Growing Rosemary: A Complete Guide -Growing, Planting, Care and Harvesting-

Rosemary is a simple herb to grow indoors and outdoors. It’s easy to maintain, use, and keep in good condition. Plus, it smells fantastic. Most people are familiar with Rosmarinus officinalis as a culinary herb. It’s also used to give scent to soaps and cosmetics, and it’s been used medicinally to enhance memory, ease muscular discomfort and promote hair development. After the rosemary cubes have been frozen, place them in a plastic bag and use them as needed. It’s a great way to add fresh herbs to your everyday dishes. Rosemary is a natural mosquito repellant that works well with bugs as well. Rosemary is a hardy perennial that grows in zones 8 to 10. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil. They grow well. You’ll have assured success if you maintain the soil slightly damp but not too wet. It thrives in both the herb patch and the container, but the more area you offer its roots, the bigger your plant will become.

How to Grow Rosemary

• Rosemary may be grown from seed, although germination rates are poor and seedlings grow slowly. As a result, it is strongly advised to start new rosemary plants from cuttings taken from current plants. Cuttings develop quickly in good conditions and should be ready for outdoor planting in about eight weeks. To have a good start, start the seeds or cuttings inside 8 to 10 weeks before the spring frost.
• Rosemary grows in direct sunlight. Rosemary thrives in a bright, well-drained environment. Before planting, add old compost to the planting bed. Rosemary can tolerate poor soil if it is well-drained. Rosemary grows best on soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0. Make sure your plants have adequate area to develop. Once grown, rosemary may reach a height of around 4 feet and a spread of about 4 feet.
• In the spring, start sowing rosemary seeds inside. At 65°F, the seed might take up to 21 days to sprout. Rosemary cuttings can also be used to cultivate the herb. In the spring or late summer, cuttings start from fresh growth; after the final spring frost, plant rosemary transplants.
• You may start new plants by stacking stems during the summer. Cover a herb portion of a stem with dirt, and it will root in place, resulting in a new plant. Sow rosemary seed at a depth of 14 to 12 inches. Plants should be spaced 18 to 36 inches apart.  Grow one rosemary plant for cooking and two to three plants for preserving.

Growing Condition for Rosemary

· Fertilizer

Rosemary doesn’t require much fertilizer. Apply fertilizer once in early spring before new growth starts if development is slow or the plant seems stunted or light yellow. As long as the fertilizer is administered appropriately, any all-purpose fertilizer, whether dry or liquid, will work. Avoid applying fertilizer straight to the plant to avoid leaf burn.

· Water Requirements

Root rot can be caused by too much watering. Because rosemary needles do not droop like wide leaves, it might be difficult to tell when the plant needs water. Water rosemary every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the size of the plant and the weather. Allow the plants to dry between watering completely.

· Light and Soil Requirements

Give rosemary six to eight hours of direct sunshine each day. Place it in a south-facing window for strong light while growing it inside, but don’t allow it to become too hot. Rosemary should be grown in sandy, well-draining soil. This plant is native to the Mediterranean’s rocky slopes, and it doesn’t grow well if its roots stay damp.

· Temperature and Humidity

Rosemary can withstand high temperatures and a wide variety of humidity levels when grown outdoors. The majority of types are only resistant to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature drops below 30 degrees, rosemary plants must be brought indoors for the winter. It’s simpler to cultivate rosemary in a pot all year in this situation. Terra cotta pots are ideal for rosemary since it prefers a dry environment. Just make sure the plants don’t become too hot and dry when they’re outside in the summer.

How to Repot Rosemary Plant

If you’re growing rosemary in pots, bring them back outside once the threat of frost has gone. Like that of other potted plants, the soil in your rosemary container will degrade as a result of watering and root development. Repot your plants at least once a year. The optimum time to repot your rosemary is in the spring, but it should be OK no matter when you do it. The rosemary plant has outgrown its container and must be put in a bigger container if it grows or seems thirsty. Take a few inches of root from the bottom and side of the root ball and replanted in the same pot to retain its size. Cut the top part simultaneously to ease the root stress and lessen the strain on the cutting plant.

How to Harvest Rosemary Plant

Throughout the year, fresh leaves can be plucked as needed. Rosemary leaves are most scented just before the plant blooms. Harvest the leaves and branches using a garden pruner. Cut 4 to 6-inch sprigs from the tops of the branches for culinary use. Remove the plants’ leaves and stems. Trim no more than one-third of the plant at a time; doing so will stress the plant.

Diseases and Infections

Although rosemary is resistant to most diseases, it has been known to suffer from powdery mildew. To keep the illness from spreading, inspect the plants regularly. Apply fungicides as required. Pruning overgrown plants to promote airflow within the plants can help to minimize disease incidence. Pruning also encourages the growth of new branches. Rosemary is a pest-resistant plant. Any organic or inorganic pesticide can be applied if spider mites, mealy bugs, or scales emerge. If the plant has scales, removing and discarding the infected plant tips is a simple remedy; scales are sedentary insects. Spray the plants with water, pyrethrum soap, or a soap-based pesticide to eliminate mealy bugs. Insects that feed on plant sap are more common in places where nitrogen fertilizer has been applied excessively. Most bug issues may be avoided by fertilizing correctly.