.
Rosemary: plant description
So what is rosemary? This perennial shrub with leaves-needles, similar to pine needles. In its natural environment, rosemary is widespread in the Mediterranean. IN natural conditions the bush grows up to two meters. The plant is heat-loving, does not tolerate frost, temperatures below 11 degrees are detrimental to it. During the flowering period, rosemary sprigs are covered with flowers of blue, white, purple or purple. Rosemary has an interesting aroma: it is difficult to single out just one scent from it. Here you can catch the aromas of eucalyptus, camphor, lemon and the smell of fresh pine needles.
In official medicine, rosemary is used in the preparation of preparations that stimulate the immune system; essential oil helps cope with inflammatory processes, normalizes cardiac activity and blood pressure. IN folk medicine with its help they treat memory problems, since The aroma of rosemary activates brain cells responsible for human memory.
Did you know? Greek students wore wreaths made from rosemary sprigs during exam periods, believing that the aroma of the plant would enhance concentration and stimulate mental activity. The Greeks believed that rosemary helped memorize words, numbers, and even complex formulas.
In cooking, it is a spicy seasoning used in marinades, pickles, first and second courses, when baking meat products, in salads, sauces, desserts and for decorating dishes. Rosemary – interesting plant, humanity has shown attention to it since the beginning of our civilization. The ancient Egyptians used it in the preparation of incense, and the Chinese used it in aromatherapy. The first rosemary-scented perfume appeared in 2800 BC. e., and this aroma is still successfully used in perfumery.
How to choose a place to plant a Mediterranean plant
When planning to grow rosemary, keep in mind that a lack of light will affect the saturation of essential oils. With a low concentration of oils, its taste and smell will also be inexpressive. When landing, consider the location groundwater, excess moisture will damage the plant.
Important! For home use, fragrant rosemary is more suitable; it is less capricious and does not require careful care and special attention.
Lighting and Temperature for Rosemary
Since rosemary does not like changes in temperature and cold, choose a place open to the sun, protected from drafts, to plant it. The most suitable areas for rosemary will be areas on the south or east side of the garden. In winter, you can move the plant to the balcony, but it will need good lighting and a temperature of 5 to 15 degrees. 
Choosing soil for a plant
The best option soil for rosemary is light sandy, non-acidic and well-drained. Such soils allow water to pass through well without retaining it. They are loose, which provides oxygen saturation to the roots of the plant. If you have acidic soil on your site, it needs to be limed. To avoid excess moisture, place drainage (large pebbles, broken bricks) at the bottom of the planting hole.
How to plant rosemary cuttings
Rosemary cuttings are carried out in September-October. At this time, annual shoots are stronger. Cuttings are cut up to 10 cm long, and they must have at least three internodes; treat the cut with wood ash. In warmer regions they are rooted in greenhouses, in temperate climate use containers. When grown at home, you can put it in a container with water, after dipping it in Kornevin. When white roots appear, replant into the ground.
Attention! If you place the cutting in water, it is advisable that the container be made of dark glass. To disinfect water, dissolve three tablets of activated carbon in it.
How to plant rosemary in open ground: The planting hole should be half a meter deep and the same width. If the natural composition is not suitable, prepare the soil yourself. To do this, take the following components: leaf soil, peat and coarse sand (2:1:2). Per 1 kg ready mixture add powdered chalk - 25 g. Planting in open ground is carried out in early May in consistently warm weather.
Growing rosemary from seeds
Early spring begin sowing rosemary seeds for seedlings. You can buy soil at the store or prepare it yourself. For substrate self-made you will need peat, sand, garden soil and humus. The soil is moistened and seeds are placed at a depth of about four millimeters. The box or container is covered with film. For three weeks, the seedlings are transferred to a room with a temperature no higher than 5-7°C. Then - to a warmer place with a temperature of 10-12°C. The grown seedlings are transplanted into pots, watered moderately and the room is ventilated. Before planting in open ground (in May), the plant is hardened off by leaving it in the air under a film.
Rosemary can be planted directly in open ground when grown from seeds in the country. This is done at the end of April, after sowing they are covered with a film stretched over the supports. The emerging shoots are thinned out, leaving a distance of 25 cm between them. The film is removed when there is no threat of night frosts.
Rules for watering and rooting rosemary
The main rule of watering is moderation; the water should be warm and settled. You should not get carried away with fertilizing; fertilizers are needed only as stimulants of growth and development, and the plant obtains its nutrition from the soil.
How to water a plant correctly
The soil around the plant should be moist, but there should not be stagnation of water. Water the bush as the soil dries out. In winter, watering is regular and moderate. In spring, as temperatures rise, it can be increased. In hot weather with strong sun and lack of rain, watering should be increased more often.
Features of feeding rosemary
You need to feed rosemary no more than once a month. It needs nitrogen during growth in the spring. You can purchase mineral fertilizers or water with mullein infusion (proportion 1:5). Nitrogen fertilizers stimulate root formation in the plant. In the fall, it is better to feed with phosphorus; it will strengthen the bush, and the plant will grow longer in your area.
Loosening and weeding, how to care for the soil
After planting, rosemary, like any plant, needs care. In order for a plant to be strong and healthy, it is necessary to take care of the soil in which it grows. The supply of oxygen to the rosemary root system ensures loosening of the soil. With proper loosening, the layers of soil are not turned over, but the crust on it is broken. At the same time, weeds are removed that take away nutrition from rosemary. Even such corrosive weeds as wheat grass or thistle can be easily removed from the ground by loosening and weeding. The first procedure is carried out after the snow melts, when the soil begins to warm up. The loosening procedure is important, since loose, light soil absorbs rainfall better and provides greater air access. Loosening of the soil is carried out until winter period to a depth of 12 cm.
When the plant is pruned, the formation of rosemary bushes
Rosemary is not afraid of pruning. You can trim the branches for food throughout the entire period of its development. To shape the plant, remove branches that interfere with the growth of others, weak or damaged shoots growing inside the crown. You can give it any shape. The procedure is carried out in late March - early April. At the same time, bushes that have grown in all directions, old and dry branches, as well as those growing too high and out of the general shape are pruned. If you have been growing rosemary for a long time, you can do radical rejuvenating pruning - down to soil level. In this way, bushes are rejuvenated during production cultivation.
Shelter rosemary for the winter
If your region has cold winters with temperatures below -12 °C, the plant should be dug up and kept at home. You can immediately plant them in large pots and dig them into the soil in the garden, and take them to a cool, well-lit room for the winter. In this case, you can use fresh rosemary in winter. In the spring, when the threat of night frosts has passed, take it out into the garden again. The room in which the plant is located must be regularly ventilated, and if you grow rosemary at home, it should be turned towards the light from time to time. correct formation crowns For home growing, it is recommended to use pots made of natural materials: clay, ceramics.
Rosemary, what is it?
Rosemary is a shrub that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Its leaves are thin, long and hard, remain bright green all year round, very similar to spruce needles. And the taste is reminiscent of pine needles, but it has nothing to do with plants of this species. Rosemary is translated from Latin as “drops of the sea.” During flowering, it is covered with light blue or purple fragrant flowers, which is how it got its name. A strong branched root system reaches 4 m deep into the ground, the height of the bush reaches one and a half meters.
Rosemary is a child of the warm Mediterranean and thrives in areas with warm climates. Found in Europe, in Crimea the bushes are used as hedges.
The complex composition of essential oils contained in the leaves of the plant gives them an extraordinary taste, which makes it possible to use it as a spice. Rosemary is widely used:
- seasoning adds sophistication and unusual taste to dishes;
- with its participation complex spicy mixtures and aromatic salts are made;
- used in industry in the preparation of semi-finished products, canned food, marinades;
- tinctures and wine are made from it;
- in folk medicine, decoctions are prepared for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, and genitourinary systems;
- rosemary is added to cosmetics and perfumes;
- Medicine does not refuse it; it is included in medications.
Important! Rosemary leaves are rich in phytoncides, so the air in the room where it is located will always be fresh, viruses and bacteria will die. Quite often used for healing and preventing diseases.
How to grow rosemary yourself so that you always have this wonderful plant at hand?
Growing from seeds
Growing rosemary from seeds cannot be called easy, since their germination rate is very low. But for those who are not afraid of difficulties, this method is a good alternative, since the seeds are available and can be easily purchased in the store.
When to plant
The optimal time for planting is the end of winter; during this time the sprouts will germinate, become stronger, and as the weather warms up they can be planted outside.
The process can be divided into several stages:
- Before planting, the seeds need to be soaked for 12 hours. While they absorb moisture and wake up, you can prepare the soil. The main requirement for it is neutrality; the plant does not tolerate high acidity. Take 2 parts of turf, add 1 part each of peat, sand and humus. The result is an excellent aerial substrate suitable for the growth of young shrubs.
- The next stage is planting. The soil must be moistened, then the seeds must be spread out. Their sizes are small, so they do not need to be buried. Don’t be afraid that they are sown thickly and not all of them will sprout. The crops need to be sprayed again with a spray bottle.
- The box is covered cling film, this will ensure humidity and stable temperature. It is necessary to ensure that the seeds do not suffocate under the polyethylene; several small holes are made for ventilation. The acceptable temperature for germination is 28-29 °C; for this, the container is placed in a warm place.
- The seedlings will begin to germinate depending on their germination rate, you should not expect this to happen quickly, some will hatch in 3 weeks, others can lie quietly for a month.
- Watering is carried out regularly, preventing drying out; a spray bottle is used for this.
Important! If seedlings have not appeared after 30 days, you will have to repeat the sowing procedure.
With the first shoots, the film is removed. With the onset of warm weather, seedlings can be briefly exposed to the sun and ventilated. This will make it stronger and grow better.
When the seedlings grow to 8 cm, 3 full-fledged leaves appear on it, they need to be carefully picked into separate pots in a permanent place.
Tip: Excess moisture is detrimental to rosemary, so drainage from small pebbles or expanded clay at the bottom of the pot is indispensable.
Growing from cuttings
It is more common to grow a shrub from cuttings, and the plant will certainly convey its maternal qualities. To do this, at the end of June, woody shoots are cut off from an adult plant. It is better to choose a shoot about 10 cm long with 3-4 internodes. You can immediately place it in a small bowl with water and wait for the roots to appear. There is another way, more correct and faster:
- Clean the cuttings from lower leaves, place in a root formation stimulator for the period specified in the instructions.
- Then the end of the shoot goes deeper into the ground. The substrate should be loose and light. Some people use a mixture of sand and peat; it is also possible to take ordinary soil and mix it with baking powder: perlite or vermiculite will do.
- The pot should be placed in a warm place where there is no access to direct sunlight.
- The soil should always be moist, but not too wet, otherwise the tip of the cutting in the ground will begin to rot.
The roots will appear in 2 weeks; after waiting a little longer, the shoot is transplanted into a pot or soil. It is preferable to choose earthenware for planting, since the root system of rosemary is well developed, it should also be quite spacious.
When it finally takes root, you can pinch off the top, then the bush will branch and become fluffy.
Interesting: If it is difficult to get cuttings for planting, you can buy green sprigs of rosemary at the grocery store, fresh herbs, placed in water, will quickly take root, after which it is transplanted into a pot.
How to care
Depending on where the plant is planted, its care may vary slightly.
At the dacha
If rosemary is planted on an area in open ground, then special care it is not required, usually it is:
- moderate watering;
- fertilizing once a week with organic matter or mineral fertilizers;
- loosening the soil;
- weeding.
In cold weather, insulation of the bush is required if the winter temperature drops to -3. IN middle lane It will not be possible to sufficiently insulate the bush at the dacha, it will die, it is better to transplant it into a tub and bring it home.
Important! The grown stems of rosemary become bare, so the bush must be pruned by the end of winter to allow young shoots to grow. He will become fluffy again.
At home
Rosemary cannot be called a very capricious plant, but when growing at home in a pot it requires following some rules:
- Rosemary is a southern plant; sunlight, warmth and moderate moisture are the conditions in which the plant feels comfortable. A light window sill in the south or east is the most suitable option.
- The bush is demanding of moisture; if it is not watered in time, it will respond with yellowing of the leaves. Excessive watering has an even worse effect: the roots begin to rot and the plant dies. Therefore, the optimal time to moisten the soil is when it is top layer will dry out by 3 or 5 cm.
- For good growth The bush needs fresh air, in the summer it is taken out to the balcony, if there is a plot, it can be planted in the country. Sudden temperature changes are contraindicated for it; if it is left on the loggia in the fall, it will lose its leaves.
- In winter and autumn, additional lighting is needed on the windowsill; a phytolamp is perfect for these purposes. In winter, you don’t need to water rosemary often; trimming it at this time is also undesirable.
- Fertilize a bush in a pot once every 15 days in the warm season; in winter, a one-time fertilizing with phosphate per month is sufficient, nitrogen fertilizers suitable for summer.
- Rosemary grows very quickly, so that the roots have enough space, it needs to be replanted after 2 years in spacious pots.
Important! In order for a plant to enjoy vigorous flowering in the spring, it needs to create winter conditions: 10 degrees, infrequent watering.
Diseases and pests rarely bother rosemary; if a spider mite appears, a soap solution will help get rid of it. Powdery mildew develops from dampness, then it is treated with any suitable preparation, but these leaves cannot be eaten, it is better to wait until new ones grow.
Tip: It is better to cut rosemary sprigs for seasoning during the flowering period, at this time they are rich useful substances. The shoots are dried, crushed, and placed in jars with tight lids; with this storage, the aroma remains preserved for up to 3 years.
Growing rosemary at home is quite affordable; the main thing is to provide the plant with quality care, Then aromatic spice can always make cooked dishes even tastier, and bright delicate flowers decorate a house or garden plot.
