Rosemary, a spicy plant that you can grow yourself, will help make dishes more aromatic. In addition, rosemary has valuable medicinal properties and is used as an ornamental crop.
Our article will tell you how to grow rosemary in a pot at home. You will learn how to properly plant and care for the plant to obtain a fragrant seasoning grown with your own hands.
- Rosemary growing from seeds: when to plant
- What is needed for this
- What is needed for this
- What is needed for this
Choosing a rosemary variety
Before planting rosemary at home from seeds, you need to choose the appropriate variety. It is customary to use two varieties of the plant:
- Common, it is also called medicinal.
- Spread rosemary.
Rosemary blossom
Popular varieties of rosemary:
- Rosinka is a bush up to 60 cm high. It is well leafy. Rosinka's flowers are bluish-lilac. The plant has a spicy, rich aroma. Dewdrop is known for its beneficial properties.
- Tuscan Blue - can grow up to 180 cm. The bush has dense foliage. It requires regular formative pruning.
- Tenderness - reaches a height of 70-100 cm, prefers plenty of light and does not tolerate cold. The leaves resemble bluish needles. The flowers are blue.
A well-known variety of prostrate rosemary is Lavender. It has a pleasant pine aroma. This variety blooms in May.
Care
Knowing the origin of rosemary will help you figure out how to properly care for it at home. This plant comes from the hot and sunny Mediterranean, where it is accustomed to receiving water not from the soil, but from moist air.
To successfully grow rosemary in a pot on a windowsill, you need a combination of heat, light, moisture and the right type of planting medium.
Lighting
At least 6 hours of sunlight a day will help rosemary grow and develop fully. In the middle zone and more northern regions of Russia, during the cold season it is impossible to do without additional lighting.
If you don't have enough sun on your window, you can use fluorescent lamps. They need to be placed above the plants (within 40-45 cm) and illuminated for about 10 hours a day to compensate for the lack of lighting.
Optimal temperature conditions for rosemary:
- spring and summer 18-27 C;
- in autumn and winter 17-21 C.
Watering
Water rosemary only when the soil is dry. This is approximately once every two weeks. First, stick your finger a centimeter into the pot of soil. If it's dry, water the rosemary well, pouring enough water to drain into the tray.
Do not over-moisten the soil - for this spice, drought is preferable to abundant moisture.
In winter, spray the foliage with water from time to time and turn on the humidifier.
Fertilizer
Rosemary in pots usually does not require fertilizer, but if the plant looks pale green or growth is slowing, feed it once a month with a balanced liquid fertilizer (all-purpose) diluted with half water.
Diseases and pests
Rosemary is susceptible to powdery mildew. It looks like white powder on the leaves. Most apartments do not have good air circulation, which significantly increases the risk of plant disease. The best way to get rid of powdery mildew on rosemary is to remove the diseased branches and increase the air flow around it:
- Ventilate the room often.
- Run a fan near your plants for several hours a day.
- In summer, place the pot on the balcony or loggia.
The better the conditions for rosemary, the less likely it is that it will develop any pests or diseases. Regularly check that it is properly watered and is receiving enough light and nutrition.
If your rosemary has a pest infestation, look for products that are harmless to people and pets since this herb is grown for human consumption. For example, one organic control is neem oil. You can also use a soda solution.
Trimming
During the period of active growth, the tops of the shoots are pinched several times. Trim rosemary branches regularly to prevent it from growing too much. This spice can grow up to 120 cm both in height and width.
Transfer
The size of the pot should be approximately equal to the height of the plant that sits in it. Once the above-ground part of the rosemary has outgrown, you need to either move the bush to a larger pot or cut off some of the roots.
If this is not done, over time the foliage will fade and the plant will die because it will not receive the required amount of nutrients and water.
Selecting a container for sowing
How to grow an orchid from seeds at home
For sowing, you need to prepare a glass of slightly warm, settled water. Rosemary seeds are placed there and kept for 5-6 hours. As a result, they will absorb some water, and this will increase their germination rate.
It is convenient to use plastic containers for germination. These can be rectangular containers. Their height cannot be less than 15 cm. A drainage layer is made of small pebbles or expanded clay at the bottom. Pre-prepared soil is poured over the drainage.
Rosemary seeds
How to plant rosemary on a windowsill - features, conditions and step-by-step instructions
When growing rosemary on a windowsill, it is important to comply with all agrotechnical requirements. Only a bush growing in a favorable environment will serve as an interior decoration, a storehouse of useful substances and will add a unique aroma to your dishes.
By the way! Rosemary is usually planted in the spring.
Growing location: light and temperature
Before acquiring a spice plant, you need to familiarize yourself with its requirements for growing conditions in advance.
Temperature
The optimal temperature for growing rosemary at home in the summer is +20....+25 degrees.
But in winter it is better to provide rosemary with a cool environment, preferably below 15 degrees (a range of 10-15 degrees is quite suitable.
Important! In order for rosemary to bloom well, it needs coolness in the winter when keeping a house, and some sources even indicate a temperature of 5-10 degrees.
Illumination
In order for rosemary to form leaves more actively, in winter the light-loving plant should be placed on a southern (or southwestern or southeastern), western or eastern window sill.
By the way! If you only have space on a north-facing window sill, there are simple tricks to increase the amount of sunlight entering the room. For example, slopes can be covered with mirrors or something shiny. Plus, you can always add backlighting.
Indeed, in winter you cannot do without additional lighting for indoor greens and vegetables. For this, of course, phytolamps are best suited, but more budget-friendly full-spectrum LED lamps are an excellent option. On short winter days, rosemary responds gratefully to morning and evening supplementary lighting.
By the way! The pot needs to be periodically turned to the light, first on one side or the other. In this way, deformation can be avoided when the plant bends to one side of the light, which often happens when growing light-loving plants on a windowsill.
In summer, the container with rosemary is transferred to the balcony (loggia): simply taken out into the garden or planted on the plot (if it has grown very much). And if you decide to leave a pot of spicy herbs on a south-facing window, you should definitely shade it with something from the bright rays of the sun.
Growing pot
Due to the fact that the root system of rosemary is highly branched, the plant must be planted in a spacious (preferably clay) pot. Optimal dimensions of the planting container: height 15-20 cm, width 25 cm.
Advice! Initially, it is better to sow the seeds in common containers, from where, when 1-2 true leaves appear, plant them in separate small containers. Then, as it grows, transfer it to a permanent place in a large, beautiful pot.
At the bottom of the pot, do not forget to lay a small layer of drainage (expanded clay, pebbles or vermiculite), and also make holes through which excess water will flow into the pan.
What soil to plant in (substrate)
The most convenient way is to purchase a universal soil (or better for seedlings) at a garden store and then mix it with river sand or perlite (1/3 or 1/4) to make it looser.
Idea! You can add hydrogel to the soil mixture, then you will not have to water frequently in summer and winter.
Of course, instead of purchased soil, you can use garden soil. The main condition is that the soil must be loose, moisture- and breathable.
Advice! to disinfect any land, even purchased land, by spilling it with a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin . Alternatively, you can steam it in the oven or microwave.
Seed preparation
Rosemary seeds take a very long time and germinate poorly: seedlings make their way to the surface only 2-4 weeks after sowing. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, it is advisable to pre-soak the seeds (so that they swell) for 1-2 days, remembering to maintain the moisture of napkins or cotton pads (the material in which you usually do this).
By the way! If it is written on the packet of seeds that they do not require any pre-planting preparation, then you don’t need to do anything! Straight to the ground!
Preparing cuttings for planting, their germination
By the way! You can either cut the cuttings in the garden if you are already growing rosemary, or buy them at the supermarket or market (fresh), just be sure to trim the tip.
cuttings are required .
Preparing rosemary cuttings for subsequent cultivation on a windowsill is carried out in the following sequence:
- On a healthy bush, trim the tops of young shoots to 8-10 cm in length.
- Next, the lower part needs to be cleared of leaves.
- Place the cuttings in water for rooting.
- When the roots appear (after about 2-3 weeks), you can transplant the cuttings into the ground.
Interesting! The author of the next video plants the cuttings directly into the ground.
Video: how to grow rosemary from cuttings at home (without germination in water)
Direct planting: sowing seeds and further rooting cuttings
Rosemary is sown as follows:
- We filled the common containers with soil.
- The seeds were evenly scattered over the moist substrate.
- We moistened it with a spray bottle and that’s it!
Important! No need to fill it with soil! Even 0.5 cm.
- Next, the container with the crops is covered with glass or film. And then they put it in a warm place where the temperature is kept around +25 degrees.
Lighting does not matter at this stage, so you can place the container in a dark place, for example, on a cabinet or refrigerator.
- As soon as the seedlings hatch, the film is removed from the planting container and quickly moved to a bright (even bright) and cooler place (18-20 degrees).
Video: how to plant rosemary from seeds - 4 secrets to successful germination
Planting sprouted cuttings at home is done as follows:
- Bury the cuttings into moist soil (3 centimeters).
- Water.
- Cover the top with a bag.
And don’t forget to make small holes in the mini-greenhouse so that fresh air can still reach the cuttings. Or just open it periodically for a few minutes.
- Place in a warm and bright place.
- As soon as new leaves begin to appear, gradually remove the cover (after 3-5 weeks).
- Pinch the top so that the side branches begin to grow.
Video: how to grow rosemary from cuttings
Sowing seeds
To grow, the seeds are placed on the ground and sprinkled with about 4 mm of soil. After planting, apply light moisture using a spray bottle.
The top of the container must be covered with glass or plastic film. You can use an empty upside down plastic container for this purpose. To germinate the seeds, place the container in a relatively warm place. For example, it can be placed next to a radiator.
On a note! The suitable temperature for seed germination is +25… +30 degrees.
Sowing in peat tablets
Instead of using a container to grow sprouts, you can use peat tablets. Seeds are placed in them and watering is provided. Growing is similar to how it is done when using containers.
Rosemary plant: requirements for growing it in a pot at home
Sunny grass can grow in areas with cool temperatures , within Russia. There are 2 ways:
- Replanting in a flower pot in winter
- Sprout from seeds
To grow a rosemary plant at home in a pot, it is important to prepare everything you need:
- Drainage filler
- Good soil - rich in minerals and beneficial elements
- Flowerpots
- Light source - not direct sunlight
- Constant ventilation
- Time and a little patience
Common rosemary needs a comfortable temperature with relative air humidity, but a change in temperature (especially minus values) is not desirable.
When a flower sprouts
With regular watering and warming up the seeds, you can see rosemary sprouting in about a month. The seedlings will become full-fledged after another 2-4 weeks.
Important! After the sprouts appear, the film covering is removed.
When the height of the sprouts reaches 3-4 cm, you need to start hardening them daily. To do this, in calm, warm weather, open a window and place a container with sprouts on the windowsill. At first, it is enough to harden for just a few minutes. Gradually this period should increase.
When carrying out ventilation, it is necessary to exclude drafts and rain on the sprouts. Direct sunlight is not allowed. In hot weather, light shade should be provided for sprouts.
The appearance of sprouts
Growing season
Rosemary begins to actively grow on the windowsill in the spring - in March. By the end of April - beginning of May it is already blooming. After the seeds form, the plant begins a dormant period. At this time, the room temperature must be reduced to 12 - 15 degrees. Below is not recommended, since the crop does not tolerate cold. Temperatures of minus 5 degrees are already critical.
In summer, frankincense grass can grow and develop at 25 degrees. If the apartment is very hot, spraying is carried out to enhance heat transfer from the sheet plates.
Important! If you do not provide rosemary with a cool winter, there will be no flowering next season, since vegetative buds form at low temperatures
Transplantation to a permanent place
You can replant seedlings whose height has reached 7-8 cm. Rosemary is grown both in open ground and in a container in an apartment.
In the first case, it is important to choose the right site for growing rosemary. The soil should be well drained and light. It’s good if there is a slight admixture of limestone in it. The area should be well lit. Shading will not allow the plant to fully develop. Avoid low-lying areas where moisture tends to accumulate. Rosemary should not be planted where there are drafts and strong winds.
Procedure for transplantation:
- When planting in a permanent place, the plants are fed with organic fertilizer. It is enough to take no more than a handful of rotted manure.
- The seedlings are removed from the previous container along with a lump of earth. Such a transplant will avoid injury to the roots.
- The sprout is carefully placed in the hole and held with your hand. Then carefully pour the required amount of soil onto the roots.
- After sprinkling the sprout on all sides, water it.
- Then the soil is added again and the soil is lightly compacted by slamming it down with your hands.
When planting in open ground, the minimum distance between sprouts should be at least 10 cm if the purpose of cultivation is decorative use. If harvesting is planned, then the distance should be at least half a meter.
To grow indoors, you need to use a pot that has one or more holes in the bottom. This is important to ensure good drainage. When the transplant is done, the rosemary is placed in the shade for two days to make it easier for it to adapt to the new conditions.
Growing in a pot
Diseases and pests
If you do not follow the watering regime, or water the plant too often, the tips of the leaves dry out. He gets powdery mildew.
If, on the contrary, yellow leaves appear from below, then this is a sign of lack of moisture.
If rosemary grows outdoors in natural conditions, it is not very susceptible to disease and is almost not attacked by pests.
But as soon as he is brought into the house, he suffers due to unfavorable conditions, not yet strong enough from the transplant.
The most common pests you see are whiteflies and spider mites.
To rid a plant of a disease, you must first wash it well and then treat it with complex acaricides and insecticides.
If you don’t have any of the preparations at hand, you can treat it with a soap solution, covering the root part from getting soap into the root.
If the plant lacks watering, the leaves fade, turn yellow and fall off.
With abundant watering and lack of air circulation, the plant begins to rot, because the plant does not like stagnant moisture and can be affected by a disease such as downy mildew. This is an unpleasant disease; it has a detrimental effect on rosemary in that the tops of the leaves turn brown and fall off.
Basic rules of watering
When watering the sprouts, do not allow them to become waterlogged. This will cause the roots to rot and the plants may die. It is important not to allow the top layer of soil to dry out completely. As soon as the soil becomes barely moist, you need to water the sprouts again.
Growing on a windowsill
If you germinate the seeds correctly, rosemary can not only provide your family with a tasty and healthy seasoning, but also become a decoration for your home. To do this, it is enough to properly care for the plant.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
How to divide a rosemary bush photo
Indoor rosemary is most often propagated by dividing the bush. Remove the bush from the soil, divide it into several parts: each section should contain a developed rhizome and shoots. Treat the cut areas with a fungicide and plant the cuttings.
Comments (2)
Ksenia
01/10/2020 at 05:37 |
I just bought some seeds and will have to try planting them this year. Unfortunately, I had a negative experience with the cuttings - they even gave roots, but then all the plants dried up, no matter how much I shook and danced over them...Answer
Yulia Expert Plodogorod
01/11/2020 at 00:03 |
Hello, Ksenia! There are several reasons why the cuttings could die. So, if they were buried too deeply, or, conversely, not enough, the root system could develop incorrectly. The optimal depth is 4-5 cm.
To make roots appear faster, we recommend using root formation stimulants. It is better to cover the seedlings with a bag to create greenhouse conditions. This shelter is removed only after several new leaves have appeared on the sprouts.
The cuttings could dry out due to lack of moisture. When watering, it is important that the soil is wet to the very bottom of the container. A drainage layer is required. If it was not there, the plants could die due to rotting of the rhizome, which is why the above-ground part dried out and did not receive nutrition.
If planting was carried out in a container that was too large, this could also lead to rotting of the root system. In such conditions, the plant cannot absorb all the moisture received during watering; it stagnates, which provokes destructive processes.
The presence of a draft or placing tender seedlings in direct sunlight could also negatively affect the development of rosemary.
Answer
