Place a wire cage around the plant. Most people aren’t aware that the lack of sunshine is the most common reason for a rosemary plant growing indoors to die. Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant so your best bet is to replicate as much of that climate as possible. On the other side, if the soil of the rosemary plant is allowed to dry out completely, the roots will die back and the plant will not have enough roots to support itself. Indoor air is usually drier than outdoor air. Proper location and care will help keep the well-chosen plant happy. In order to ensure proper drainage, choose a pot with adequate holes at its base—one made of moisture-wicking clay or terracotta can help too. If you're keeping organic in the hopes of cooking with your rosemary, be sure to use an organic fertilizer or fortify the soil with compost instead. Lightly water, then cover the container. Thoroughly water the rosemary plant and provide plenty of natural light. Whether you are gifted with a green thumb or not, our guide will help you grow the perfect houseplants. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Let’s look at how to avoid each. When it doubt, err on the side of underwatering your plant, as it's much more likely to die from too much water rather than too little. Similar to other Mediterranean herbs, it's drought-tolerant and thrives in bright, sunny windowsills. In addition, keep the plant in sunlight and, if necessary, run a fan for a few hours a day to create a breeze. Temperature is important to the rosemary plant too, and efforts should be taken to mimic its natural Mediterranean outdoor environment as best as possible. Planting And Care. This brings us to another important part that may be key to keeping your rosemary happy indoors. Rosemary plants should be moved indoors when the temperatures are near or below 30 degrees. It’s a woody perennial that adapts well to containers, making it easy to move indoors if you live in a cooler climate, so you can add the fragrant leaves to your cocktails or cooking all year long. Excess amounts of humidity can actually pose a threat to rosemary, causing powdery mildew to cover the leaves of the plant, giving them a dusty, white appearance. Why buy your favorite herb when you can have it fresh? ", How to Grow Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Mother of Thousands), How to Transplant Rosemary Indoors for the Winter. Watering too often will cause root rot, which will kill the plant. Sign up for our newsletter. Temperature-wise, rosemary is considered fairly hearty and can thrive in temperatures down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or up to 80 degrees. The best way to drive away powdery mildew on rosemary plants is to increase the air circulation around it. It also does very well on balconies and in window boxes. Powdery Mildew They go from six to eight hours of strong, direct light to four to six hours of weak or indirect light. Growing rosemary indoors is sometimes a tricky thing to do. Often, indoor rosemary plants are watered too little or too much. Rosemary Care Light. It’s not necessary to prune plants unless they are overgrown, over woody, or unless you are trying to make a hedge or prune into topiary shapes. A rosemary plant from the nursery needs a pot at least 12" in diameter. Prune regularly so that the plant won t get lanky. Pests The rosemary plant is unable to produce enough energy to stay alive on this amount of weak light and simply dies. Water outdoor plants at their base until the soil is thoroughly moist. Use well draining potting soil for potting your rosemary plant. It thrives on lots of light and the right watering cadence, ensuring its loamy soil stays well-hydrated without getting waterlogged. When potted indoors, it benefits from being kept slightly dry and trimmed to remain comfortable within its chosen pot size. Do not over-water rosemary. Powdery mildew won't kill your rosemary outright, but it will weaken the plant. Do this every year when you see some active growth at the beginning of the growing season, i.e., early spring or mid-spring. Rosemary is a popular herb to grow indoors because it’s useful in cooking, decorative, and smells divine! Rosemary plants prefer dry roots and would rather get their moisture from the air. Rosemary is a Mediteranean plant so it likes at least 6 hours of sun per day if you can manage it. Water Rosemary does not need a lot of water. This is when rosemary grows, so the plant will be at its healthiest. Letting a fan blow on it for a few hours a day or taking it out of more high humidity rooms, like the bathroom or kitchen, will help improve the air circulation. Yet with proper watering methods, soil control, and pest prevention, your rosemary plant will do just fine! Most homes don’t have the same air circulation as the outside world does, which makes this an even worse problem for the plant inside. Make sure that you only water it when the top of the soil is dry. This tasty herb is not difficult to grow, and once established it will live a long time if you take proper care of it. When it comes to watering a rosemary plant, it can be tricky to strike the right balance. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a wonderfully fragrant and beautiful evergreen plant. Rosemary Plant Care: Watering It can get a messy sprinkle of water on its needles weekly along with regular watering when the soil feels dry. [2] X Research source While any clipping will work, it’s best to take the clipping in the spring. It is a somewhat drought-tolerant plant. If that's not possible, place the plant under any bright light, grow lights, or fluorescent light. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Many good gardeners have tried, and, despite their best efforts, end up with a dry, brown, dead rosemary plant. Rosemary plants can be found at most nurseries and garden stores. Nichols McGee advises “helping it along with some lime or bone meal worked into the soil and provide good drainage,” and planting rosemary in a well-drained position with six hours a … Indoors, Rosemary needs to be in a bright, sunny position where it will get at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun. Rosemary can make a great addition to any herb garden, but it does require a little bit of pruning to grow properly and look its best. Only water the soil when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Water the plants evenly throughout the growing season. Professionals recommend growing rosemary from a cutting rather than planting seeds because it grows much easier and faster that way. Rosemary grows best if you take a clipping from a healthy plant. Be sure to put it in bright light and protect it from cold drafts. Not many people have room for a massive rosemary plant in their homes, so the subject of repotting depends on your goals. First of all, rosemary is tricky to grow inside. If you'd like a larger plant, step up the pot size and repot normally. Clip a 3 in (7.6 cm) branch from a healthy rosemary plant. Repeat this several times, until the soil retains the moisture. Your Outdoor Potted Rosemary: How To Plant It and Care for It. ... Rosemary makes a great indoor plant to grow on your kitchen counter near a … Lack of sunlight – a potted rosemary plant needs plenty of sunshine in order to thrive. One that is growing in popularity is neem oil, as it is very effective against pests but is completely harmless to humans and pets. Use a tomato cage or make your own by wrapping a cylinder of chicken wire around the rosemary. This is because rosemary plants are native to regions that have warmer temperatures and well-drained, dry soil. After the plant flowers, remember to trim the plant. Here is how to grow rosemary indoors! Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Water rosemary plants evenly throughout the growing season, but be careful not to overwater. Alternatively, you can take leaf-tip cuttings of established plants to start new ones. The stricter you are with yourself about making sure that your rosemary plant is watered properly and gets enough light, the less likely pests will bother the plant. Find a healthy plant and clip a branch at least 3 in (7.6 cm) long from the stem. Rosemary topiaries shaped like a Christmas tree are great gifts to give and receive. Unfortunately, most rosemary growing indoors, despite all best efforts, are growing in a somewhat weakened state. Most often, there are four things on the list of what kills rosemary plants indoors. Rosemary is native to Southern European countries that boarder the Mediterranean sea and are therefore specifically adapted to the conditions of the Mediterranean environment. Make sure that the drainage on the container with the rosemary is excellent. A sandy cactus soil... Water. Location – How to Grow Rosemary Indoors. Try to balance the humidity by misting the leaves regularly but allowing the soil to dry somewhat between watering. If you are the lucky recipient, you should know a few things about how to care for rosemary indoors. Rosemary needs a sunny location, both outdoors and indoors. The second most common reason for an indoor rosemary dying is watering practices. The first step to preventing rosemary light starvation is to put your rosemary on a sunlight diet before you bring it indoors. Poor watering – only water the plant when the top soil is … As mentioned before, rosemary can be a bit challenging to care for inside the home. You can also treat the plant with a fungicide to help keep away the powdery mildew. Poor Watering Practices If you're looking to move potted rosemary that has been outside all summer into your home for the fall and winter months, first put it on a sunlight "diet," moving it to the shade for a few hours every day so it gradually gets used to reduced light and therefore is not shocked when relocated indoors. Rosemary hates wet feet, so do not let yours sit in water. If your rosemary plant is not getting at least six to eight hours of light a day, place a lamp with a fluorescent light bulb as close as possible to the plant to supplement the sunlight. Rosemary is an evergreen, so leaves remain green year-round though the plant goes dormant in winter and stops all growth until spring. If you know the secrets to the proper care of rosemary plants growing inside, you can keep your rosemary plants growing happily indoors all winter long. You can also use a liquid fertilizer as often as a co… Rosemary are low maintenance, hardy perennial plant that lives up to 15 years with the right care. Fertilizer is seldom necessary for a rosemary shrub, especially those grown in garden beds where the trace nutrients in the soil provide sufficient fertilization. Once your rosemary moves indoors, make sure that you place it in the brightest window in your house, which is normally a south facing window. This can cause issues when the plant is grown (or moved) indoors, as it's difficult to achieve the right sunlight conditions indoors naturally. To avoid this, ensure that it is placed somewhere fairly dry (not a bathroom) and consider housing it near consistent air circulation, like on an open windowsill or next to a fan. Best planted outdoors in early spring after the final frost, rosemary can grow quickly, often reaching close to three feet within a year. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors (in USDA zones 8-10), though it takes considerably more tending-to and attention as a houseplant. Rosemary does very well in containers. In the winter, rosemary plants grow much more slowly and need much less water than they do in the summer. Growing rosemary is easy because it’s a low maintenance plant that’s perfectly happy in a pot on the patio or in a forgotten corner of the garden. If you'd like to keep your rosemary smaller and manageable, repot in the spring into the same size pot. For container-grown rosemary, fill the container with fresh water and allow the soil to absorb the water. But, if your rosemary is infected with pests, use a houseplant pesticide to remove them. Since rosemary is an herb and it is mainly grown to be eaten, look for organic pesticides. Indoor Rosemary Plant Care: Water Requirements Rosemary likes to stay a little on the dry side. Potted plants or those grown in exceptionally poor soil may be suffering from a nutrient deficiency if the plant grows slowly or develops stunted, pale yellow needles. During repotting, root prune the plant to stunt its growth by snipping off about one-third of the root material, then placing the plant back into the same size container with fresh soil. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. 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For fresh rosemary in the winter, grow the plant indoors in a pot. It needs well drained soil, and a clay pot can help keep the roots from rotting. A good rule of thumb is to water a rosemary plant when the top of the soil has dried out but never to let all the soil dry out completely. Not only will it provide rosemary all winter long, but it can also help kick off your herb garden next spring. Plant rosemary in the right location. Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) is as attractive in the kitchen as it is aromatic and tasty, but take care when you bring one indoors for the winter or it can fall victim to powdery mildew. The plant will require a clay pot with good drainage so that the soil does not retain too much water. Indoors or outdoors, rosemary plants are very susceptible to powdery mildew. Most people aren’t aware that the lack of sunshine is the most common reason for a rosemary plant growing indoors to die. These are: If you can avoid these issues, your rosemary plant will live happily inside. It grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. Often, rosemary plants are brought indoors without any acclimation. Start a new cutting in the summer months in a container, then bring it inside when the weather begins to cool off. [3] X Research source Often, rosemary plants are brought indoors without any acclimation. Regarding the irrigation, the rosemary prefers drylands, not very watered. To be honest, while pests may get the blame for killing a rosemary plant, most pests will only infest a plant that is already weakened. Make sure you place your plant in a south facing window. However, rosemary can be successfully started from seed if you don't mind waiting for the plant to fill in. Follow package instructions or mix 1/2 teaspoon of a soluble 24-8-1… Each year in early spring, trim 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) from the long, leaf-covered stems on the outermost part of the plant. Luckily, this herb is also easy to grow and pretty low-maintenance. The rosemary plant is unable to produce enough energy to stay alive on this amount of weak … Rosemary thrives in full sunlight and fertile, well-drained soil. Rosemary is an excellent indoor herb, identifiable by its erect, shrub appearance and needle-like leaves. Rosemary is very good at taking care of itself, particularly plants grown in pots. The greatest water needs are during the growth period and during flowering. Soil. But, that being said, never let the soil dry out completely. Several weeks before you plan on bringing the rosemary inside, move the plant to gradually shadier areas of your yard. Learn how to grow rosemary in your home. Additionally, rosemary is known as an "upside-down" plant, meaning it prefers to absorb its moisture through the air. Rosemary plants prefer dry, well-drained soil reminiscent of their Mediterranean upbringing. One of the most popular Mediterranean herbs, rosemary is beloved by many gardeners for its culinary perks and a beautiful, relaxing scent. The rocks keep the plant from soaking up the water, but the water in the tray will evaporate… and rosemary leaves love humidity! Remove all the dead, damaged, and crossing stems to improve air circulation and to give shape to the plant you desire. Rosemary plant care is easy. This plant is especially susceptible to root rot or to powdery mildew, both of which show up when you keep it too wet. It has specific soil, light, and watering requirements, but once those are met it’s actually easy to care for. This will force the rosemary plant to grow leaves that are more efficient at turning light into energy, which will help it cope with weaker indoor light when it moves inside. Rosemary plants prefer dry, well-drained soil reminiscent of their Mediterranean upbringing. Therefore, gently misting the plant every ten days or so can help fill the gap between waterings. These plants thrive in warm, humid environments and cannot take extremely cold temperatures. The rosemary plant is accustomed to full sunlight when grown outdoors and is only moderately tolerant of a bit of shade. This is a particularly good idea if you have an outdoor plant that might not make it through the winter. Pruning rosemary is the best way to ensure bushier plant growth with the desired shape, size, and flavor. Unlike many other herbs, rosemary can grow into a substantial plant of up to 48 inches. For best results, feed your rosemary using a liquid fertilizer at the start of its growing season (spring) and continuing monthly through the fall. The sunlight doesn’t have to be direct, but any kind of … For fresh rosemary in the winter, grow the plant indoors in a pot (or take a cutting from an outdoor plant and keep a second indoors). [1] Prune regularly so that plants won’t get lanky. Be sure to put it in bright light and cool temperatures. An application of a general purpose fertilizer in early spring should provide enough nutrients to help the plant recover. When transplanting your seedlings, be sure to use a well draining potting soil. Well-draining soil is essential for rosemary; it is susceptible to … It is much easier to start with a small plant than with seed. Give them as much light as possible, water regularly and make sure there is … Care must be taken not to soak too much and that puddles remain because this excess moisture is not well tolerated by the plant. With proper care, an indoor rosemary plant can provide months of delicious scents and culinary treats. They go from six to eight hours of strong, direct light to four to six hours of weak or indirect light. Rosemary is a fairly slow-growing plant, so it's usually easiest to buy nursery-grown plants rather than start your own from seed. Potted rosemary should be kept on a bright windowsill that receives light all day, or in a well-lit room, like a sunroom. Mist the seeds with water using a spray bottle, making sure … Perhaps best of all, it's highly fragrant and delicious to cook with—a simple brush against the plant with your hand is enough to release waves of delightful rosemary scent. A lot of pros put a layer of rocks in the drainage tray and then keep it filled with water. Jon VanZile is a Master Gardener and the author of "Houseplants for a Healthy Home. Lack of Sunlight When growing rosemary plants, provide them with well-drained, sandy soil and at least six to eight hours of sunlight. For that reason, and because rosemary is an “upside-down plant”—liking dry roots but moist foliage—fill a spray bottle with water and mist the foliage once or twice a week. It needs good air flow and will benefit from being near a door or window, in a large room.