All you need to know about growing rosemary

February 24, 2016

Along with its culinary properties, rosemary can also make a pretty addition to your garden. Here's a quick guide to growing it.

All you need to know about growing rosemary

Rosemary's background

  • They are herbaceous evergreen plants that are narrow, dense and tapered.
  • Rounded bushes, prostrate varieties or columnar shrubs of up to two metres (6.5 feet), rosemary varieties also vary in size, width and the green of their leaves.
  • The flowers are pale to intense blue, blue-violet, pink or white.
  • Most are edible, although some have a camphor flavour better suited to medicinal purposes.
  • In the garden, rosemary has multiple uses, from hedge rows to carpet plants and from planters to topiaries.
  • Some varieties are more resistant, so it is a good idea to do some research before choosing what to plant.
  • In colder regions, the least resistant varieties are grown in pots or planters so that they can be sheltered over winter.
  • The rosemary is one of the best-loved and widely-grown herbs in the world.
  • In many regions, it symbolizes friendship and remembrance and for that reason is often included in brides' bouquets and funeral wreaths.

Where to plant

  • Rosemary needs full sun and a well drained soil. It tolerates a range of pH levels, from mildly acidic to moderately calcareous soils.
  • Limestone soils will give a more compact and scented plant.
  • As a coastal plant, the rosemary also tolerates iodinated winds and rocky soils, making it easy to grow near the sea.

Propagation

  • Propagate using cuttings from the top of the plant in spring, or by buying plants for transplant.
  • The seeds germinate poorly, and varieties are not repeated identically.

Care

  • Prune lightly and regularly to keep the shape of the plant and promote good air circulation.
  • Rosemary has a strong root system, so you mustre-pot the plants every year and replace them every three to four years.
  • Choose clay pots over plastic in order to facilitate aeration and drainage.
  • In humid areas, lay down a mulch with gravel, coarse sand or pebbles to avoid mud splashing, which can cause rot problems.

Pests and diseases

  • If rosemary is over watered, its roots may rot.
  • Make sure that the leaves are not turning brown or branches dying.
  • The rosemary beetle and its larvae feed on the leaves, so be on your guard.
  • Collect the new rosemary shoots and flowering tops at any time to use fresh.
  • Dry them flat on trays covered with absorbent paper, then remove the leaves from the stems and store in airtight jars.
  • Pick fresh flowers, without greenery, to decorate salads and desserts.
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