Most rosemary types are chosen for landscape purposes rather than for cooking.
If you want your rosemary to remain a shrub, prune it once a month. COURTESY
A: I use rosemary that I buy at the store when I cook. If I don’t use it all, it is pricey and loses its fragrance quickly. For use in my cooking, I would like to plant rosemary in our yard. Do the uses of rosemary in gardening and cookery differ from one another?
A variety of rosemary plants exist, however the majority are chosen for beautification purposes rather than for cooking. Many landscape plant kinds grow horizontally or prostrately. However, you can cook with these landscape plant kinds as well. However, the types chosen for cooking are typically upright and frequently contain more oil. Growing straight is simpler to harvest.
Growing rosemary as a landscape plant differs from growing rosemary as a herb. As a herb, rosemary is valued for its upright, succulent leaf and stem growth as well as its high oil content.
When growing rosemary for cooking, use nitrogen fertilizers to encourage new growth and collect the herb before the blossoms appear. When used as a herb, rosemary is rarely allowed to blossom; instead, the new growth is dried or eaten raw. When being sold at farmers markets, flowers may have attachments.
The rosemary blossom produces the best oil. However, the majority of commercial oil production comes from leaves and stems, which while producing more oil than flowers do, is still of lower quality. The same method is employed, with the exception of using high phosphorus fertilizer to increase oil output and harvesting during the flowering season to obtain oil of higher quality.
Benenden Blue, Flora Rosa, Tuscan Blue, Majorca Pink, Arp, Albiflorus, Huntington Carpet, McConnell’s Blue, Irene, Holly Hyde, and Hill Hardy are a few of the finest cultivars for cooking.
What time of year is ideal for pruning a rosemary bush? Our rosemary plant has gotten out of control. I want to make it roughly half the size that it is now. Additionally, I would welcome any advice on how to prune it.
A: This is a nice time to prune it if you do it once a year. You should cut it once a month if you are maintaining it as a hedge or need to keep its size under some form of control. If you are pruning it to use in cooking, prune it now, let it grow again, and then gather the tender new growth before it blooms.
For a plant that is out of control, you have a few options. One is to prune the plant close to the ground and let 2-inch stems to grow back. It should be pruned now or shortly before new growth starts.
Another approach to shrinking it needs additional caution. Trace the shrub’s longest branch inside the plant, then cut it off where it connects to a main branch. Remove all stubs. Make the same kind of cuts inside on two or three other long branches. Every several years or when it becomes too big, prune.
Replace the plant with something that won’t grow as big as it as your third option.
Fertilize as usual after cutting to promote new growth. Unless you are growing it as a herb that needs to be harvested frequently, one application of fertilizer per year is all that is required. The oil content and smell will be diluted by an excessive fertilizer application.
If you harvest frequently, fertilize with a balanced fertilizer combining nitrogen and phosphate every six to eight weeks. Alternately, add your preferred compost to the plant’s foundation for even more impressive results.
A neglected privet in my yard has outgrown its area. To maintain its shape, when and how far back should I prune it? A few years ago, my neighbor trimmed one back, and it never at all recovered.
A: After being clipped, Japanese or wax leaf privet slowly grows back. It is likely that it won’t grow back if it is extensively cut to the interior, where there is larger diameter wood.
Your privet needs 12 to 18 inches of growth cut off since it has become overgrown. After such extreme pruning, it will take a very long time to recover. In certain places, there’s a danger it won’t ever recover.
In your case, the plant has simply outgrown the space that was allotted to it. It’s time to get rid of it and find something new.
A: The stems of my rosemary plant have white frothy drops. When I water with a hose, I can spray them away, but they come back. What is it if they don’t appear to be damaging the plant?
A: Spittlebugs are the name for the white frothy droplets that are typical of rosemary. They are buried inside the spittle for protection and suck plant juices. A vigorous stream of water from a hose can knock them off the plant, but they immediately grow again.
Unless you are growing rosemary as a herb, they are typically more of a nuisance than a concern. Keep an eye on them because they can grow and cause issues later.
When applied directly on the plants, neem oil and horticultural oils will help reduce spittlebugs to some extent. To make sure the oils won’t harm the rosemary, spray a tiny portion of the plant first.
Spittle is washed away by soap and water sprays, leaving these bugs defenseless. Apply an insecticide treatment, such as pyrethrum, afterward to prevent the plant from contracting the disease again. To get them back under control, this would need to be done numerous times, spaced a few weeks apart.
A: Tuscan is a wonderful upright rosemary species that is cultivated for its oil content and good color. Insect and disease concerns are extremely rare. Aphids and spittlebugs will sporadically appear, but nothing to get excessively excited about.
Compost and organic surface mulches like wood chips have been added to the soil to enrich it, which is preferred by rosemary. The soils must be well-draining. They typically perish a few years after being planted because they do not like rock mulch at all.
These plants typically die because of issues with the soil. Poor drainage makes it difficult for roots to “breathe.” The roots and stem of the plant usually perish as a result of these soil issues. Because the plant’s roots are dead, it collapses in the summer heat.
Do not grow rosemary near low areas or areas where water collects. These circumstances choke off roots. In order to replant in this location, take out as much soil as you can and replace it with soil that drains well.
This specific root disease may persist in the affected soil and lead to other issues.
I have a 4-foot-tall upright rosemary plant. On the sides and top, it was sheared once. It’s never had a bloom. Does this plant have a variation that never blooms, or am I mistreating it?
I’ve never heard of one that didn’t bloom. The two main causes of plants not blooming are planting them in low light conditions (shadow) and shearing them right before bloom. Although they typically bloom in the spring and fall, in warm climates they may bloom all year.
If you want the blooms, prune in the summer. Don’t put it in the shade and make sure it gets enough of sun. Use nutrients indicated for other flowering plants, such as roses, rather than high nitrogen fertilizers.
Can rosemary thrive in a soil rich in succulents?
Succulents and cacti have gained popularity over the past few years. Because of their appeal, uncommon gardening supplies like cactus soil are more widely available. The specific requirements of plants that thrive in arid climates are met by cactus soil.
For herbs that tend to grow in dry soil, you can use cactus soil. The loose nature of the cactus soil makes it easier for the soil to quickly drain any excess water. Sage, oregano, thyme, and rosemary are among the herbs that prefer the soil to be dry before watering. These are able to flourish in such cactus soil.
Cactus soil performs well for a wide range of plants despite being advertised for cacti and succulents. Also included are herbs. Cactus dirt is acceptable to use in herb gardens.
A specialized potting mix is called cactus soil. Most nurseries and gardening supply stores carry it. It has everything beneficial that plants require to flourish. However, there are several additional elements in the soil that might sustain the arid environments that cacti enjoy.
What succulent has rosemary-like features?
Even though the plants of Hedeoma pulegioides (American false pennyroyal) are only a foot tall, they resemble rosemary in appearance. They smell strongly and pleasantly. These images and further details are provided by Illinois Wildflowers and Purdue Horticulture Service.
If none of these match the plant you’re seeing, take pictures and visit our Plant Identification page to locate links to forums that accept plant identification requests via photos.
Are rosemary trees or plants?
A perennial evergreen shrub with blue blooms, rosemary. The flavor is sweet and resinous, and it is a distinctive and aromatic herb. How to grow your own rosemary plants is provided here!
About Rosemary
The Mediterranean native rosemary thrives in warm climates with moderate humidity, where it can develop into a shrub that is several feet tall. In fact, if given the right environment, rosemary grows so quickly that, if not carefully controlled, it may actually become a bit of a burden.
In Zones 7 and warmer, this plant can be cultivated outdoors as a perennial shrub. It should be kept in a pot and taken inside for the winter in colder climates.
For optimal results, grow your plants in full light. The soil where the plants will be planted needs to drain well because rosemary can’t stand being constantly damp. The ideal soil should have a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, be loamy, and be moderately rich (add compost before planting to boost nitrogen levels).
Make sure your plants have enough space to grow. Once planted, rosemary can eventually reach a height of around 4 feet and a horizontal spread of about 4 feet.
Can rosemary be grown in a planter?
Rosemary is a multipurpose herb that offers year-round evergreen appeal, fragrant leaves for cooking, and nectar-rich blooms for bees in the spring. Grow rosemary next to a path so that as you pass, the leaves will exude their fragrant oils.
The Mediterranean native rosemary grows well in a sunny, protected location with well-drained soil. In especially during the winter when the ground is more likely to be soggy, it can suffer in dense clay soils. You can grow rosemary in pots, but keep in mind that it can get fairly large and needs to be replanted in new compost every few years.
Is rosemary better in the ground or in pots?
Most people would agree that rosemary is the most important of the few herbs that should be grown in every kitchen garden. There is rosemary for almost every use and to adorn nearly every garden.
When it comes to sizes and shapes, prostrate rosemaries come in both trailing and creeping varieties. These can be planted to pour over a wall or cascade down a bank, or utilized as ground covers. They are great for controlling erosion because of their thick roots. Prostrate forms look stunning when trained as bonsai or suspended from a basket.
Shrub rosemaries rise upright, whereas prostrate forms grow outward. Shrubs exist in dwarf, medium, and tall sizes, and their growth patterns can be compact, open, or swirling. Dwarf rosemaries can be used as a decorative border, and taller shrubs can be used to produce a hedge or an informal screen. The alternative is to espalier them up against a sunny wall or fence. Numerous rosemary plants make excellent specimens.
Whatever the color scheme of the flowers in your kitchen garden, rosemary will go well with it. Although blue is the most common color, it can also be as vivid as gentians or as subdued as forget-me-nots. It could also be lavender blue. Reds, yellows, and oranges shine with a hint of blue. I discovered this from bachelor buttons, so the mixed border would benefit greatly from some type of blue-flowering rosemary. A pastel, silver, or white garden can be enhanced by rosemaries with pink or white flowers. Variegated rosemary features green needles interwoven with gold for eye-catching color all year long.
Rosemary is a delicate perennial shrub that has the potential to blossom early. Some plants bloom in December in temperate areas. Most of the roses in our mountain garden in California have completed blooming before the buds begin to form. Rosemary typically blooms in the early spring through the early summer, and occasionally again in the early fall. The majority of cultivars produce a lot of flowers.
Rosemary’s roots lead to the sea
Rosmarinus officinalis, a medium-sized shrub native to Spain, Portugal, and the Mediterranean, is the source of all culinary rosemary. Rosemary is tough because of its heritage. Even though it can withstand extreme heat, chilly winds, salty air, and dryness, it actually likes rocky, alkaline soil that is lean. With other sculptural, drought-tolerant plants like artichokes, cardoons, borage, sunflowers, thymes, sages, and nasturtiums, rosemary’s softly curved or twisted branches look magnificent. In addition, rosemary is unaffected by deer and other animals who like to eat it.
Naturally, there are substances that will dull a plant. Woody branches that receive too much water and fertilizer become brittle and break. Roots decay due to poor drainage. Lack of airflow causes leaves to fall off and could possibly cause a lethal fungus. Most plants perish in a strong winter, however the cultivar “Arp” can endure temperatures as low as 10F.
With rosemary, avoiding problems is rather easy. Just remember where it came from: the Mediterranean. Place it in some mild, alkaline soil, and keep it damp but not soggy until the plant is established (perhaps for a season). The roots should never entirely dry out, though. Deeply water rosemary several times a year if you live in a desert. The plant requires water if the leaves appear drab. If water doesn’t rapidly drain from a test hole where you want the plant to grow, create a mound or raised bed there by digging in sand or even pea gravel. In areas with excellent growing conditions, rosemary does not require fertilization. Where rosemary struggles, give it a yearly feed of kelp solution and liquid fish emulsion. A lot of breathing room is necessary.
Set rosemary where you will brush against it wherever you put it. You’ll be taken aback by the perfume, which will briefly transport you to a Mediterranean shore. The Latin name for rosemary means “sea dew.”
The hardiness zone sets the tone
Grow rosemary year-round in a pot if you live in Zone 6 or colder (where winter lows are 0°F or lower), then bring it inside before the first deadly frost of the season. Some people advise growing it as an annual, but I believe it would be a waste of such a wonderful plant. The new plant should be grown in a pot for the first season in Zone 7 (10F down to 0F), overwintered indoors, and then planted outside in a protected location the following spring after hardening off (important). You can keep rosemary in the ground in Zones 8 and higher (10°F or warmer).
Long branches must be supported where there is moist snow. We experienced more than 3 feet of really wet snow last winter, which was a novelty for us. I discovered one day that our 5-foot-tall “Tuscan Blue” rosemary had vanished despite having no prior experience with it. I discovered many of the plant’s branches broken when the snow melted. Our ancient ‘Arp,’ which is big, bushy, and situated on a slope, had lost some of its branches, just like the new prostrate rosemaries. I should have supported the structure by tying the tall bushes’ branches to posts. The only option was to cover the plants with something, like a bench, in order to protect them.
Growing these beautiful plants is only difficult under one set of conditions: inadequate sunlight. A spindly plant will grow in the half-day sun, while rosemary won’t grow at all in the absence of sunlight.
Strong and largely pest-free rosemaries are known as happy rosemaries. However, if leaves start to develop white or yellow flecks, they most likely contain spider mites. Whiteflies may be to blame if many leaves turn yellow and drop off. Aphids prey on dying plants. The first step is to constantly spray with powerful jets of water to chase those nasties away. Spray with insecticidal soap as directed if the issue continues. Naturally, you won’t collect leaves from such plants till they are healthy again and are uncontaminated by spray.
Since rosemary is a perennial plant, it may always be gathered. Choose 3 to 6 in. lengths from a single branch as opposed to shorter lengths from numerous tips. The plant is kept bushy by pinching. Although some people clip back thin branches on our rosemaries by as much as 50% after flowering, I can’t bring myself to do it.
How to propagate rosemary
Although it is possible, growing rosemary from seeds takes time. The ideal way to start growing rosemary is with a plant from a herb-focused nursery or a stem cutting from a plant you like. You can discover that the names and descriptions of the varieties in a catalog differ from one source to the next while trying to select one. Regardless of the name, choose the plant whose description most closely matches what you need.
New growth begins in March indoors and in temperate areas. Cut branches’ tips off by 3 to 6 inches at that time; I always start three or four cuttings for each one I eventually plant. Remove the lower leaves, then coat the stem’s bottom with rooting powder. Put three or four cuttings in a 4-inch pot filled with moist perlite and peat moss in equal amounts. Cover with a rubber band-secured plastic bag that has two holes punched in it. Place the pot in a well-lit area away from the sun. Use a little spray to hydrate the soil mixture if it seems dry. Roots ought to have developed in around three weeks. To inspect, you can carefully lift up a cutting. Each rooted cutting should be placed in a 3- or 4-inch container.
Rosemary thrives in pots
If you want to plant rosemary in pots, choose potting soil that contains as little acidic peat moss as possible because this herb prefers an alkaline pH. Add enough sand to ensure excellent drainage. Although the soil should never be fully dry, the surface should dry out between waterings.
The only drawback to having to cultivate rosemary indoors is that blossoms will be lost if branches need to be pruned back because they are generated from growth from the previous year. Rosemary requires a lot of light, not too much heat, sufficient air movement, and a moderate amount of humidity indoors. Spray the plant a minimum of twice a week.
Rosemaries dislike being moved, don’t mind having congested roots, but they also don’t enjoy being overloaded. Slide the plant out of its pot in the springtime before new growth begins, and trim the roots by one-fourth. Fresh dirt should be added to one-fourth of the potting mixture. The new season will be ready for your rosemary plant.
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