Rosemary Growing Guide

Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia rosmarinus

Crop Rotation Group

Miscellaneous ●

Soil

Any average, well-drained soil enriched with compost.

Position

Sun or partial shade.

Frost tolerant

Hardy only to about 10 degrees F, though winter protection can help. Where winters are mild, rosemary can grow into huge, shrub-like plants. In cold winter areas, small plants can be potted up in fall and grown through winter indoors.

Feeding

Drench plants with a water soluble organic plant food one month after setting them out.

Spacing

Single Plants: 7" (20cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 7" (20cm) with 7" (20cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Start with a purchased plant, keeping in mind that growth habit varies with variety. Trailing rosemary for walls, or dwarf varieties for containers, are propagated by rooting stem cuttings rather than from seeds. Wild Mediterranean rosemary can be grown from seeds or plants.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Frequent pinching back helps to keep plants bushy and full, and it delays flowering. Trailing rosemary is great cascading over a wall.

Harvesting

Gather sprigs as needed in the kitchen. Gather stems for drying from spring to late summer.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Rosemary

Aphids (General)

Slug

Snail