Rosemary is the perfect herb if you want to give your chicken and fish some extra flavor. It is also excellent to use in dips and marinades, or can even be used to freshen up your space. If you wish to grow rosemary in your garden, you might be wondering how to find success. Take a peek below at some helpful tips on how to grow rosemary so you too can enjoy all of the benefits it provides!
How to Grow Rosemary
How to plant rosemary seedlings:
Rosemary is ideal when planted as a seedling. When planting rosemary, you want to plant the seedlings about 24 inches apart. Rosemary grows upwards more than outwards, but you still want the roots to have plenty of space to stretch their legs.
Rosemary prefers a partial to full sun space, but will really thrive in a full sun area. Like most herbs, rosemary will enjoy well drained, nutrient rich soil. Because rosemary is a perennial, you don’t need to worry about replanting each year. However, keep this in mind when choosing a space to plant and be sure it is an ideal one for years to come.
How to plant rosemary in containers:
Rosemary is perfect for growing in containers, which is great if you are limited on space or being held back by climate. You can fit 1-2 rosemary seedlings per 18 inch pot. Make sure the pot provides proper drainage and has drainage holes. You also want to be sure you have a sunny spot you can move the pot to, or, opt to bring the pot indoors for indoor growing. Once established, you can care for rosemary just as you would if planted in ground.
How to care for rosemary:
Rosemary is so simple to care for. Once it is established (after a few weeks) you can give it some fertilizer to give it a boost. It will love an inch or so of water per week, but be careful not to over water as rosemary can be susceptible to rot and mildew if left damp. Because you want to avoid excessive moisture, there is no need to mulch around the rosemary plant. It is better off to leave it as is so air can circulate.
Each spring, you will want to trim away any dead branches in order to encourage new growth. Otherwise, there is not much need for pruning. If you wish to shape your rosemary, just be thoughtful when harvesting and trim as you wish.
How to harvest rosemary:
The wonderful thing about rosemary is it can be harvested at anytime. Just snip off a branch as needed. It is best to hang the rosemary upside down in a cool, dark place so it can dry out. Then, use your fingers and run them along the stem to remove the small needles. If the stem is dry as needed, the needles will fall right off.
Rosemary is perfect for drying or freezing, so if you end up with more than you can use at once, don’t fret! Just dry or freeze it between pieces of wax paper and it will still taste fresh when you are ready.
Give rosemary a try and see how simple it is to grow and how fun it can be to use in the kitchen. It may just become one of your favorite herbs!
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