One of the great pleasures of summer is the abundance of fresh herbs and their fragrance as you pick them. For many of us, summer is just about over. But there is one herb that truly loves the chill of fall, rosemary.
Rosemary isn't hardy outdoors in cold climates. It can take a slight frost, but not a chilly, snowy winter. You'll need to move it indoors at some point, unless you live in Zones 8 or higher. But for now, let your rosemary luxuriate in the fall air.
If you don't have a rosemary plant, why not? It's such a luxurious indulgence for so little money or effort. You really should try growing rosemary.
Photo: fantax / stock.xchng
Comments
Hey Marie,
Now you are talkin’! I love rosemary for many reasons:
Edible
Great container plant (cascades over the rim)
Great erosion control on hillsides
Fragrant, attracts bees
Looks beautiful all year round (in Los Angeles)
* Only tip I have to add is don’t eat rosemary from a neighbor’s garden unless you know they didn’t “treat’ the plant with insecticides
Shirley
Rosemary cannot be dug out of the garden and brought inside. Well at least I have tried over and over with lots of different advice, but it always dies after a few months. having lived in Italy fro 5 years I crave a large full rosemary bush…but have to settle for what I can grow over the summer here in South central PA.
Shirley, sounds like you found out the hard way. I guess you could say never eat anything from another garden without knowing what they’ve sprayed.
Stacy, I used to put my plant in the ground for the summer and then pot it up and bring it in, but it started getting too comfortable in the ground. Now I just move the pot back and forth. It won’t get very large, but it’s still beautiful.
The info you posted on Rosemary is pretty much common knowledge. Would it be possible to include a tidbit or two (in your future plant of the week posts) that might be interesting for more seasoned gardeners as well as newbies (Like many cartoons… entertaining for both kids and adults)?
FrankD, are you talking about the blog posting or the article?
Friday’s featured plants are intended to be overviews, with growing tips, pest problems and varieties to grow. But I’ll see what I can do for you experienced gardeners out there, who are looking for more. Thanks for the note.
I live in zone 7A. I have left my rosemary plant in the ground for 3 years. It lived through several feet of snow last year and has become very large.
I have the same problem as Stacey,where I live it gets way below zero so I pot it & bring it in & it slowly dies. Any suggestions?
I live in Iowa and I love rosemary. I have tried many times to overwinter a plant in the house and have never had any luck. I’ve tried planting it in the ground in the summer and potting it up and bringing it into the house in the fall. It dies. I’ve tried leaving it in a pot on the deck all summer and then bringing the pot into the house in to fall. It dies. The only way I have found to have rosemary year round is to harvest and dry it or buy the dried herb at the grocery store.
Carol, what kind of rosemary are you growing? Some of them are hardy to Zone 6, but all that snow is surprising. Maybe it insulated the soil and the roots didn’t freeze. Lucky you!
Ardell and rosehill, it usually comes down to moisture levels. The biggest problem with potted rosemary indoors is finding a balance between humid enough to not dehydrate and dry enough to not mildew. Those skinny needles desiccate quickly in the dry air of heated homes, even when the soil is moist.
I’ve had the best luck by spritzing the plant in the morning and making sure it has enough air circulation for the needles to dry. Even then, it’s hit and miss. I have to check on it almost daily.
Guys, don’t forget that rosemary is good not only for food.
I put rosemary leaves in my closets to protect the clothes from moth. (A good smell is a byproduct.)
Also, when put rosemary in kitchen cabinets, it keeps bugs out.
That was tested over many years! It works.
Nina
South California
Nina, I never thought to use it to deter indoor insects. I’ll give it a try. Thanks for the tip.
I am needing to get rid of a rosemary bush that was in my back yard when I purchased my condo. This plant is causing a really bad situation for me with my allergies. How can I get rid of this bush for good?
Judy, sorry to hear you’re allergic to rosemary. I have a friend who has problems with all evergreens – which is a huge annoyance when you live in a place called Pine Plains – what was she thinking.
You should be able to just dig it out. If you get the majority of the roots, it shouldn’t come back.
I’m just sorry I don’t live close enough to come and dig it out and take it home. Have you asked your friends if one of them might want to come and take it away?
Ahh?? Can we use rosemary as an source of insectiside against cockroaches?
Wilson, I haven’t tried it, but other people say it works. It’s more of a repellent than an insecticide. Supposedly the smell of rosemary deters roaches and other insects. You have to place sprigs everywhere they go and keep replacing them with fresh sprigs, every month. It might be easier to try a rosemary oil spray instead. Someone posted this recipe on his site and I’m sure there are more.