How to grow rosemary in a pot. Rosemary: proper care, planting, propagation and feeding

– truly a miraculous plant. It can be used as a medicinal bactericidal agent and even as a spice, giving dishes a unique taste and aroma. Therefore, many gardeners prefer to have a pot of evergreen rosemary on the windowsill. However, in order for the plant to feel comfortable and delight with its beautiful appearance, you need to know some features of caring for it.

How to properly care for rosemary at home:

  • Climate. Rosemary loves heat, so it should be kept at a stable temperature. room temperature. However, rosemary can withstand light frosts quite well. But most of all, strong temperature changes will harm him. Rosemary can be taken outside until the onset of zero temperatures, as the plant loves ventilation. However, do not overdo it with drafts.
  • Lighting. Rosemary does not require special light conditions. An excellent place for it is a windowsill that receives direct sunlight. If rosemary lacks sunlight, its stems will become thin and its foliage will begin to fall off.
  • Priming. You can purchase a special mixture for planting rosemary in the store, or mix equal amount foliage, turf, humus and peat, as well as sand. The soil should be loose and well-permeable to water and oxygen. The soil should not be highly acidic. It is better to choose containers for planting from natural material– ceramics, clay. It is very important to ensure good drainage.
  • . Rosemary should not be poured, as it tolerates dry soil much better than waterlogged soil. If there is insufficient watering, the foliage of the plant will begin to turn yellow. If the soil is too wet, it will begin to rot, which will lead to the death of the rosemary. It is also necessary to ensure that no excess water remains in the pan.
  • Feeding. Rosemary needs feeding during the growth period. It is recommended to fertilize the soil every two weeks using or.

Rosemary can be propagated by sowing seeds or by cuttings. Propagating the plant by seeds is somewhat more difficult, since they have low germination rates.

Rules for propagating rosemary by seeds:

  • Seeds are planted in May or September.
  • Before planting, the seeds must be soaked in water for a couple of days.
  • Soil is placed in the planting container, which should have the following composition: high soil, peat, humus and sand (all in equal parts).
  • The seeds are poured onto the ground without digging in them.
  • The planting container is covered with film to create a greenhouse effect.
  • Several holes need to be made in the film to allow ventilation.
  • The seeds are moistened by spraying the soil, but it is important not to overwater the soil.

The first shoots usually appear a month after planting. When the sprouts reach ten centimeters in length, they should be transplanted into another separate planting container.

cuttings are carried out in the following way:
  • Cuttings are carried out at the end of spring.
  • To take cuttings, you need to choose a stem with bark at least ten centimeters long.
  • Before planting, you can disinfect the cuttings by placing them in a glass of water to which activated carbon is added.
  • The cuttings are removed from the foliage and planted in the ground.
  • The composition of the soil should be as follows: leaf soil, moss and sand.
  • The soil should be moistened, but not excessively.
  • The planting container is covered with a film in which several holes are made.

Mini-greenhouses are placed in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight. As a rule, cuttings take root within three weeks after planting. From now on, they can be transplanted into seedlings in a separate container.

The main disease that can affect rosemary is powdery mildew. This is a fungal disease that appears as small white spots on the plant's foliage. As they develop, the spots grow and cover the entire leaf. In the most advanced cases, rosemary becomes completely covered with a white coating.

Powdery mildew is very harmful to rosemary, causing the plant to wilt.

Methods to combat powdery mildew:

  • Spraying rosemary with whey or milk.
  • Spraying the plant with a solution containing .
  • Wiping the foliage with a solution using iodine or alcohol.
  • Usage .

There are some preventive measures to combat powdery mildew:

  1. It is necessary to promptly dispose of affected leaves or plants.
  2. It is necessary to regularly ventilate, avoiding excessive humid air at the location of the plants.
  3. It is necessary to disinfect the soil for planting, if it is not purchased.
  4. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings and avoid over-wetting.

The most common pests for rosemary are:

  • . Aphids feed on plant sap and are also carriers of viral diseases. The foliage of the plant becomes deformed and curled, and a sticky discharge may appear. If we talk about prevention, then it is worth carefully inspecting new plants that you purchase. If a pest is detected, it is necessary to use insecticides or some traditional methods: infusions of onions and garlic, infusions of hot peppers, infusions of tomato leaves, infusions of celandine or dandelion.
  • Spider mite. The pest can be detected by the characteristic cobwebs on the plant. Whitish spots on the foliage are also possible, the plant stops growing and begins to noticeably fade. Basic rules in the fight against spider mites: regularly wash the plant in the shower, it is very important to wash off all the cobwebs; spraying the plant with water with the addition of ammonia or hydrogen peroxide. After spraying, wrap the plant plastic film, for greater efficiency of the procedure. Affected parts of the plant should be disposed of.
  • Whitefly. The pest can be detected by dark spots on the foliage of the plant, as well as the appearance sticky coating. Whitefly larvae can be seen on the reverse surface of the leaf. The affected foliage becomes deformed and curled, the plant stops growing and noticeably withers. Basic Rules preventive measures against pests: plantings should not be too dense; it is important to ensure regular ventilation; avoid excessive waterlogging of the soil and air; Most effective methods whitefly control: sticky traps and fumigators; regularly washing the plant in the shower or wiping the foliage; lowering the temperature of the plant (no higher than 10 degrees); plant treatment soap solution; spraying with garlic infusion; spraying with tobacco infusion; spraying with dandelion infusion.

Doesn't count capricious plant, however, it is important to know some of the nuances of its cultivation. Thanks to these tips, you will be able to observe healthy and fragrant rosemary right on the windowsill, which will delight you with its evergreen foliage all year round.

More information can be found in the video:

As a rule, when choosing a plant for an apartment, we look at decorative look flower and analyze the level of complexity of caring for it. But those who want to grow rosemary at home are guided by completely different criteria. Firstly, we should not forget that rosemary is a frequently used seasoning, so a pot of this plant in the kitchen can be a real gift for any housewife. And secondly, many gardeners choose rosemary for planting because of the unusually pleasant smell of this plant.

Suitable place to plant rosemary

The key to active growth of rosemary is sufficient quantity sunlight, so in summer it is better to place a pot with a plant on southern or western windowsills, and in winter you need to worry about additional light sources. Fresh air plays a special role in the development of this plant; flower growers recommend placing rosemary in pots outside. summer period for fresh air, non-glazed balconies and open terraces are suitable.

Advice: If you have a summer house, then you can safely take the flowerpot with rosemary to the site, but as soon as the nights get colder, the plant needs to be hidden in a warm room.

In the cold season, when choosing suitable place Pay attention to the presence of drafts; cold air currents can cause various diseases in the flower.
1

Optimal watering of rosemary

You need to water regularly, but in moderate doses, try not to forget about the flower so that the soil does not dry out, but do not go to extremes - an excess amount of moisture is even more destructive, and the root system may rot.

In the cold season, watering should be reduced; the water temperature for this procedure should be slightly warm and always soft. Hard water is contraindicated for rosemary, so fill any container with water in advance and let it settle.

Optimal temperature and humidity for growing rosemary

The temperature should be moderately warm in summer and cool (+11-+13 degrees) in winter. If you do not provide the plant with a cold winter, then rosemary will not bloom. Therefore, try to provide the plant with a lower temperature in winter, but if this is not possible, then a place near a cold window would be an excellent solution to the problem, even if the whole apartment is hot, then in this place it is always a little cooler.
Indoor humidity level for of this flower not particularly important, but if possible, then high humidity Rosemary grows better.


Necessary fertilizers for rosemary

If you add a sufficient amount of fertilizer when planting, the plant will not need feeding for quite a long period. The flower should be fed with complex fertilizers, no more than once every two weeks; an excessive amount of fertilizer can be detrimental to the flower.

Transplanting rosemary

Rosemary quite quickly draws all micronutrients from the soil, so it is advisable to replant it in new soil once a year. To do this, you should purchase a pot that will be larger than the previous one, or cut the roots so that they fit into the container. If everything is clear with the first method, it is enough to take a new one soil mixture and a new pot and transplant the plant into them. To do the second, you will need a certain amount of accuracy and dexterity; you need to cut the roots not very short, as a rule, no more than 1/3; at the same time, you need to cut the top of the plant.

Advice: Rosemary is usually replanted in early spring, but this time is not important, this plant will tolerate transplantation well at any other time of the year.

Ways to propagate rosemary at home

Most often, rosemary is propagated at home by dividing the rhizomes; it is most convenient to do this at the time of transplanting the plant. To do this, the root system of the flower is divided into several parts; this can be done with your hands or with a sharp knife. The freshly separated part of the root takes root quite quickly and, with proper care, its flowers can be seen next spring.

Also very popular is the propagation method of cuttings. The cut cutting is placed either in a container with water until roots appear, or it is planted in a sand-peat mixture, after which it is placed in the sun. Another way to root rosemary cuttings is in a mini-greenhouse, where the plant quickly takes root and is ready to be transplanted into a separate container.

Since ancient times, rosemary has been used throughout the world as an aromatic seasoning for soups, meat and vegetable dishes. The homeland of this spice is the Mediterranean. Therefore, rosemary really loves the sun, warmth and moisture, and is not able to withstand the cold Russian winter in dacha conditions. Although rosemary is considered unpretentious plant, when growing it at home, several important points should be taken into account.

To grow rosemary, choose a clay or terracotta pot that is wide enough to root system plants had room to grow. Select neutral or slightly alkaline soil, with good drainage. Fertilize the soil no more than once every 2 weeks, and in winter - no more than once a month. Rosemary is a light-loving plant. It is best to place the pot on a south or east facing window sill. Rosemary cannot withstand sudden changes in temperature and needs fresh air to good growth. Ventilate the plant, giving it air baths, in the summer, take rosemary out to the balcony or dig it in the garden. Thanks to sunlight, the plant will produce more essential oils, have strong and healthy leaves. Growing rosemary from seeds is quite easy difficult process due to their very low germination rate. To board, select early spring or autumn. Pre-soak the seeds for 1-2 days. Then spread the seeds on the prepared soil without sprinkling on top. Cover with plastic wrap, making several holes in it for ventilation. Seedlings appear, depending on the quality of the seeds, 2-4 weeks after planting. During this time, thoroughly spray the soil with a spray bottle every day, maintaining constant humidity. If seedlings still do not appear, sow the seeds again.

When the seedlings reach a height of 8-10 cm, and each of them has at least 3 leaves, thin them out and replant them if necessary. If you used temporary germination containers, carefully transplant the rosemary into permanent place, being careful not to damage young plants. Rosemary grows quite quickly, so it is very important to ensure that the plant's roots have enough free space and, if necessary, transplant it into a larger pot.

An easier way to grow rosemary on a windowsill is to get a cutting of this plant. Cut off the woody shoot of an adult plant. Do not choose the lowest shoots for this. Having cleared the cut shoot from lower leaves, place it in a glass of water or a damp mixture of sand and peat. After 2-3 weeks, when the plant has taken root, transplant the rosemary into a permanent pot.

Water rosemary frequently but sparingly. Drought is not as bad for rosemary as too much watering, which can lead to rotting of the root system. If there is a lack of moisture, the leaves may turn yellow, and if there is too much moisture, the plant may even lose its leaves and die.

Rosemary blooms in April-May. In order for your plant to bloom, it needs winter period. Place the plant on glazed loggia. Rosemary can withstand temperatures up to 5-10°C. During this time, water the plant very sparingly. Also, during this period, you should not trim rosemary.

Mature plant, the trunk and stems of which are already woody, it is recommended to trim them regularly. Prune shoots back to stimulate and guide future plant growth and create a beautiful bush.

Thanks to its composition, which includes antioxidants, vitamin B and many others useful substances, rosemary is widely used in cooking, cosmetology and folk medicine. Pleasant aroma Rosemary growing on the windowsill will help overcome stress, relieve fatigue and depression, and improve the atmosphere of any room.

An original spice, a cure for many ailments, an air purifier and simply beautiful decorative bush with delicate flowers - this is rosemary, growing at home has always been very popular. main feature This Mediterranean plant is that its greens, like pine needles, secrete phytoncides that destroy pathogenic bacteria and purify the air. Cooks use it as a seasoning for meat, sauces, and desserts. Despite the fact that the plant is quite whimsical, if you create the right conditions, you can grow rosemary on a windowsill at any time of the year.

If the conditions of maintenance and care of the plant do not meet the requirements, it degenerates or becomes too elongated. Of the several types of rosemary, only the medicinal variety (fragrant) is suitable for growing in an apartment. Ideal place for the growth of culture is winter Garden, but at home it can be grown in a container or flower pot.

If you decide to plant a spice in an apartment, choose a bright room for this - light plays a big role in the formation of the crown. Rosemary in a pot can grow excessively and eventually turn into a real tree. To grow a compact and healthy plant, it needs to be replanted every 1-2 years, while removing single roots and shoots. Before replanting the bush, it is necessary to completely replace the soil in the pot and add some potassium fertilizer.

Rosemary is very picky about moisture. Sometimes it happens that in room conditions the plant begins to hurt: it appears spider mite or white coating. The appearance of a tick indicates that the air in the room is too dry. To prevent the appearance of pests, rosemary should be periodically taken out into fresh air and the greens should be sprayed regularly. In case of significant damage, insecticide treatment is carried out.

If white spots appear on the leaves and stems, this means that the soil or air humidity is excessively high. In this case, care consists of placing the plant in a warm, sunny place and temporarily reducing watering.

Despite its capriciousness and difficulty in care, rosemary gets along well with other plants. It can even be planted in the same container with parsley, dill, thyme, basil, and bay. This composition will become real fragrant decoration in the house.

Video “What You Need to Know”

Temperature

Rosemary loves warmth and light. For normal growth of an adult plant at home, it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the range of 15-25 °C, and avoid sudden temperature changes. If the plant is placed on a windowsill, the window should be opened as little as possible, or the pot should be removed for ventilation, since a sudden change in temperature can lead to leaves falling off.

Although rosemary belongs to heat-loving plants, he easily transfers low temperatures. In autumn, the spice can be grown on the balcony, but the temperature should not be lower than 12 °C. However, a lower degree will also not cause harm to the plant, but, on the contrary, will activate flowering and shoot growth. As paradoxical as it may sound, in order to make a shrub bloom at home, it needs to be placed in a cool room for a while.

Soil and pot

To grow a spice bush in an apartment, you must first choose the right pot. Considering the significant branching of the plant’s roots, you need to choose a container that is spacious (wide), medium-sized (15-20 cm in diameter), made of porous natural material, since the roots must “breathe”. Ideal option in this case it will be clay flower pot. Rosemary is planted in specially prepared soil. The soil for plants should be loose, permeable, with neutral or slightly alkaline acidity. The most suitable is considered to be an already processed crushed stone mixture based on lime, which can be purchased at a flower shop.

If a “universal” soil mixture is used to grow spices, then peat and sand must be added to it. You can also prepare the soil for planting rosemary at home yourself. To do this, you need to mix the following components: sheet soil (2 parts), cleared of roots turf land(2 hours), river sand(1 hour), peat (1 hour), humus (1 hour). Before planting the plants, the prepared soil must be well moistened.

Lighting and care

Light is extremely important for rosemary. It is one of those plants that feel more comfortable in direct sunlight than in partial shade. IN winter time It is better to place the pot of spice on the windowsill of a window facing south. In summer, the bush should be taken out to the balcony or veranda, since it loves fresh air no less than light and warmth.

To grow rosemary at home in winter, you need additional lighting at least once a day. Experienced gardeners claim that the intensity of the aroma of rosemary directly depends on the light: the more light hits the plant, the more fragrant its aroma. The main care for rosemary is timely and regular watering. Moreover, it is very important to determine the measure, or the line between waterlogging and drying out of the soil. Thanks to its well-developed root system, the plant tolerates short droughts well. In turn, excessive soil moisture can lead to leaf fall, root rot, and, as a result, plant death.

In the cold season, rosemary is watered 1 time/3 days. In summer, the soil dries faster, and watering should be increased to 5 times a week. At temperatures above 25 °C, watering and spraying of foliage is carried out daily. In addition to watering, caring for rosemary involves fertilizing. During the period of intensive growth, the plant needs to be fed with organic matter or mineral mixtures 1 time/2 weeks; in winter, fertilizers are applied 1 time/1-1.5 months.

How to propagate rosemary

Rosemary is propagated in two ways: by cuttings and by planting seeds. The first method is preferable, since rosemary seeds do not have good germination - out of 10 planted seeds, only 1-2 germinate, but growing a bush from a cutting is easier, faster, and it’s easier to care for the sprouts. Young annual shoots are used as cuttings. The cut branch must be placed in a special solution that disinfects and stimulates root growth. After 2-3 weeks, the roots will sprout, and after that they are planted in prepared soil. Further care carried out as for an adult plant.

Planting from seeds is a more troublesome task, since in this case it requires preparatory stage, patience and more serious care. Seed preparation involves soaking seed material for several days, then they need to be spread out on the surface and moistened with a spray bottle for several more days. Next, punctures are made in the seed film to allow air flow. Then the prepared seeds are planted in the soil to a depth of 1-2 cm. If the preparation is carried out correctly, seedlings will appear in about 2 weeks.

Video “Plant Care”

Demonstrative video about rosemary.

Rosemary is a spice whose aroma combines the aromas of lemon, eucalyptus and pine, and also carries notes of a fresh sea breeze. Today we will tell you how to grow rosemary in open ground in the country or at home in a small pot on the windowsill.

IN natural conditions rosemary growing in open ground all year round. The average height of the bush, covered with thin, needle-like leaves, reaches 2 m. The crop blooms small flowers delicate bluish tint. There are not many varieties of the crop known - only about five, but we usually grow two types: medicinal rosemary or ordinary rosemary.

It is noteworthy that the spice is valued not only for its exceptional aroma in cooking, but is also included in many healing tinctures and medicinal mixtures.

Necessary conditions for cultivation

Growing rosemary in our latitudes requires compliance with certain conditions. Remember: seedlings of the crop cannot withstand frost, do not like drafts and shading, and prefer light, loose and nutritious soil.

In the open ground

Rosemary is a heat-loving crop, so it is better to wait to plant it in the garden until warm spring weather sets in. Optimal time- end of May, then the bush will probably take root well. The landing site should be sunny, sheltered from strong winds. It is important to follow the correct watering regime: the soil should be kept constantly moist, but not wet.

In apartment conditions

The decision to plant rosemary in a pot in an apartment requires compliance with almost the same rules as growing rosemary in open ground. You will have to support constant temperature within +20 °C, place the container with the crop on a southern windowsill, and monitor the level of soil moisture.

Landing rules

To grow a beautiful, powerful rosemary bush, it is important to take into account not only the requirements of the culture, but also to comply with all prerequisites landings.

In open ground

So, when a place for planting on the site has been selected, it’s time to take care of the composition of the soil. It is not difficult to prepare the optimal soil mixture; just mix 2 handfuls of ordinary lime, 2 kg of coarse sand, 2 kg of humus, about 5 kg leaf soil and a few handfuls of sawdust.

Maintain the distance between the holes: the more powerful rosemary bushes you want to grow, the less often you should plant them. On average, the distance between plants should be 50 cm. Remember that you can plant rosemary only after night frosts, even minor ones, have completely passed.

The crop can be planted or sown. If you have the opportunity to get several formed cuttings of an adult bush, planting rosemary directly in open ground will not be difficult. In addition, the seeds of the crop can be sown as seedlings, waiting until they sprout indoors, or even root cuttings by cutting off the top shoots of the bushes.

In apartment conditions

Growing fragrant rosemary in an apartment begins with sowing seeds. They are planted in light, well-moistened soil at the end of winter. The container is covered with glass or transparent film, and sent for several weeks to a cool room with a temperature of about +5–6 °C. Then the pot is moved to a warm place, where shoots will appear (after about 1 month).

When the plants grow a little and already look like small bushes, they are planted in separate boxes, and after some time they are planted in a permanent place.

Features of care

Caring for the crop is not difficult, and the features of the process differ little from whether you grow rosemary in a garden bed or in a pot on a loggia.

In the open ground

Caring for rosemary in open ground is quite simple. It is important to keep the soil in your rosemary bed slightly moist, especially during hot summers. The culture also requires regular fertilizing throughout the entire period of active growth. For this purpose, it is customary to use complex nutritional mixtures. You will also have to perform the entire set of standard garden procedures: loosening, removing weeds.

Wintering in open ground is possible, but only if you choose frost-resistant variety. But before you leave the bush until spring, you need to securely cover the rosemary for the winter so that the spice does not die.

In apartment conditions

If you are growing rosemary on your home balcony, you need to follow a similar set of steps, with the exception of preparing for wintering. With the arrival of cold weather, pots of rosemary are brought into a room where the temperature will not rise above +11 °C, watered occasionally and artificial lighting maintained for at least 7 hours a day. At home growing It is also important to ensure that excess water does not linger in the trays - this can lead to yellowing of the leaves.

Breeding rules

As already mentioned, the crop can be propagated in several ways: grown from seeds, sowed as seedlings, rooted cuttings taken from an adult plant, or planted cuttings obtained by dividing and planting overgrown bushes. The last two methods allow you to get a large plant much faster than waiting for the bush to grow from a seed.

Disease and pest control

You may be surprised, but you are unlikely to see what a pest-damaged rosemary bush looks like in an open garden bed. The reason is the pungent aroma of the spice, which repels most insects. The same applies to diseases - rosemary is extremely unpretentious and resistant to adversity. True, if you keep the bush indoors, be prepared to fight whitefly or white powdery mildew.

The spice can be dried, frozen, stored in the refrigerator - whatever you like. The main thing is that she will always give you a drink fresh air with an indescribable aroma of the Mediterranean coast.

Video “What are the benefits of rosemary”

In this video, Elena Malysheva and experts will tell you why rosemary should be consumed by all people.