Planting and caring for rosemary in open ground

Gardeners from various regions plant and care for rosemary in open ground. No one has considered this plant exotic for a long time: it grows in garden beds, in greenhouses and on the window sills of city apartments.

The Mediterranean native attracts summer residents with its aroma and original appearance. Rosemary is used in cooking, aromatherapy, cosmetology, and perfumery. Traditional medicine offers enough recipes based on the spicy aromatic plant. It's nice to always have a fresh, healthy product on hand.

It is possible to grow a shrub in the country if the requirements of the plant are met. It will decorate any flower bed or alpine slide. The phytoncides it releases will improve the health of the air. And as a reward, the gardener will receive the freshest spice for meat or fish: the country menu will become more varied.

Rosemary: plant description

It is difficult to confuse a Mediterranean resident with another plant:

1. This Mediterranean shrub has evergreen, leathery leaves. Their color varies from green to silver. The shape is elongated with a sharp tip.
2. The height of the plant in natural conditions (at home) reaches 2 m. Gardeners rarely manage to grow rosemary above 1 m. Usually it reaches 50-60 cm.
3. In spring, rosemary delights with the appearance of flowers in white, lilac, pink or purple shades. But when grown artificially, the bush pleases with its beauty only with proper care.
4. The aroma of the plant is multicomponent: it simultaneously resembles the smell of eucalyptus, camphor, pine, lavender, and citrus. The released phytoncides refresh and improve the health of the air. The larger the area the plantings occupy, the healthier the atmosphere at the dacha. But rosemary fully reveals all its notes if the growing rules are followed.
5. Features of rosemary are the content of vitamins (40% of the daily value C, A) and folic acid.This makes the plant not only tasty, but also healthy.

The key to the success of growing rosemary in the country is competent agricultural technology. If followed, rosemary will delight you with its unusual aroma and pleasant appearance.

What kind of rosemary is available on sale?

Specialized stores offer rosemary varieties to gardeners:

• Semko, Tenderness, Vishnyakovsky, Rosinka (developed by Russian breeders);
• Severn Sea (grows to a maximum of half a meter);
• Prostpatus (shoots spread along the ground, carpet height 15 cm);
• Roseus (distinguished by pink-tinged flowers);
• Albiflorus (decorated with white flowers).

Foreign varieties are particularly decorative.

Choosing the best place to land

Rosemary is a native of the Mediterranean. To grow it in other regions, you should create conditions as close as possible to its native ones. You need to take care of planting in advance: only in this case the gardener will get the desired result.

House placement

“City gardeners” also successfully grow rosemary. At home, it is possible to create suitable conditions:

• place rosemary on a southern, southwestern or southeastern window sill (if there are none, a western or eastern one will do);
• the bush requires additional lighting (an agricultural lamp is suitable);
• to ensure the required air humidity, it is recommended to pour a 2-3 cm thick layer of expanded clay on top of the soil of the pot (when it is moistened, the water evaporates and the air around the rosemary becomes comfortable);
• The roots of the plant need access to air: rosemary should be planted in a clay container;
• the bush should be replanted once a year (the pot should be 2/3 larger than the previous one);
• a guest from the Mediterranean is afraid of drafts: when ventilating, it is necessary to protect him with a plastic screen.

If all the rules are followed, the plant will delight the gardener with its aroma and original flowers. But the British claim that only good owners grow rosemary at home.

Landing at the dacha

Before planting on the site, the gardener should carry out preparatory work. In its homeland, rosemary is an unpretentious plant. But in regions with different climatic conditions, careful preparation is required. The shrub feels great in the place:

• the sunniest and warmest;
• protected from cold northern winds;
• with deep groundwater;
• with alkaline, light soils.

Placement on the south side of the house is ideal. The wall will protect the rosemary from the northern winds. It heats up during the day and gives off heat to the plant at night.

Rosemary does not tolerate shade. When there is insufficient light, it withers and sheds its leaves.

In flooded areas, drainage should be poured into the planting hole. Crushed stone, broken red brick, gravel, and expanded clay are suitable. Layer thickness - 5-10 cm.

Rosemary placed in the garden does not tolerate weeds in the neighborhood: the soil around it must be clean. In dry summers, mulching the soil with a layer of 5-7 cm is allowed.

If the soils do not meet the required characteristics, it is necessary to carry out structuring at the intended planting site.

In the greenhouse

Some gardeners have enough space to place the plant in a greenhouse. In regions with harsh climates, gardeners are trying to grow rosemary in heated greenhouses. If the growing rules are followed, summer residents have spicy herbs on their farm all year round. Some sell cut shoots: the demand for the exotic spice is great.

What does the plant need:

• light calcareous soils mixed with crushed stone;
• absence of neighboring weeds or cultivated plants;
• moist warm air;
• absence of drafts;
• temperature in summer is 25-26 degrees Celsius, in winter 5-15;
• daylight hours 16-18 hours.

Summer residents often plant rosemary in an unheated room. In this case, the plant is ready for cutting 2-3 months earlier than it was planted outside. The bush should be left in such a greenhouse for the winter only during relatively warm winters: the temperature should not fall below zero. Otherwise, the guest from the south will freeze to death.

Planting in open ground

Southerners need to be planted in beds after the return frosts have passed. When the temperature drops to 5 degrees, rosemary stops growing. If the thermometer shows 0, he will die.

The soil should warm up well. To speed things up, it is recommended to cover the intended location with film for 5-7 days. With this method of preparation, the earth will become warm, and moisture will be completely retained.

Plantings should be covered with a double layer of white lutrasil. This will protect them from sunburn and night cold. In the absence of non-woven material, it is recommended to use any light-colored fabric and perforated film.

When warm weather sets in (15-20 degrees), the shelter should be removed. It is possible to grow rosemary in open ground if you create comfortable conditions for the plant.

How to prepare the ground

The Mediterranean dweller prefers light, moisture-permeable, alkaline soil. Crushed stone is a must. The planting area should be prepared in advance:

• carry out an acidity test using litmus paper: acidic soil needs to be limed;
• heavy soil should be sanded (a bucket per 1 square m);
• dig well, remove weeds;
• add crushed stone (1 kg per square m);
• add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers;
• Rosemary should be planted after the soil has warmed up.

Properly prepared soil will provide the gardener with healthy plants with fragrant shoots.

How to plant a plant correctly

Gardeners grow rosemary in two ways:

• from seeds;
• cuttings from an adult plant.

Each method has its supporters.

When to sow seeds

Seeds are not planted in open ground. They are planted at home, and young bushes are placed in a permanent place. For planting in open ground, you should sow the seeds 2-3 months before the expected filling of the ridge.

It is recommended to pre-germinate the planting material. To do this, carefully place the seeds on a damp cloth. It requires constant spraying from a spray bottle.

After pecking, the seeds should be placed in a container on the surface of the prepared soil and lightly sprinkled on top.

When to plant cuttings

When planting cuttings, use pre-rooted or freshly cut cuttings. For this purpose, one- to two-year-old shoots 10-15 cm long are used.

They should be cut in the spring (March to May). Cut the upper part at a right angle, the lower part at an angle of 45 degrees. Dip the lower cut into any root formation stimulator. Stick the shoots into moist soil or place them in water. Organize a greenhouse on top. The plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

With this method, the cuttings take root within a week.

Conditions required for good growth in open ground

Successfully growing rosemary requires the gardener to create a comfortable environment.

Lighting and temperature

The shrub prefers good lighting. A long sunny day is what he needs. Comfortable temperature is 18-25 degrees Celsius. But even at lower (positive) or high levels it develops sufficiently.The shrub will be happy in a warm climate with moderate rainfall.

How to water

The shrub is able to withstand a short period of drought. But the quality of cut shoots decreases. The gardener should not allow extreme situations. Rosemary needs to be watered as the soil underneath dries out. It is important to avoid stagnation of water and waterlogging of the soil.

Loosening, weeding and fertilizing

Rosemary loves free air access to the roots. Therefore, you should regularly loosen the soil under the bushes. At the same time, weeds are removed: they deplete the soil and shade the plant.

For feeding, it is recommended to use complex mineral fertilizer. Application frequency: once a month. It is necessary to feed the bush after cutting the shoots.

How to trim

It is recommended to prune rosemary for rejuvenation once every 8 years. Pruning is done to soil level. After the procedure, young shoots grow.

But there is another type - formative pruning. It is produced annually in the spring. In this way, gardeners give the plant the required shape.

How to cover

It is not necessary to cover rosemary in regions with warm winters. But where there are slight negative temperatures, the plant should be covered with white non-woven material.

In cold areas, it is recommended to transplant the bush into a pot and send it home for the winter.

Plant propagation

The shrub is easy to propagate. Gardeners use the following methods:

• cuttings;
• layering;
• planting seeds;
• dividing the bush.

Gardeners often want to plant rosemary. The search for planting material begins. What to do if there are no seeds on sale? The solution is simple: buy the spice in the green section of the supermarket. It can be used for cuttings. It is important to ensure that the branches look fresh.

How to divide a bush correctly

The bush should be divided after 7-8 years of its life in the garden. An adult bush is dug up and cut into pieces with a shovel. The upper (ground) parts are cut off and transplanted to a new location. For better survival, the operation should be performed in early spring (as soon as weather permits). This is how you can plant rosemary that is constantly growing in open ground. The advantage of the method: a guest from the Mediterranean is perfectly rejuvenated with this separation.

How to take cuttings

The plant is easily propagated by cuttings. Shoots of the first or second year should be rooted. The operation can be performed in early spring (at home) or in June (at the dacha). The chopped shoots from below are cleared of leaves. The lower cut is dipped in a root growth stimulator, the upper cut in melted paraffin.

How to root in water

5 mm of rainwater is poured into a vessel made of opaque material. The cuttings are placed in liquid and a plastic bag with perforations is tied on top. The vessel is placed in a bright place, but protected from direct sunlight. With this method, the branches will give roots in 2-3 weeks. Non-lignified shoots take root faster.

How to root in soil

The gardener should allocate a garden bed. How to proceed:

• choose the warmest place in the garden;
• loosen the soil;
• stick the branches at an angle of 45 degrees at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other;
• install arcs;
• stretch white high-density non-woven material (20 g/square m and above);
• press the shelter to the ground and secure it.

Next, it remains to monitor the soil moisture: as soon as it dries, carefully moisten it. When young leaves begin to appear, the cuttings are ready to be planted on the beds. The method allows the branches to take root in 3-4 weeks.

How to make layering

Propagating rosemary by layering does not cause difficulties even for inexperienced gardeners.In May-June, the shoot of the 2nd year is slightly cut across and slightly moved apart at the site of the cut. Then they are dipped in a root former, pinned to the ground and sprinkled with soil on top. The top of the branch is cut off. This is necessary so that the plant can better grow its root system. The cuttings are regularly moistened for 3 months. Next spring the rooted shoot is ready.

How to get cuttings without pruning

Gardeners are familiar with an ingenious way to obtain rooted cuttings without pruning:

• choose a 1st or 2nd year shoot 15-20 cm long;
• cut off the top (for intensive root formation);
• clear it of leaves 5-7 cm in the middle;
• Make a bag from a film with holes and tie it to the bottom of the peeled stem;
• fill the film with damp sphagnum or neutral peat;
• tie the bag loosely on top of the peeled stem.

Then the gardener needs to ensure that the contents of the envelope are regularly moistened. As soon as white roots appear, the shoot is ready to be planted in a permanent place.

How to propagate by seeds

This method is suitable for obtaining rare varieties of material. The method is quite labor-intensive. How to proceed:

• check seeds for germination in water (empty ones will float, full ones will sink);
• soak them in aloe vera juice or potassium humate for 6-8 hours;
• scatter on the soil surface;
• moisten a little and sprinkle sand on top;
• cover the top with a film with holes;
• put in a warm place (22-25 degrees Celsius).

The seeds will germinate only in a month. All this time, the gardener must monitor the soil moisture and remove condensation from the film. As soon as the leaves appear, the cover should be removed.It’s time to place the container on the brightest windowsill or take it out into a heated greenhouse.

How to prepare rosemary for winter

In regions with cold winters, transplanting into a pot and moving it to an apartment will help preserve the plant.

In areas with warm climates, it is recommended to trim rosemary in the fall, feed it and cover it with non-woven material.

Pests and diseases

The spice is threatened by spider mites. This occurs during dry periods or improper watering.

Fragrant plants are readily eaten by scale insects. To protect against these pests, it is recommended to maintain high air humidity around the plantings.

If there is excess moisture, the plant becomes covered with mold. Violation of growing conditions leads to a deterioration in the consumer qualities of cuttings.

Where is rosemary used?

The aroma of the spice and its chemical composition explain its use in various fields. In the culinary world of Italy, Spain, and France, it is impossible to prepare lamb dishes without twigs. The spice goes well with fish and seafood.

The medicinal effect is used in the treatment of bacterial and viral diseases. Gargling helps get rid of sore throat. Cold inhalations of the plant infusion are useful for a runny nose. Planted in a flowerbed, it improves the health of the air.