“Freshness of the sea” or rosemary is a shrub of the family Blue-flowered or Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean coast. Since ancient times, the bush has been used as a seasoning or medicinal product. In some countries it is a sacred bush.

Rosemary - perennial evergreen shrub with dense branches, olive or grayish leaves, similar to spruce needles. The bush has a dense crown, the flowers are small, white or light blue. If you rub the twigs with your hand, you can feel a bright, characteristic aroma. On open ground With good care and with watering you can grow a bush of about two meters.

It grows wild on the Mediterranean coast. Residents of countries especially actively use rosemary Western Europe and Morocco. There, the bush is grown as a spice for meat, fish, poultry, mushrooms, soups, salads, and even baked goods. Eucalyptus, camphor, lemon, pine - all these aromas together resemble the smell of rosemary.

Rosemary is famous as a medicinal source. The plant is used to treat diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems, as an antiseptic for small wounds and fungal diseases. Branches of the bush help to overcome insomnia, increase arterial pressure, stimulates the brain and activates memory. Essential oil is used as an ingredient in many shampoos and also for rubbing. People suffering from epilepsy and hypertension, as well as pregnant women, should be careful with rosemary. It is worth growing a bush in an apartment as a disinfectant, it neutralizes bad smell, kills germs and viruses. Often, bags filled with rosemary are used to combat moths.

Planting and care

Although rosemary exotic plant, it can be safely grown in your garden at the dacha or on the windowsill. But it is worth remembering that the plant has a strong root system. Therefore, he needs a pot that is wide, but not very deep, with drainage. In the summer, the pot with the plant must be placed in a southern and windless part of the garden.

The bush loves care, timely watering, systematic weeding and loosening. As a top dressing, you can use a solution of water and mullein in a ratio of 1:5. Mineral and organic fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus are also used. It is enough to water and fertilize once every 30 days. Nitrogen fertilizers are best used in spring. They promote intensive development of the root system. Phosphate fertilizers are best used in the fall to grow green mass.

To rejuvenate the bushes, the plant is cut down to soil level every 7-8 years. This type of pruning is most often carried out in commercial cultivation. In conditions home grown Rosemary sprigs are trimmed to form beautiful shape. It is best to carry out this procedure in late March - early April. But you should not prune more often than once a year, otherwise the plant will take a long time to revive, and the garden shrub may die.

Growing Rosemary

Seeds, layering, division or cuttings are the main methods of growing rosemary. The best and most successful option is to grow rosemary from seeds and then plant seedlings in the ground. Before sowing, the seeds must be wrapped in damp gauze and kept that way for about a month. It is not recommended to allow the seeds to dry out or rot. To be on the safe side, the seeds can be laid out in groups and turned over periodically. Optimal temperature for seed germination +12 - +22 °C.

You can sow seeds in late February - early March. The sowing depth is 0.3-0.4 cm, since the seeds are small. The main thing is that you do not need to fill the soil with water, it should be moderately moist. You can simply spray the crops. After a month, the stronger plants can be planted in separate pots. After the last frost, seedlings can be planted in the garden after 50 cm. If you plan to grow small bushes, then 10 cm between plants will be enough.

When planting a plant in the garden, add a mixture of river sand to the rosemary hole, fertile soil and peat in equal parts. Also, for each kg of the resulting mixture add crushed chalk (1 tablespoon).

To propagate rosemary by cuttings, you need to cut young branches from the bush at the end of June. The length of the seedlings should be from 8 to 10 cm. At an angle of 45°, the lower tips of the cuttings are planted in the ground to a depth of no more than 5 cm. The optimal gap between the cuttings should be 10 cm. The branches quickly take root and actively begin to grow. When propagating a shrub by layering, it is necessary to dig in a shoot of the plant. After flowering, the young plant is separated from the bush, replanted and provided with the necessary care and watering.

Growing conditions

Rosemary is a heat-loving, light-loving and non-frost-resistant plant. It is best to plant in open ground when there is no threat of frost. An adult plant can survive frosts, but not below -4. Rosemary needs a lot of sun in summer, and in winter - coolness up to 10–13 ° C, otherwise the bush will not bloom. In winter, the dose of light should be 6-8 hours, so rosemary often needs additional lighting. Due to lack of light, the upper leaves of the bush will become less dense and elongated.

The plant loves loose and moisture-permeable, calcareous soils. He doesn't like it too wet or acidic soils. Although this bush is picky, it is not afraid of diseases. He is also not afraid of pests.

To grow rosemary indoors, you need to buy a terracotta or clay pot. You also need to ensure good drainage; you can use pebbles or expanded clay. It is necessary to periodically rotate the plants to form a uniform crown.

It is necessary to regularly ventilate the room. In summer, you can put a pot with a plant on the balcony or plant it in the ground. It should be borne in mind that rosemary does not like sudden temperature changes. The bush gets along with basil, thyme, bay, parsley, so they can be grown in the same container.

Rosemary growing in open ground is a strong plant. He is not afraid of pests. Indoor shrubs are weaker, so they can be affected by downy mildew, whiteflies, and aphids. To get rid of pests, it is enough to buy the rosemary bush several times in warm water (be sure to cover the soil).

Watering the plant

Watering rosemary should be systematic and moderate. The plant does not like strong moisture and tolerates drought more easily. If the leaves of the bush begin to turn yellow, it means that the plant does not have enough moisture. If there is a lot of water, it can shed its leaves en masse, and the roots can rot. If the leaves have faded, began to dry out, and the bush is under the sun’s rays, then this means it’s time to move the plant to the shade.

Only timely care can avoid these mistakes. Because rosemary loves alkaline balance soil, then you can safely water it with settled tap water. Occasionally you can spray the leaves of the plant - it gives a beautiful appearance to the crown.

It is necessary to collect aromatic greens at the time of flowering in hot weather. It is picked, then dried and the seasoning is ready for use. Growing and caring for rosemary is a difficult task, but anyone can do it. If you provide the bush with the necessary care, it will thank you with a spicy harvest.

Rosemary- an evergreen shrub plant from the Lamiaceae family, to which famous herbs can boast of belonging - lavender, sage, coleus, monarda. In the natural environment it grows to 1.5-2 m in height.

Since rosemary is a southern plant, growing in Central and South America, as well as in the Mediterranean, the question arises: is it possible to grow rosemary in the Moscow region?

It turns out that it’s possible, but it’s better to use tubs for this, because

It should be planted in open ground only in summer.

Rosemary loves sunlight and warmth. The best place For planting there will be southern slopes with light sandy soils that allow moisture and air to pass through well. To prevent water from stagnating, drainage should be placed in the hole before planting. To do this, you can use crushed stone or broken bricks.

Growing rosemary in open ground

The best time to plant rosemary seedlings in open ground is the end of May, because... At this time, as a rule, frosts are no longer observed. Before planting, prepare the soil mixture: mix in equal parts river sand, peat, leaf soil, and then add 1 tbsp per 1 kg of mixture. l. crushed chalk. Place the planting holes at a distance of at least 1 m from each other, because rosemary tends to grow both in height and width. After planting, young plants should be watered and covered with film for 5 days - during this time the rosemary will take root.

It should be remembered that the plant can only be in open ground in the summer. For the winter, it should be transplanted into pots and brought indoors.

Rosemary care

Basic care in open ground comes down to moderate watering, loosening the soil and controlling weeds. Do not forget in March-April about the formation of the bush, and if necessary, then rejuvenation (this applies to those plants that are already 7-8 years old).

Also, during the active growing season (from spring to autumn), feed the plant twice a month with complex mineral fertilizers. In the spring, do not forget about nitrogen fertilizers, and in the fall - about phosphorus fertilizers.

Rosemary will delight you with its flowering in April-May.

Since at a temperature of -10...-12 degrees ground part rosemary freezes, it is best to place the plant in a room for the winter where the average temperature does not fall below +16 degrees.

If during wintering you keep the room temperature within +10...+12 degrees, then in the spring rosemary will bloom. If rosemary will overwinter at more high temperature, then most likely it will not bloom.

Rosemary prefers south or southwest windows. Every 2 days it should be turned so that the crown develops evenly. In winter, it is necessary to illuminate with lamps for 7-8 hours a day.

Rosemary looks great in a bansai.

Rosemary: growing at home, in an apartment (from personal experience)

Will rosemary grow in our apartments and gardens?

My romarin bushes are grown in two ways - from cuttings and from seeds. A bush grown from a cutting has been growing for me for about 7 years.

One day I was given a small cutting, which I planted in light ground, and put the pot in a plastic bag - it turned out to be a small greenhouse. From time to time I opened the bag, ventilated it, sprayed it and closed it again.

Rosemary from seeds (video)

Two months passed, and one day, while examining the pot, I noticed that roots had already appeared from the large holes in the bottom - the cutting had taken root! For some time it still remained in the seedling pot, and in the spring I transplanted it into a larger container. And my rosemary began to grow.

Important!

Rosemary is a highly branching shrub. Its shoots are densely covered with needle-like leaves. Rosemary blooms with small blue flowers.

Rosemary care

Rosemary grows quite quickly, special attention does not require. He does not like excess moisture; I water it when the soil in the pot becomes completely dry, but I spray it periodically. I feed it along with all the flowers with complex fertilizer.

Summers are all mine houseplants are held on the loggia - there is a lot of light and warmth and a special microclimate is created in which flowers grow very well. And rosemary is comfortable here too.

In winter, rosemary prefers a cooler room, but in my apartment it grows, where it is very warm. True, at the slightest opportunity - as soon as it gets a little warmer outside - I put it out on the loggia. It is there even when the temperature drops to 0-5? C.

By the way

I trim my rosemary regularly - I use the spicy branches for cooking meat and fish dishes.

Rosemary from seeds

The year before last I bought rosemary seeds and sowed them in March. They sprouted quite quickly, and the small seedlings began to grow. By summer they were already from 5 to 7 cm - there were 6 seedlings in total. I gave away almost all of them to friends, and kept one bush for myself.

This spring I took him to kindergarten and planted him out of the pot on alpine slide. Over the summer, my rosemary grew and turned into a luxurious bush.

In the fall I dug it up, transplanted it into a pot and brought it home.

Interestingly, these two rosemary have absolutely different shapes: grown from a cutting, it forms flexible, crooked shoots, and since I constantly trim it, it has taken on the appearance of a ball. Most likely it is prostrate rosemary.

Grown from seeds from the very beginning it had a pyramidal shape and now it looks like a young cypress - this is rosemary officinalis.

But both of them have an incomparable rosemary, slightly spicy and reminiscent smell. coniferous plants aroma.

Grow this beautiful fragrant plant at home and in the garden!

Based on materials from the magazine “Dachny Club”

How to grow rosemary

By planting rosemary in a pot or in the yard, you will enjoy the freshness of the sea breeze and get a fragrant seasoning for your various dishes. How to plant and care for rosemary.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus) - evergreen perennial shrub family Lamiaceae with narrow fragrant leaves, green above and white below, similar to pine needles, blooms with small blue-violet flowers.

Rosemary officinalis is a very valuable plant. It is used in medicine, cooking, and cosmetology. Rosemary leaves contain essential oil that has bactericidal and wound-healing properties.

Rosemary has the ability to remove toxic substances from the liver. It is also used as a diuretic plant and normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Tea and infusion of rosemary herbs are used for headaches and for gargling.

It is difficult to imagine Mediterranean cuisine without rosemary. It has a pleasant spicy-hot taste with a pleasant bitterness. Fresh herbs are added to soups and hot meat dishes. Dried shoots and leaves can be added to various spicy compositions.

Rosemary in landscape design

Rosemary, like lavender, can be planted in a group or combined with other plants in a mixborder.

In southern countries, rosemary is often used as a green fence. Decorating fences and walls on the south side with rosemary is also good option design. There are varieties of rosemary with creeping shoots. They are well suited for landscaping retaining walls and steps. They are used for landscaping and strengthening slopes.

Creating a garden in Mediterranean style It is impossible to do without roses, lavender and rosemary. But if among the huge number of varieties of roses you can always choose those that are winter-hardy enough for almost any climate zone, then rosemary can be planted in a container. Classic garden vases will fit well into the design and highlight the features of the style.

Rosemary is a fairly hardy plant and does not require special care. Like lavender, rosemary is a light-loving, drought-resistant plant. However, it is worth remembering that it cannot withstand frost.

In northern regions with frosty winters, the best way to grow rosemary is in open ground in summer and in a pot in winter. In open ground it grows faster and looks much better and healthier. In autumn, the growth of new shoots stops, the plant is cut off and transplanted with a lump of earth into a spacious pot. Watering is minimal, keep in a cool room up to 10 degrees Celsius all winter.

Lighting and landing. When grown in open ground, rosemary should be planted in sunny (southern) places. Grows well on a southern slope. If you overwintered in a pot, then take it out open air when the threat of frost has passed. Planted in open ground after a short acclimatization period.

Watering. Rosemary tolerates drought well, but requires good watering. Water regularly in spring and summer. If the bush grows in a container, then be sure to ensure that it does not overflow; rosemary does not like wet soils.

The soil. The soil for rosemary needs loose, nutritious, with good aeration. In nature it grows on dry sandy and gravelly soils. Root system powerful, highly developed, penetrates the soil quite deeply. Does not tolerate excessive moisture and acidic soils.

Trimming. Rosemary bushes need to be shaped if you want them to be beautiful. This is usually done in March-April before active growth begins. Once every 7-8 years, the bushes are pruned to soil level for rejuvenation.

In addition, in summer, young shoots are cut and used as a seasoning. Harvesting of greenery is also done in the fall, when it is time to bring the plants into the house or greenhouse. When transplanting into a pot, the shoots and roots of rosemary are cut off quite tightly.

Reproduction and planting.

Rosemary planting and care in open ground in the Urals

Rosemary can be propagated in 4 ways: seeds, layering, cuttings or dividing the bush.

It is not difficult to propagate by cuttings; after pruning the bush in spring or summer, the cuttings are rooted in loose soil under a film. The length of the cuttings should be 8-10 cm. The lower ends are deepened into the ground at an angle. There should be a distance of at least 10 cm between the cuttings. They take root quite quickly.

Seeds can be bought in the store; seeds can be sown as early as February-March. Right time for sowing - 6-12 weeks before the onset of warm weather. Seeds germinate at temperatures from +12 to +22 °C.

Convenient to sow in transparent plastic containers with a lid for food products. Be sure to ventilate or close it loosely. Germination time is quite long, seedlings appear unevenly. When most of the seeds have sprouted, the lid is removed. After a month, the seedlings can be transplanted into separate pots.

After the end of frost, young plants are planted in the ground. The distance between the bushes is about 50 cm. If you grow it as a cut spice, then a distance of 10 cm will be enough.

Fertilizer. Fertilizers are usually used only for plants overwintering in the ground. Complex mineral and organic fertilizers containing phosphorus and nitrogen are suitable. Once a month is enough.

When overwintering and subsequent transplanting into open ground, it is not necessary to fertilize if fertile soil is added to the planting hole.

Growing in a container requires regular feeding with complex fertilizer.

Shelter for the winter. In mild climates (Crimea, the Black Sea region, the Caucasus), rosemary overwinters successfully. If there are frosts down to -10 degrees, it is necessary to cover. Minus 5 is a detrimental temperature for rosemary.

Harvesting. What is collected and used as a seasoning? Naturally, greens. It is advisable to do this in sunny weather. During the flowering period, young shoots, densely covered with leaves and flowers, are cut from rosemary, dried in the shade and crushed. The aromatic seasoning for the meat is ready.

How to grow rosemary in the country (personal experience)

Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant, and therefore demanding of heat, moisture and light. But if you create acceptable conditions for it on the site, it will delight gardeners with its flowering for many years.

Planting rosemary

Usually this shrub is propagated using cuttings or layering, since growing rosemary from seeds is extremely troublesome.

Layering is done from an adult bush. To do this, you need to select a strong branch, tilt it and pin it to the ground using a wooden bracket. The fixation area is sprinkled with a little earth and watered regularly. After a few weeks, the cuttings will take root and can then be separated from the mother plant.

Propagation by cuttings is a little more complicated. For this method of dividing a bush, you need to take a branch that has at least three buds and is no shorter than 10 cm, cut it with a sharp, clean knife, remove the lower leaves and place the branch in a glass of water. The roots will appear quite quickly, in about a week, and then the shoots can be transplanted into a pot with soil or into open ground.

Growing rosemary from seeds is the most difficult method. To plant, seeds must be purchased before the beginning of March, since in the first spring days they already need to be sown in the ground.

The soil for seeds needs fertile, loose soil, with plenty of sand and nutrients. There is no need to bury the seeds deeply; just sprinkle them on moist soil and sprinkle a thin layer of soil on top. The first shoots will not appear soon - the seeds need at least a month to germinate.

Rosemary does not have to be planted in open ground. This plant feels great in a pot on a windowsill, at home, and if you transplant it into a large deep tub, the bush will completely grow, no worse than in open ground. The only requirement for rosemary to grow well is sunlight. If the plant does not receive enough sunlight, it will stretch, turn pale and lose some of its decorative and medicinal properties.

It is best to transplant shrubs into open ground at the end of May - beginning of June, when the soil is sufficiently warm and there is no frost. But at first, young plantings must be protected from night cold and wind. Rosemary bushes are planted at a distance of about one meter from each other, since the branched root system needs space. It is better to prepare the soil for planting in advance by placing more sand, fertile soil and peat in the hole. Sometimes crushed chalk is also added to the holes.

Caring for rosemary in open ground

Caring for rosemary is not difficult. Despite its southern tropical origin, rosemary is unpretentious and grows even when conditions are not very favorable for it.

• Rosemary grows well in poor soils without any fertilizers, but the soil must be light, breathable, and the water in the holes should not stagnate.

The shrub does not like cold winds, so it is better to choose a planting site on the south side of the house, a fence or hedge. The bush has a much worse time without the sun, since in its homeland, in the Mediterranean, rosemary is not used to cloudy days and short summers.

You need to water the bush regularly, but little by little. Rosemary tolerates drought much better than constant humidity, and too a large number of water will lead to the development of diseases.

Another mandatory item in the rosemary care program is pruning and shaping the bush. As a rule, a shrub responds normally to the removal of several branches. It is customary to prune old branches in the spring, in April, when the plant has already emerged from hibernation, but has not yet produced leaves. Old branches are cut almost to the root, and up to a third of the bush can be removed at a time.

In the summer, young shoots are also pruned, but not for the health of the plant, but for the sake of seasoning, which is incredibly fragrant and healthy.

Rosemary requires almost no fertilizer. If the bush becomes weak, it is fed a little with mineral complex fertilizers, or watered separately with phosphorus and nitrogen. Just one feeding per season is enough.

Shrubs growing at home require more feeding. Since the soil in the pots is not renewed, nutrients the plant has nowhere to take from, and gardeners are forced to feed the plant once every three months, and sometimes even more often.

If the shrub is not brought into a warm room for the winter, but is left in the ground, then it must be prepared and covered. Rosemary tolerates temperatures down to -5 degrees, and colder winters are detrimental to it. To prevent the bush from freezing, it is bent to the ground and covered with several layers of covering material, film, dry leaves or spruce branches. Such shelter will allow the bush to pass the winter tolerably under the snow.

If in winter the temperature drops below 20-25 degrees, then it is better to dig up the bush and bring it into the house. No shelter can save you from such frosts, and the bush will freeze literally during the first frost.

You can harvest green fragrant branches all year round, but July and August are most suitable for this. It is recommended to cut branches in sunny weather, and use only a sharp knife or scissors. You need to dry rosemary in a dark, well-ventilated room, and if this is not the case, then the branches are tied up and left in a warm oven for several hours.

Fresh herbs are used for salads and hot dishes. To prevent the seasoning from losing its beneficial properties, store it either in linen bags or in glass jar, hiding from direct sunlight.

Rosemary is used to improve digestion, increase immunity and treat colds, and it is used to make medicines for the eyes, since some substances in its composition affect the functioning of the optic nerves. This plant has bactericidal properties, the needles freshen breath, and inhaling its aroma relieves headache, calms and improves mood.

An evergreen subshrub of the Mediterranean, has long conquered our areas. We’ll talk about how to properly grow it, use it, and prepare medicinal raw materials in this article.

Growing rosemary in a summer cottage

Heat-loving bushes with elongated leaves feel great in garden areas. But frosts, even frosts, are destructive. Therefore, you need to either wrap them well for the winter, or, in frosty winters, plant them in pots for wintering indoors. Purple flowers are wonderful honey plants. IN wildlife, can grow up to 2 m. In our area - perhaps in the south of the country, because without human care, this plant will not survive frosts. To plant rosemary, the soil must be loose, calcareous, and light. Rosemary does not like waterlogging or severe drought. You need to choose a bright, sunny place. Does not suffer from pests and diseases. Does not require special care. The main thing is:

• loosening the soil;
• weeding;
• moderate, regular watering.

It is better to plant young plants when the threat of frost has passed. It is best to grow seedlings or root cuttings. Rosemary grows quickly and takes the form of a bush.

Rosemary propagation

The overseas bush reproduces in the following ways:

• Seeds. This is the most acceptable method for the middle zone. The seeds are planted in March in pots and seedlings are grown. When the likelihood of frost has passed, plant rosemary in the ground, maintaining a distance of 20-30 cm. If you do not need to form bushes, but grow for herbs or medicinal raw materials - then 10 cm.
• Cuttings. In June, a stem 8-10 cm long is cut, placed either in a container with water to form roots, or planted in the soil at an angle of 45 ͦ .
• Dividing the bush.
• By layering. To do this, you need to dig a twig, tilting it towards the ground, sprinkle the middle part with earth.

Often, you can find pots with small rosemary bushes. They are used to decorate rooms or gazebos, summer buildings. Can be planted in open ground.

Collection of medicinal raw materials

Rosemary is collected before flowering. Young shoots are cut and dried in the shade or draft, at a temperature not exceeding 35℃. Ideally, shoots collected from a bush that is at least 3 years old are considered the most healing. It is difficult to grow such a bush in our latitudes, so stems are collected from a young bush.

Medicinal properties of rosemary

Essential oils that are part of the plant are used both in medicine and cosmetology. Dried raw materials are used in the following cases:

• Treatment of the gastrointestinal tract: intestinal disorders, flatulence, heaviness in the stomach after eating, colic in the upper intestine.
• Frequent fatigue, loss of strength, stress.
• Low blood pressure.
• Sexual weakness, nervous exhaustion.
• Thrombophlebitis.
• Rheumatic diseases of muscles and joints.
• For obesity.
• Convulsions and paralysis.

In cosmetology, facial lotions are made based on rosemary. Because it improves the condition of the skin. The decoction is used to rinse the scalp and hair, for cellulite, and to tighten the body skin. Essential oil is used to rejuvenate the skin and fight acne.

Healing rosemary tea It is prepared like this: 1 teaspoon of dry raw materials, pour 250 ml of boiling water. Wrap and leave for 20 minutes. Take 2 times a day. Especially for restoring vitality after viral diseases.

Perfectly invigorates and restores strength rosemary bath . Brew 50 g of chopped rosemary in 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes and add to the bath. Such bathing is contraindicated before bedtime.

Uses of rosemary

Herbs de Provence is a spicy mixture that is not complete without rosemary. This plant has a specific eucalyptus-pine aroma, which is perfect for meat, fish dishes, and vegetables.

Growing rosemary in open ground and at home Rosemary from seeds Photos of species

During heat treatment it does not lose its taste and aroma. Fresh, rosemary leaves are added to salads, pea soup, pizza, pasta. But it is important to remember that if you overexpose rosemary in a dish (like laurel), it will add bitterness.

IN landscape design- This is a very popular plant. Cute bushes that are not afraid of pruning fit perfectly into summer compositions. In pots or planted in the soil, in the hot sun they emit a delicate, pleasant aroma.

By growing rosemary in your dacha, you can save on the purchase of not only medicinal raw materials, but also an excellent seasoning.

Care and cultivation are not problematic. There are many ways of reproduction.

Rosemary is a perennial and evergreen, which is endowed with everything else beneficial properties. You can grow rosemary both on a windowsill and in open ground. In order for the unique aroma of the plant to reign in your home, you need to plant rosemary correctly. So, planting in a pot is an easy task. To begin with, you should choose a pot with a volume of at least 1 liter. The good thing is that rosemary is not sensitive to soil, so there is no need to specially flavor it. The only thing you can do is put a layer of pebbles on the bottom of the pot for drainage. It is better to sow seeds at the end of February - early March.

When sowing, seeds are not buried, but sown on the surface. After planting, you need to irrigate the soil and cover the pot with film. To ensure that the seeds do not disappear, holes must be made in the film to allow air to pass through. Rosemary is considered a plant with average germination, so if after 3 weeks you do not see shoots, you will have to plant the seeds again.

After the sprouts appear, watering is considered mandatory, but it should only be done with a spray bottle, because the young plant is quite fragile and can even crumple under the weight of water. It is also necessary to feed the sprouts with mineral fertilizers; this should be done after a month after germination.

In addition, it is necessary to loosen the soil, but it is better to do this superficially.

Among the special “requirements” of rosemary, it is worth remembering moderate watering and warm sun. Therefore, for planting, it is better to take a clay pot that has hygroscopic properties. In summer you can move the pot to the balcony, the plant will not be damaged by the sun's rays and Fresh air. In winter, the plant should be placed in a place where the air temperature is not lower than +7 degrees. The plant is very susceptible to temperature changes, so it is important to ensure that it is more or less constant.

After the rosemary seedlings have grown stronger, they can be transplanted into different pots. To make rosemary bush better, it can be pruned as soon as it reaches a height of 15 cm. The plant can also be pruned, often done once every 7 years. This is done if the stems of an adult rosemary become bare. Then the lower shoots are cut off.

Growing rosemary in open ground

Rosemary is considered a southern plant, but it is also planted in northern regions. Only here they use tubs for this, and in open ground rosemary grows only in summer. The fact is that the plant dies even at a temperature of -5 degrees. But despite this, gardeners still plant rosemary in the ground.

To plant rosemary you will need seedlings, which can be prepared in pots. Seedlings should be planted at the end of May, when there will definitely be no frost. The distance between the bushes should be at least 1 meter, because with proper care, rosemary can reach a height of 2 meters and become quite wide in width.

As for the soil for rosemary, it should be prepared in advance. So, you need to mix leaf soil, peat and river sand in equal proportions and add 1 tbsp per 1 kg of mixture. crushed chalk. This mixture is poured into a pre-prepared planting hole.

Young plants must be buried up to the lobed leaves. After planting, be sure to water well and cover with film. There is no need to remove the film for 5 days; during this period the plant will take root. Rosemary can delight the garden with its appearance and aroma only in the summer; for the winter it is recommended to replant it in pots and bring it into a warm room. For spice lovers, you can create a special one at your dacha.

Rosemary propagation

The plant can be propagated in the following ways: cuttings, layering, seeds, dividing bushes. The most popular method is propagation by cuttings of annual shoots. They are the ones that take root most quickly. It is best to prepare cuttings in September-October. The length of the cutting should be 6-8 cm. The lower leaves are torn off the cutting, an oblique cut is made and the plant is placed in a jar of water. The base of the cutting should first be treated with a root formation regulator. Roots should appear in about 5-10 days. After this, the cuttings are planted in cold greenhouses.

Types and varieties of rosemary

Among the types of rosemary, it is worth highlighting medicinal rosemary and prostrate rosemary.
Rosemary officinalis
This type of shrub is erect and grows both in width and height. Among the varieties of medicinal rosemary there are Fastigiatus, Miss Jessopp’s Variety, Erectus, Tuscan Blue. This type shrub is widely used in medicine.

Rosemary spread. Usually the height of the bush does not exceed 0.5 meters, but its width can reach 1.5 meters. Rosemary blooms with lilac or blue flowers. It is worth highlighting the following varieties of prostrate rosemary: creeping, lavender, Corsican. This type of plant is used in cooking and landscape design.

Diseases and pests of rosemary

Rosemary has high disease resistance. More often exposed to pests. So, a barely noticeable cobweb may appear on the plant, which is left by a spider mite. In this case, it is necessary to dilute the soap solution and wash the leaves with it. If the infestation is severe, then you should consider using insecticides.

The plant is also affected by scale insects. It is not easy to fight it, but it is possible. To do this, you need to use 70% alcohol, vodka or a daily infusion of garlic. The plant is sprayed with these preparations every 3 days. In addition, you can use a weak vinegar solution, which you apply to a brush and lubricate the areas where scale insects accumulate. This needs to be done every 5 days.

If you notice that the lower leaves of rosemary have turned yellow, it means the plant does not have enough moisture.

If the leaves begin to fall off altogether, then this indicates excessive watering.

In addition, rosemary may develop leaf spot. It can be eliminated by spraying. All preparations containing copper are used for the procedure.

– you’ve probably thought about growing your own. We'll tell you how to grow rosemary at home, and it's quite easy to do.

Growing rosemary is possible in almost any climate. There's no excuse why you shouldn't grow your own!

From the article you will learn:

Rosemary: cultivation

Rosemary (lat. Rosmarinus officinalis) is a necessity for any garden. In warmer areas, this pungent evergreen can form chic hedgerows or make an elegant addition to a rock garden. In cooler areas, rosemary is an ideal candidate for growing in containers. It is important that it receives sunlight and is planted in well-drained soil, which it adores.

Rosemary is a very unpretentious herb and is almost not susceptible to pest attacks. Your only concern may be powdery mildew. This can be avoided by not over-watering the soil and by providing adequate space and air circulation among neighboring plants.

If you want to quickly start harvesting, we recommend starting to grow rosemary from a small plant. This is due to the fact that rosemary grows very slowly in the first year.

How to plant rosemary

• Where: Rosemary can be grown in warmer climates right in the garden or vegetable garden in the open ground. If you live in a cooler area, you can add rosemary to your garden. But at the first frost, be prepared to either harvest the leaves or transplant your rosemary into a container and take it indoors. The best way Growing rosemary in a cooler zone makes your rosemary mobile. This way the fragrant herb will be with you all year round. And of course you can grow rosemary at home. Your main task is to prepare well-drained soil for it, provide a sufficient amount of sunlight and the absence of excess moisture.

• When: If you want to grow rosemary in cold weather climatic zone, it's best to start indoors eight weeks before the first frost. To move to open ground, you should wait until the soil warms up to 20 C. If you live in a warm climate or plan to grow rosemary at home, plant rosemary at any time.

How to care for rosemary

• The soil: Rosemary should be grown in well-drained, loamy soil. Although rosemary does well in poor soils, adding fertilizer to the soil each spring encourages its growth.

• Sun: The plant requires six to eight hours of sunlight daily. When planting rosemary indoors, make sure it gets plenty of sunlight. If there is a lack of sun, it can be compensated by adding artificial light.

• Water: The shrub is relatively drought-resistant. Allow the soil to dry out between each watering; Rosemary grows best when the soil is not too wet.

• Distance: in warmer areas, rosemary can grow into a thick, large plant. This means you should leave about a meter free space d other plants. In areas with frequent frosts, we suggest planting rosemary in containers to grow the herb year-round.

• Reproduction: cut a seven-centimeter cutting from the very end of the stem, remove the leaves 3 centimeters from the base. Plant it in a rooting mixture that includes both peat moss and vermiculite. Roots will appear within three to four weeks. Transfer to a small ten-centimeter pot and allow a root ball to form. And then transplant it into a larger pot or directly into the garden.

How to collect rosemary

Harvest rosemary whenever you need it. Its pine needle-like leaves grow profusely along the stem, so you don't have to pick the perfect spot to cut them. Just don't cut the leaf all the way down to the base of the plant, this will encourage future growth. Again, if you live in a warmer area, your main concern will be to contain this vigorous grower.

Bonus: Rosemary Bonsai

Most people don't associate rosemary with the art of bonsai, but this zesty plant can be used for more than just seasoning. Hardy, fast-growing character makes it excellent choice for bonsai beginners. And the main bonus is that when you trim your bonsai, you will receive valuable aromatic leaves that can be used in cooking.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus) is an evergreen subshrub plant of the Lamiaceae family.

In its natural environment, rosemary lives in North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Morocco), Cyprus, Turkey and European countries(Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, France, in the territory of the former Yugoslavia).

History of the name and useful properties

The name of the plant is translated from Latin as sea freshness. But the aroma of rosemary combines the smell of pine and camphor, so the Greek name is closer to the truth, meaning balsam bush.

It is the aroma that makes rosemary famous. It is included in a bunch of spices (a bunch of fragrant herbs or a bouquet of garni), as well as in a collection of Provençal herbs. It is added to drinks and marinades. The tops of fresh shoots become a seasoning for soups, meat dishes, eggplants, legumes. Rosemary is a close relative of hyssop, basil, lavender, mint, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, and mint.

Signs and superstitions about rosemary

Students in Ancient Greece wore wreaths of rosemary on their heads because they believed it improved memory. It was also considered a symbol of marital fidelity. Used in rituals: weddings, burials, church decoration, seances and other magical acts. Due to their disinfectant properties, plants were used to purify the air in medical institutions.

The plant is thermophilic - it overwinters in open ground only in regions with a mild climate. Container and pot growing is suitable for cold areas.

Growing rosemary from seeds

Possibly seed and vegetative propagation(cuttings, layering, dividing the bush).

• Plant rosemary for seedlings in late February-early March.
• Pre-soak the seeds in warm water for a few hours.
• At the bottom of the container for planting, place a drainage layer consisting of expanded clay and pieces of polystyrene foam (it should occupy 1/3 of the container).
• The soil needs to be nutritious, moisture-permeable, and loose. This can be a universal peat-based substrate or a mixture of sand and vermiculite or peat with leaf compost.

Distribute the seeds over the surface (you can first air dry them a little until they flow), sprinkle with soil, and moisten by spraying with a fine spray. Cover the crops with film or glass. Sprout at temperature conditions 25-30 ºC.

Ventilate the greenhouse and periodically moisten the soil. Shoots will appear in 1.5-2 months. Remove the cover and provide bright, indirect lighting. When young plants reach a height of 7-8 cm, they can be planted in separate containers or in open ground.

Propagation of rosemary by cuttings

Rosemary cuttings photo of cuttings rooted in water

• spend in September-October.
• From annual shoots, cut pieces 8-10 cm long. They should contain 3-4 internodes.
• Remove the leaves from the bottom and keep the cuttings in a growth stimulator.

• Root in light, loose soil with good drainage or water.
• Provide warmth and bright lighting without direct sunlight, and maintain soil moisture. After new leaves appear, you can plant them.

Reproduction by layering

Reproduction is a fairly simple method. Tilt the shoot towards the ground, secure it with staples, cover it with earth, leaving the top above the soil surface. Water along with the main plant. When the top begins to grow, you can separate it from the bush and replant it.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

Indoor rosemary is most often propagated. 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.

How to grow rosemary at home

Landing

How to grow rosemary on a windowsill? Nothing could be simpler! Plant rosemary in a pot (preferably clay) 9-11 cm in diameter with good drainage holes. Place a drainage layer of pebbles on the bottom.

Priming

The soil must be water- and breathable. You can mix a universal substrate with sand and vermiculite. The following mixture is suitable: 2 parts each of leaf soil, turf soil, humus with the addition of 1 part sand. Moisten the soil, make a hole in it the size of the seedling's root system, place it in a pot, add soil, compact it a little.

Where to put

The best place for the plant will be a southern windowsill. Rotate the rosemary pot 180º weekly to ensure even light.

Air temperature and watering

Ventilate the room regularly, but keep it away from drafts.

In spring and summer, place it on the balcony, terrace, or in the garden. Return to the room with the air temperature reduced to - 1 ºC. IN winter time Maintain the air temperature no higher than 16 ºC.

Maintain constant soil moisture, but without stagnant water. A lack of water is indicated by yellowing of the leaves along the lower part of the plant, and excess moisture causes the leaves to drop. Water with settled water at room temperature. Water should not get on the leaves - they can become moldy.

What and how to feed

During the period of active growth (March-September), apply mineral fertilizers, focusing on calcium. Feed every 2 weeks. You can fertilize in winter, but only once every 1-1.5 months.

How to form a rosemary bonsai

The plant tolerates formative pruning well and can be changed in shape, which is actively used by lovers of the bonsai style. Therefore, you, too, can create an unusual tree that attracts attention with its special charm.

• Take a thick wire and wrap it around the central shoot of the plant, creating bends and slopes.
• Form the plant into one shoot to create a mini-tree.
• Trim and bend as you see fit as you grow.
• When the barrel turns out required height, the tops are cut off, stimulating the forcing of side shoots. This results in a dense crown on the side branches of the central shoot.
• When the branches become woody, the wires can be removed and care can continue only by pruning, giving the plant a compact appearance.

Planting and caring for rosemary in open ground

When and how to plant

• Plant in open ground in the second half of May.
• Choose an area with bright solar lighting and protection from strong winds.
• The soil needs to be loose, light, well-drained.

Dig holes according to the size of the root system, place the seedlings, add soil, and compact them a little. The seedling should be at the same depth as before. Maintain a distance of 10 cm between plants, about 50 cm for large bushes. A week after planting, pinch the tops of the shoots to stimulate tillering.

Watering and loosening the soil

Water sparingly, avoiding water getting on the leaves. Lack or excess of moisture manifests itself in the same way as at home.

After watering, loosen the soil. Remove weeds.

Feeding

The plant requires feeding. In the spring, add nitrogen fertilizer. During the growing season, apply complex fertilizers monthly mineral fertilizers. In the fall, eliminate the nitrogen component by increasing the dose of phosphorus.

Trimming

How to prune rosemary photo

Pruning begins at the age of 2 years.

• In April, prune upright growing bushes at a height of 3-4 internodes of last year's growth.
• Prostrate rosemary is not pruned.
• Every 7 years, rejuvenation should be carried out: cut off all shoots, leaving a short stump.
• Formative pruning is carried out in the spring. You can give the bush different shapes: cube, ball, broom-shaped, mini-tree.

Wintering in the Moscow region and the middle zone

In northern regions and areas with a temperate climate, transplant into a container for wintering and keep in a room with an air temperature no higher than 16 ºC. If the climate is mild or expected warm winter(frost resistance of rosemary is up to -15°C), cut the bush at the level of the soil surface, cover it with leaves, dry sawdust, cover it with spruce branches, building something like a tent.

If you decide to free the area from rosemary, onions, garlic, and carrots will grow in this place instead.

Diseases and pests

The plant is extremely resistant to diseases and pests, both in room conditions, and the garden.

From high humidity air may be affected by downy mildew - remove the affected areas and treat with a fungicide.

Possible aphid damage spider mite, white-winged - treat with an insecticide.

Types and varieties of rosemary with photos and names

In the natural environment, there are only 3-4 types of rosemary. Two are cultivated with several varieties.

Common rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis or rosemary officinalis

The height of the bush is 0.5-2 m. The root system is powerful, penetrating 3-4 m deep. The shoots are tetrahedral, at a young age pubescent, light gray in color, and over time they become lignified, acquire a dark gray tint, peeling bark. The leaf blades are leathery, sessile, linear, the edges are curved down. The leaf length is 3.5 cm, width is about 4 mm. Rosemary blooms in summer. Flowers of light purple, dark purple, and white colors are collected in dense paniculate inflorescences.

Varieties:

Miss Jessopp’s Upright (Fastiguatus) – flowers have a soft blue color;

Benenden Blue – rosemary with arched shoots, flowers of a bluish tint;

Albiflorus – has white flowers;

Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Roseus’

Roseus – pink flowers;

Severn Sea and Tuscan Blue - plant height is about 50 cm.

Prostrate rosemary Rosmarinus prostratus

The evergreen subshrub grows up to 0.5 m tall and grows 1.5 m wide. The leaves look like pine needles. The flowers are blue or lilac. Grown as a ground cover.

Medicinal properties

Rosemary oil is a valuable drug used to treat skin diseases (furunculosis and acne, eczema), and wound healing.

Infusions, tinctures, and decoctions of rosemary are taken as an antioxidant, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, and tonic. Rosemary is used to treat some heart diseases, colds, and obesity. Taking rosemary preparations helps strengthen and rejuvenate the body.

Contraindications: pregnancy, children under 9 years of age, epilepsy, hypertension, tendency to seizures, increased skin sensitivity.