Rosemary is a wonderful culinary herb to grow. In addition to its use in the kitchen, it makes a fantastic ornamental plant with purple flowers and a robust and soothing fragrance. In Mediterranean climates, growing rosemary is relatively easy, so long as you have sun and soil that does not get too soggy.
Depending upon the cultivar, you can reliably overwinter rosemary planted in the ground down to zone 7. And with just a little extra care and the hardiest varieties, growing rosemary year round in zone 6 is even possible.
Here in California, Rosemary is often used for structural plantings. They make great hedges, perform beautifully well under drought conditions, and are more disease, deer and rabbit resistant than traditional boxwood hedges.
This article covers:
- Rooting rosemary cuttings
- Planting and growing rosemary
- Overwintering rosemary
- Unique uses for Rosemary
Rooting rosemary cuttings
I love that you can take a snipping of a rosemary plant – for free – and get an exact clone of it to expand your garden. Rosemary seeds have low germination rates and take a long time to mature. So the cutting method is actually your best option short of buying new plants to start every year.
Take a snipping of rosemary from the parent plant. The best time to do this in spring when the rosemary is actively growing and putting off new shoots. The snipping should be several inches long. If you intend to grow the rosemary year round, it is always best to use a plant growing in your neighborhood, if you can. That way you know that the variety will do well in your microclimate.
Gently strip off the lower 2 inches of needles from the stem of the rosemary cutting. This is where the plant will grow its new roots.
You can either use rooting hormone or root the cuttings in water. I like using the water method, because I can see when the roots develop. However I have found that the rooting hormone method is a bit more reliable.
If using the water method for rooting, simply stick the stems in a small mason jar. The water line should match the area of the stem that you stripped. Put the jar in a warm place, but not in direct sunlight. You should change the water frequently, otherwise the stems could rot. Once you see roots, your cuttings are ready to plant. Remember to slowly transition them outside to bright light, else you risk scorching them.
If using rooting hormone, all you need to do is cover the stripped area of the branch with the rooting hormone. Make a hole in your potting soil with a pencil and gently pace the dusted cutting in the pencil hole. Pat the soil back in on the cutting until it holds. Keep the soil moist but not too wet.
Growing Rosemary
Whether you are transplanting your own cuttings or planting nursery plants, here is the best way to ensure your rosemary gets a great start.
Rosemary grows well in the ground, raised beds or containers. They also do very well and look great in rock gardens. Where you decide to plant it will depend upon where you live and / or how you will keep it. For example, if you live in frost free areas, you won’t want to plant rosemary in a raised vegetable bed. It will quickly take over the entire bed. This is not an issue for those living in zone 4.
Similarly, if you live in a colder area you could bring the rosemary inside in the winter. Putting it in a large but manageable pot is a good idea.
Rosemary loves sunlight and does fine in partial or dappled sun. While they will survive in heavier shade areas, they can become scraggly and their needles will be set further apart. Pick a sunny site for your new rosemary.
Rosemary will do well in just about any soil. However, they will be star performers in well draining soil with rich organic matter. Try worm castings or rabbit manure.
Rosemary tends to be very drought tolerant and needs almost no supplemental water. If you live in the southwest where there is little rain, be mindful of your potting medium. Consider using some of the native clay mixed into your planting hole, as this will retain moisture longer. It may even allow the rosemary to survive an entire summer with no additional water.
Tips for overwintering rosemary
Obviously, the easiest way to overwinter your rosemary is to plant it in a pot and bring it inside in the winter. But if you are set on an in-ground plant, here are some strategies for you.
First of all, the variety you have is critical. Most culinary rosemary in the garden centers are frost intolerant. Those in the ornamentals section are hardier. However rosemary oficianalis ‘ARP’ is actually hardy down to zone 6 and, some report, even zone 5. This sturdy variety can withstand temps down to minus 10 degrees F, so long as they aren’t sustained. Alcalde is another hardy variety which has been able to withstand sub zero temps.
Once you have selected your plant, make sure to plant it in a very sunny spot. Take into consideration how the sun’s path changes in the winter. Planting it next to your house or another building will help to shelter it from snow or extreme freezing.
In the fall before the really cold temperatures come, mulch the soil around the plant’s base well. Straw or wood chips both work. Use a row cover on the rosemary bush. For a lighter frost, even a bed sheet or painter’s drop cloth would work. If you don’t have or don’t want to use row covers, you should prune your rosemary back several weeks prior to first frost.
Unique uses for rosemary
In addition to flavoring your roasted chicken, turkey or stuffing, rosemary gives a fabulous twist to a traditional Chicken Fricassee. It makes a great addition to homemade crackers. Their woody stems make fantastic skewers for shish kabobs or fish kabobs, infusing the rosemary flavor from within.
Outside of the kitchen, rosemary makes good sachets for your linen or sock drawers. Rosemary compliments cedar, rather than competing with it. So, you can put it in a trunk or hang it from hangers.
To freshen a room and still make the rosemary look nice, try braiding the stems into a wreath before hanging. Not only does this look great, but it also bends the stems, which releases some of the aromatics into the room.
Or, finely chop the rosemary and add it to coarse salt to make a wonderful flavored salt for grilling. You can also use this rosemary salt for a luxurious bath, too.
How do you plan on using rosemary? Let me know in the comments below!
