Rosemary care and maintenance are essential for maintaining a healthy plant. To prevent light starvation, it is recommended to put the rosemary on a sunlight diet before bringing it indoors. Before repotting, move the plant to a sunny location several weeks before planting. Rosemary seeds are difficult to germinate, so it is best to take a clipping from a healthy plant.
Indoors, water the rosemary plant regularly when the soil is dry, but in winter, water less. Rosemary goes into dormancy in colder months, making it difficult to keep alive. To grow rosemary indoors, you can either bring in a mature outdoor plant or take a cutting from a mature outdoor plant.
There are multiple ways to grow rosemary indoors, including repotting, using containers with good drainage, paying attention to potting mix, watering when soil feels dry, providing plenty of light, regulating temperature inside your home, raising humidity levels, and increasing air circulation.
To maintain a healthy rosemary plant, follow these 11 essential tips:
- Repot your rosemary: Use containers with good drainage and pay attention to the potting mix.
- Water the soil when the top inch of soil appears dry, never allowing it to dry out.
- Provide plenty of light: Regulate temperature inside your home, raise humidity levels, and increase air circulation.
- Water the soil every two weeks (if the soil is dry), but always keep water in the drainage pan with rocks.
- Place rosemary in an area with bright, south-facing exposure with six hours of direct sunlight per day.
- Avoid overwatering the plant: Water the plant’s soil every 1-2 weeks to prevent root rot.
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Why is my indoor rosemary dying?
Root rot in rosemary can be caused by overwatering, poorly draining soil, and uninvited guests like fungal pathogens like Phytophthora and Pythium. If your rosemary appears yellow and has a stench that’s unpleasant, it likely has root rot. Brown or black lesions on the roots are a sign of these fungi. Rosemary, a native of cliffside areas, requires well-draining soil and a light watering. Overwatering can set the stage for root rot to occur. To prevent root rot, maintain a breezy, dry-ish environment, and avoid overwatering, as it can cause the plant to die.
How do you care for rosemary indoors?
Rosemary can thrive in a container, making it suitable for indoor gardens or sunniest patios. It requires bright, south-facing exposure with six hours of direct sunlight per day. Avoid using larger containers than the plant, as large soil volumes can damage roots over time. Fill the pot with well-draining soil, such as a succulent mix or gritty potting soil with perlite, pumice, or grit. Choose a full-sun location with protection from strong winds.
For pruning, keep the bush full and bushy with regular pruning and harvesting. Avoid pruning to more than one-third of its size and cut back branches to a main stem to avoid unsightly stumps. Avoid cutting back into old, woody growth, which will not re-sprout after hard pruning.
Does rosemary need direct sunlight?
Rosemary is best grown outdoors in full sunlight, at least six hours per day, and is moderately tolerant of shade. However, indoors, particularly during winter months, can be challenging to achieve the right conditions. To grow rosemary indoors, it should be kept on a bright windowsill or in a well-lit room. If moving potted rosemary from summer to fall and winter, it should be placed on a sunlight “diet” for a few hours each day to gradually adjust to reduced light.
If direct sunlight is not available, artificial light can be used, with full-spectrum LED lighting being an affordable option. LED bulbs can be hung close to the plants, but they do not burn them. When using artificial lighting, the plants will need a considerable amount of time under the lights, which is not unreasonable.
What is the trick to growing rosemary?
Rosemary is a plant that prefers light, well-drained soil, preferring to have wet roots in winter. If heavy soil is present, it can be planted in raised beds or containers. Space rosemary plants at least 45cm apart. The best time to plant is in spring, but it can be planted through early autumn in mild weather. Rosemary is easy to grow and requires little maintenance once established in a warm, sunny spot with free-draining soil. It is drought-tolerant, but new plants should be watered regularly for the first summer.
What does overwatered rosemary look like?
Rosemary plants can turn brown due to various factors, including excessive watering, root rot, and weather-related stress. Root rot is caused by excessive watering, while rosemary, native to the Mediterranean hillsides of Portugal and Spain, is winter hardy to about 20 F, USDA zones 7-10. When not protected from chilly temperatures, rosemary can suddenly turn brown, resulting in needle drop and the plant being killed by cold.
Weather-related stress can also cause rosemary to turn drab brown, as it can suffer sunburn, especially if it is container-grown, the weather is hot, and the plant is already stressed. In summary, rosemary plants can turn brown due to excessive watering, root rot, and weather-related stress, but they are essential for maintaining their health and beauty.
How do you perk up rosemary?
To water rosemary in containers, pour water over the soil for 30 seconds, then let it drain and rest. Check if the plant has perked up within 1-2 days and add more water if needed. Potted rosemary needs water once or twice a week, depending on container size, humidity, and temperature. Allow the upper soil to dry before watering again, and stick a finger in the pot to check if the herb is clean.
What is the lifespan of a rosemary plant?
The typical lifespan of a Rosemary plant is approximately 10 years, with some specimens known to survive for up to 20 years. In general, rosemary is considered safe for dogs when consumed in small amounts. However, it is advisable to seek the guidance of a veterinary professional for optimal guidance. Rosemary is a perennial plant that is native to USDA zones 8-11. In colder zones, it grows as an annual.
Are coffee grounds good for rosemary?
Rosemary coffee grounds promote healthy growth and development in rosemary plants, but their high acidity can limit their growth. Cactus plants require well-drained soil with a balanced mix of organic and inorganic components, which coffee grounds can disrupt. Coffee cherries, the fruit of the coffee tree, are also edible, with their small size making them consumable. They can be made into juice, jam, or eaten as is. However, the high acidity of coffee grounds can limit the growth pace of cactus plants.
How do you keep a rosemary plant alive in the grocery store?
To maintain the vitality of supermarket herbs, it is essential to select the appropriate plants, repot them in fresh potting mix and larger pots, divide overcrowded plants, provide regular irrigation, and harvest them correctly. These recommendations can facilitate more creative and satisfying cooking experiences while providing the assurance of having fresh herbs readily available. It is important to remember to split up overcrowded plants and to water them regularly in order to maintain their health.
How often should I water my indoor rosemary plant?
To water your rosemary indoors, water the soil every two weeks, keeping it in a drainage pan with rocks. The plant likes to absorb moisture from the air, so it enjoys the water as it evaporates. To maintain moisture, spray the foliage with water once or twice a week. If the plant seems struggling, cover it with a plastic bag to hold in moisture. Fertilize your rosemary plant in the spring, starting one month before moving it outside for summer. Use a fish fertilizer diluted as directed in the regular watering schedule.
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Excellent article. Super helpful. I’ve wanted to grow rosemary for over a decade but have always failed. I once lived in Tokyo and there were rosemary hedges along a neighbouring apartment building so my father in law helped me harvest a large amount and we decocted it and put it in 2 litre plastic bottles and I would add half a litre to my bath water. I miss that. Thank for the memories and thanks for taking the time to teach and share. I took your course on folk remedies and am just so grateful for all that I am learning and so excited to grow my own everything and make my own everything!!!
First of all I question why anyone would ask why you would want to grow Rosemary in your home. The obvious answer to that is because you can’t grow it outside your home most likely. For example you live in an apartment. But Rosemary is my favorite herb not for any of the reasons you just went over like all of the medicinal properties etc. I’ve never used it for that, I love the taste of it and I love it in breads I love it in chicken, with vegetables etc. I put Rosemary as an extra spice in just about every vegetable dish I make It cuz it’s my favorite herb second only to garlic. And I don’t live in Idaho but I live in Illinois and Rosemary needs a lot of light. That’s the main thing and if you don’t have direct sunlight for 12 hours you can supplement that by using a grow light and you can get that from Amazon for a mere nine bucks. It’s a little lamp and you place your rosemary plant underneath it and voila you will have Rosemary growing in your house even in the winter months.
I live in South Africa, in an area that does ot get your kind of temperatures. I am always hesitant to follow garden websites from other countries, due to growing conditions. This website, however, does it for me, based solely on this topic. I have learnt so much about, NOT, killing my rosemary. Thank you so much, for sharing so much useful information.
I accidentally planted a potted one I bought at the grocery store. I set the pot out side near the fence with the intention of maybe repotting or finding a suitable place for it. Well, a few weeks later I went to pick the pot up and the roots had grown so well into the dirt that I could not lift it. So, I cut away the plastic pot and left it where it was. I have done absolutely nothing to care for this plant, and it is absolutely thriving. To my shock.
We had a rosemary here that was about 12 years old. It always did well here in our yard next to the house (NW WA Zone 8b) until winter of ’22-’23 and it suddenly died that spring of ’23. We were so upset! I now just bought two little rosemary starts and hopefully they’ll live as long as our other one did.
Thank you for more information on caring for your herbs. I usually plant my rosemary in a huge pot alongside the sage, and last fall I planted some garlic cloves in the same huge pot, covered with lots of grass clippings. I am just waiting on the weather before I check them out to see how they are doing.
I’m in zone 6; eastern PA and arp lived in the center of my yard for 30+ years and even bloomed! I NEVER brought it in. I had a small prostratus and brought it in and they live till April and then die right before it’s time to put it out again! There was a wooden fence on the north face but 8’ away! It did get south exposure most of the day and I never covered it even from 20+ inches of snow! I recently moved a few miles away into the next town and immediately planted another 5″ rosemary plant. She lived there next to the sunroom with not too much south light (afternoon only) but under the eaves so she didn’t get too much overwatering from rain. She lived six years and grew SO BIG that she literally took over half my patio. I pruned her hard and she came back beautifully. She bloomed and grew until a severe, very frigid winter took her. She even had ice on her branches. When I had to remove her, she was huge; her roots went under my porch and was very hard to remove! I then learned to prune them more often before they get too overgrown. I planted another last year and it literally tripled in size in one year. It does not get full sun till mid afternoon. She seems to like her location.
So, a growbag of the required size would be a good option as it surely will not keep any moisture retention that way. I have one that I have been growing in my Elevated and Raised Cypress beds. It’s getting good drainage, but I was wanting to put it in a growbag, most likely a 15 or 20 gallon one. I’ll make sure it’s a very Perlite heavy mix for it now. Thank you for all of the good information about it. Mine came from the grocery store… LoL 🤠👍 Also, I use mine for its intended purpose. So I “Prune” if often but lightly. So, I rarely need to actually prune it. Mine is only 4 years old at the moment, but it’s a nice size, a little smaller than the one you have.
I’ve lived in many areas of CA; SoCal (San Juan Cap in the hills) to on the coast (Santa Cruz), to the very Northern area (Chico-Northernmost Sacramento Valley). I’ve never failed to be able to grow Rosemary. Just water so they stay happy. At the 2500’ (~800m) level, snow never bothered them, but I admit the snow never stayed longer than a week. Beautiful plants with so much aroma that just a few cuttings give my pillow a satisfying, relaxing, Zen mindfulness.
My rosemary overwintered fine in zone 8b. I left it in its grow pot up against the brick foundation of the house. We got lots of rain this winter, so water was not a problem. I will repot it this year into a bigger container. I occasionally throw a little 10-10-10 on it, occasionally as well as a handful of lime. I have it in good potting soil. I will add a little vermiculite with it when I repot it. My mint also survived the winter, which surprised me. I did put a good dose of Miracle Grow on it last fall. I will treat it just like my Meyer Lemon tree. They sound like the like the same environment.
I’m just now perusal this and I have a five year Rosemary plant outside and it has gotten cold here in Virginia. Mine smells and looks good and big. Taste good too. I do nothing to it except water when I can in summer. Cut off what I need to cook and may trim once out of control. Although I have in the last two years feed it pond dirty water from koi pond.
I bought 3 different rosemary plants last year all kitchen edible ones. I planted all 3 in one 15 gallon fabric pot. I think I’m what’s called the accidental gardener. I’m in the new zone of 7b, prior 7a and left it all winter without any shelter in the fabric pot with temps getting down to 15-20 and 40’s during the day. Needless to say, it’s thriving. We had a snow storm come thru and didn’t bother to even check it to see how it’s doing. Just looked and still going strong. I think I used Coast of Maine container mix and during the summer I watered when I thought it might need a drink so whatever Mother Nature provides is the only attention it gets. If I used fertilizer it was Alaska brand. All I can say is if it survives me it’ll survive anybody.
Thank you for this article. I live in zone 5b-6, so can’t keep my rosemary out during the winter. I have a small greenhouse, and I bought a heater for it for this coming winter. If I can over winter my rosemary in the greenhouse, what care do I need to give it e.g. water, heat, assume no fertilizer, etc.? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks
Well that goes against everything I’ve done with some baby Rosemary I planted a year ago in our clay soil. Each of them are the size of a car bonnet I watered them for a couple of weeks in summer when they first went in and have done nothing else. They clearly love clay soil and neglect her in Australia.😂
I have an unheated, south facing enclosed porch. When I used to bring my rosemary inside the porch for the winter, it would die every year. The last 3 or 4 years I left it outside, gathered close to other plants. It has survived being outside for the winter in zone 7. I want to ask, is taking small cuttings for cooking, in the summer or winter bad for the plant?
We have 15% humidity today, and most days… Up to 60% in winter but mostly around 30%… Some of summer here it is 7% . I plant on the edge of the tree shadows so they don’t get fried. Central Arizona, outside Prescott. At about 4500 ft above sea level. We sometimes have trouble with spittle bugs. Insecticidal soap works on them. 🤔🙄🤷🌵😎👵🐺🖖🌵💖💋
I think climate has tons to do with success. In parts of California Rosemary is planted in the median strips on the highways. Huge bushes with beautiful blue flowers. I’m going to try as a container plant this year here in Arkansas, using a black garbage bag covering in the winter. I’m thinking stakes to keep it from touching the plant and occasionally airing it when checking on it during the winter. Has anyone tried using those silver prepper “blankets” for insulation? I think I’m going to experiment and see if they might work. Black bags absorb the sun, while silver might reflect the cold. Should be interesting.
Question about greenhouses…I’m in Middle TN. Usually 7a but apparently the new zoning map has me in 7b. I have a 10×16 UNHEATED greenhouse. Will Rosemary survive in that environment? While I know it will keep the frost off the plant, it still gets very cold at night….currently down to single digits, even negative Temps. I’ve never used my greenhouse for over wintering so I’m clueless. Thanks for any information.
I am actually surprised listening to this article and some of the comments made about Winter killing Rosemary. I put in a small 6 inch plant in my flower bed 12 years ago. It has sense grown to a huge bush over 5ft tall and the width around 4ft. I live in the Mojave Desert where our Summers get to 115 degress and our Winters drop well under freezing. Once in a while it will snow here. My Rosemary has never had a problem. Five years ago a new neighbor moved in next door and she planted 5 Rosemarys in her front yard that are now as big as mine. In fact hers are even healthier because they flower so well. Mine does too but hers just go crazy. She has never done anything to her Rosemarys to try and help them because they never needed any. So, this is confusing to me like I said. How come our Rosemarys can survive our desert temperatures just fine?
sometimes I wonder…how those ANCIENT plants that have been around FOREVER…could make it without interference of MAN…..I have lots of Rosemary in my Garden…and I am not digging them out and replanting them….I simply care and love them by giving them some kind attention and thankfulness….I deeply trust Nature..that knows EXACTLY where to allow a plant to seed and grow…and where not….