Herb gardens can be as small or large as you can imagine. Mason jars indoors or a large space in your backyard with good drainage can both be effective methods of growing some of the most popular herbs.
Rosemary definitely falls into the category of popular herbs to grow at home. This woody and resilient herb is a favorite in the kitchen and in home decor, and growing rosemary is actually quite simple. So let's get down to some tips to help you know how to grow rosemary at home!
What is Rosemary and Why Grow It
This perennial, evergreen herb is at home in a roast chicken dish or growing on top of a rock wall. Rosemary, salvia rosmarinus, is a versatile and fragrant herb that can be grown for both beauty, seasoning, herbal remedies, and frankly, a large shrub in some zones.
Rosemary is an evergreen member of the mint family and can be grown indoors in a pot on a sunny windowsill, or in most any sunny outdoor location. But growing rosemary isn't as easy as sticking it in the ground (or a pot) and leaving it. Follow these tips for growing rosemary so you’ll have a successful rosemary plant in your home or garden (or both!).
Should you grow rosemary from seeds or plants?
Start your rosemary from seed or buy a plant at your local store? The choice is yours! Seeds can be sown and grown in pots indoors year around.
If planning to grow rosemary outdoors, start seeds in a container 6 weeks prior to the last frost date in your area. Transplant your rosemary seedling outdoors when soil warms to above 70 degrees.
Plants can be purchased if you prefer not to tackle growing rosemary from seed. Or if you have a friend who has a mature rosemary plant, grab a cutting of new growth and root it. The process is similar to rooting basil, and you can find full instructions here for how to propagate rosemary from cuttings.
Where and When to plant rosemary
For growing outdoors, the best time to plant rosemary is in early spring through early summer, in a spot with well-drained soil. Also consider selecting a location in full sun that will receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. (Creating a sun map of your yard will help you know where to plant most everything.) No shady corners of the yard for this woody herb.
Though it is technically a perennial plant, rosemary may not survive the winter when left outdoors in some zones. However, under certain growing conditions such as living in zone 7 and above, rosemary that is grown close to the house (and therefore protected from harsh winter conditions and frost) can survive.
This will result in a large rosemary shrub growing for years on end. Our rosemary plant was nestled next to our brick house, and the brick, which retains some heat from the day's sun, and the deep eaves of our house, kept it growing year-round in our zone 8 climate. See the picture below of our rosemary and cucumber plants.
An indoor grown container of rosemary will last indefinitely, but may not reach the size of a plant grown out of doors. (Which may be for the best!) For indoor growing, it's a good idea to have the plant in direct sun and to keep away from direct drafts.
The Best Fertilizer for Rosemary
Truth be told, if you're growing rosemary outside in good, loamy soil, then you shouldn't really need to fertilize this outdoor plant. If you know that your soil is lacking in nutrients, or you notice your plant not thriving, then an occasional feeding could go a long way to helping your rosemary thrive.
If you are growing rosemary indoors in good quality potting soil, then make plans to fertilize every six weeks during the spring and summer for best results. Since the soil in a pot is not connected to the living soil in the ground, then it will eventually become depleted, and fertilizing helps add nutrients for your plants to use.
The kind of fertilizer you use for rosemary is important. My favorite organic fertilizers are:
- Espoma's Organic Grow Liquid Fertilizer: This is a good choice for houseplants in general. This liquid concentrate contains natural proteins that are enhanced with kelp extracts and humic acids. Fertilizer analysis is 2-2-2. No sludges or toxic ingredients.
- Espoma's Organic Garden Tone: Use Garden-tone organic fertilizer for leafy vegetables like lettuce, kale & cabbage as well as warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash & melons.
- MI Gardener Trifecta: Trifecta is a natural base, premium blend fertilizer. It lasts all year long (if properly applied) and will increase flowering production as well as root growth, plant health, and produce larger, healthier, more nutrient-rich vegetables.
Any of these slow-release fertilizers will do an excellent job for your rosemary bushes, as well as many other plants in your garden area.
How to Care for and Prune Rosemary
This Mediterranean herb has a native habitat that is dry and rocky, so you want to make sure you don't over water a new plant or your established rosemary. Water at the base of the plant when the top of soil is dry and it it passes the finger test. This will keep your plant hydrated but not saturated. I rarely have to intentionally water my outdoor rosemary, unless we have gone over a week without any type of rain.
When it comes time to use your rosemary, harvest the youngest stems and leaves for the best flavor. Up to one-third of the plant can be harvested at one time, but allow the plant to recover and produce new growth before harvesting anymore of the herb.
Rosemary, although a hardy herb with woody stems, can see be susceptible to disease and problems. Powdery mildew and cottony soft rot are two the more likely fungal conditions to negatively affect rosemary plants.
These can be avoided by being sure to get your rosemary from healthy stock (go ahead and be picky when you're at the store), and by avoiding getting water on the leaves when you're watering.
Pruning rosemary can also help deter some of these fungal diseases and issues by allowing for better airflow. Use clean, sharp pruners to snip off any dead wood on the plant, as well as any affected stems. If you're trying to keep your rosemary's size under control, then consider pruning as it finishes flowering.
How Large Does Rosemary Grow
Mature rosemary plants can reach a mature size of 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Keep this size in mind when selecting a container or planting outdoors.
This doesn't mean you should start your rosemary in a large container indoors, especially if your plant is small. You can step up your indoor rosemary in to larger containers as it grows. And if you're looking to save money on potting soil, check out my full post on the best soil for herbs.
How to Use Rosemary
Finally, it's all well and good to grow rosemary because you like the way it looks and smells, but go ahead and use it. This is something I've struggled with myself when it comes to garden herbs.
If you're going to take the time to grow it, plan on using those fresh herbs. It literally takes one minute to walk outside and snip fresh rosemary for your roast or chicken, and nothing compares to the fresh taste of home-grown herbs. Keep a whole sprig in a glass on water on the counter for use throughout the week.
You can also use fresh rosemary to infuse vinegar or oil. Drying rosemary to give to friends or to save for use in winter months (if growing outdoors in a colder climate) are all great ways to use your rosemary, and this way you're naturally pruning the plant as you use snips here and there. Here are some of my favorite ways to use rosemary:
- No-Knead Rosemary and Olive Oil Dutch Oven Bread: use fresh herbs in this easy bread that is sure to impress
- Herb Compound Butter Recipe: Any number of fresh herbs can be used in this compound butter that is perfect on bread, melted on a hot steak, and even frozen for use many months later.
I'd love to know your favorite way to use rosemary. I love to make a small bundle and place it inside a chicken before roasting, along with half a lemon.
I love the subtle flavor that's infused in the chicken and knowing exactly where my rosemary came from is an invigorating feeling! Let me know your favorite use in the comments below!
