How to grow rosemary at home from seed?

Any housewife uses various seasonings and herbs for cooking. Few shops can boast a wide selection of such spices, and some of them are in short supply at all. But don't despair. To always have spicy herbs on hand, you can try to grow them at home. This process is not too difficult if you follow certain recommendations. This article will focus on rosemary and, in particular, how to grow this amazing plant.

What is rosemary?

It is an evergreen shrub with tough needle-like leaves, reaching a height of 3 meters. The essential oils it contains give it a rich aroma. In addition, thanks to them, rosemary is used in cosmetology and medicine.

The essential oil of this plant contains:

• alkaloids;
• rosemary acid;
• tannins;
• bornyl acetate;
• resin;
• camphor;
• borneol;
• caryophyllene.

For the first time rosemary oil was obtained in the 14th century and to this day, this product is very popular, as it has many useful properties. In order to obtain 1 kg of oil, it is required to process 50 kg of flowering leaves.

How to grow rosemary at home from seeds?

It is necessary to germinate seeds at home in the spring, 7 to 9 weeks before planting. Some of them may not germinate at all, because this plant is very demanding. Before planting them, the seeds are soaked for 1 - 2 hours in a glass of water at room temperature.

Also follows choose the right container for growing rosemary from seeds. This could be:

• seedling box;
• small pots, but always with drainage holes for draining water.

Rosemary prefers light soil, so for the container you should choose a universal peat-based substrate or collect soil from a coniferous forest yourself. You can also use leafy compost soil.

Then, small pieces of foam or expanded clay (drainage) are laid out on the bottom of a container for growing rosemary from seeds. This should take up about 1/3 of the pot. After that, it is filled with a substrate and the soil is moistened. It should be watered with honey water (1 teaspoon honey per 0.5 l of water).

After the soil has been prepared, the rosemary seeds are planted at a certain distance from each other. Before that, they must be sprinkled with water, and after planting they are covered with a small layer of soil and slightly moistened. Then the container is covered with foil and placed in a warm a place with a temperature of +28 degrees.

After a few weeks, the sprouts appear on the surface. In this case, the film can already be removed. The container for growing rosemary is transferred to a place without drafts and with good lighting. For example, it can be a window sill located on the sunny side of the apartment. Do not forget about watering the sprouts.

Growing rosemary from seeds at home is not so difficult, the main thing is to adhere to certain rules.

Plant transplant

When the sprouts reached a height of 8 - 10 cm, they are transplanted into the soil. Each plant should have its own pot, which is prepared in advance. Clay pots with drainage holes are best suited for growing rosemary.

First, the container is filled with soil, in which a recess is made so that it is slightly wider than the planting cell with a rosemary sprout. Then the sprout is carefully taken out of the box in which it grew, together with an earthen clod, and transplanted into the ground. The soil is lightly tamped and moistened.

Care features

Growing rosemary from seeds at home is a delicate and lengthy process. For a plant to be strong and healthy, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for it, which include:

• temperature regime;
• lighting;
• moisturizing.

Let's consider them in more detail.

Temperature

Adult plant at home should grow at temperatures from +15 to +25 degrees... If it is on the windowsill, then it is necessary to open the window as rarely as possible. Otherwise, sharp temperature drops lead to leaf fall.

Lighting

It is best to grow rosemary at home on a windowsill located on the south side of the apartment. Only in this case will he receive sufficient sunlight. Special light filters can be useful only in winter, since the lack of ultraviolet radiation is bad for the health of the plant.

Moisturizing

Rosemary should grow in light humidity conditions, as its dryness can negatively affect the condition of the plant and you will have to spray it with water as often as possible.

Water the rosemary every three days to keep the soil only slightly moist. But if the temperature in the room is more than +25 degrees, then this should be done every day.

Main problems

Excessive moisture in the soil leads to the fact that on the leaves and stems of rosemary white bloom appears... In this case, the amount of watering should be sharply reduced, and the plant must be warmed up in the sun. In addition, a fungicide can eliminate the problem, but after that the rosemary becomes unusable.

He can also be struck by a disease such as a spider mite. Excessively dry air contributes to its appearance. With the help of an insecticide, rosemary is sprayed, after which ordinary water is used in the same way for a week. To prevent the appearance of pests, the plant should be taken out into fresh air.

Since large bushes are capable of overgrowing with the formation of a large number of shoots, they should be replanted... In this case, it is necessary to change the soil with the introduction of a small amount of fertilizer.

Thus, if there is a desire to always have rosemary, growing this plant at home is the best option. You can use seeds for this. This is a rather troublesome business, but quite justified, since you can always enjoy the magnificent taste of this plant.

Spicy properties, peculiar aroma, delicate beauty of flowers are the beneficial properties that rosemary possesses. Growing from seeds makes it possible not to buy a favorite plant, but to have a spice always at hand, to share the seasoning with relatives. The collection of ornamental plants will be replenished with several more specimens of this unusual shrub.How to grow rosemary at home, is it possible, how to properly care for a southern guest?

Content:

Rosemary what is it

Rosemary is a shrub that belongs to the labiate family. Its leaves are thin, long and tough, remain bright green all year round, very similar to spruce needles. And the taste resembles pine needles, but it has nothing to do with plants of this type. Rosemary is Latin for "drops of the sea". During flowering, it is covered with light blue or purple fragrant flowers, thanks to this, it gets its name. A strong ramified root system rushes 4 m deep into the ground, the height of the bush reaches one and a half meters.

Rosemary is a child of the warm Mediterranean and thrives in warm climates. Found in Europe, in the Crimea, bushes are used as a hedge.

The complex composition of essential oils contained in the leaves of the plant gives them an extraordinary taste, which makes it possible to use it as a spice. Rosemary is widely used:

• seasoning adds sophistication and unusual taste to dishes;
• complex spice mixtures and aromatic salts are composed with his participation;
• used in industry in the preparation of semi-finished products, canned food, marinades;
• it is used to make rosemary essential oil, tinctures, wine;
• in folk medicine, decoctions are prepared for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, genitourinary system;
• added rosemary to cosmetics and perfumery;
• medicine does not refuse it, it is a part of medicines.

Important! Rosemary leaves are rich in phytoncides, so the air in the room where it is located will always be fresh, viruses and bacteria will die. Quite often, the medicinal properties of rosemary are used to heal and prevent diseases.

How to grow rosemary on your own so that a wonderful plant is always at hand?

Growing from seeds

Growing rosemary from seeds is not easy because the germination rate is very low. But for those who are not afraid of difficulties, this method is a good alternative, since the seeds are available, they are easy to purchase in the store.

When to plant

The optimal planting time is the end of winter, during this time the sprouts will germinate, get stronger, with the onset of warmth they can be planted outside.

The process can be broken down into several stages:

1. Before planting, the seeds must be soaked for 12 hours. While they absorb moisture and wake up, you can prepare the soil. The main requirement for it is neutrality, the plant does not tolerate high acidity. Take 2 parts of turf, add 1 part of peat, sand and humus. The result is an excellent airy substrate suitable for the growth of young shrubs.
2. The next stage is landing. The earth must be moistened, then the seeds must be decomposed. Their sizes are small, so they do not need to be buried. Do not be afraid that they are sown thickly, not all will sprout. Crops must be sprayed again from the spray bottle.
3. The box is covered with cling film, this will provide moisture and stable temperature. It is necessary to ensure that the seeds do not suffocate under the polyethylene; several small holes are made for ventilation. The acceptable temperature for germination is 28-29 ° C, for this the container is placed in a warm place.
4. Seedlings will begin to germinate depending on germination, you should not expect that this will happen quickly, some will hatch after 3 weeks, others can lie quietly for a month.
5. Watering is carried out regularly, avoiding drying out; for this, a spray bottle is used.

Important! If seedlings do not appear after 30 days, you will have to repeat the sowing procedure.

With the first shoots, the film is removed. With the onset of warmth, seedlings are allowed to be briefly exposed to the sun and ventilated. From this it will become stronger, it will grow better.

When the seedlings grow up to 8 cm, 3 full-fledged leaves will appear on it, it must be carefully cut into separate pots to a permanent place.

Tip: For rosemary, excess moisture is destructive, so you can't do without drainage from small pebbles or expanded clay at the bottom of the pot.

Growing from cuttings

It is more customary to grow a shrub from cuttings, and the plant will pass on its maternal qualities for sure. To do this, at the end of June, woody shoots are cut off from an adult plant. It is better to choose a shoot with a length of about 10 cm with 3-4 internodes. You can immediately put it in a small bowl of water and wait for the roots to appear. There is one more way, more correct and faster:

1. Clean the stalk from the lower leaves, place in a rooting stimulator for the period specified in the instructions.
2. Then the end of the shoot goes deep into the ground. The substrate should be loose and light. Some use a mixture of sand and peat, it is allowed to take ordinary earth by mixing it with a baking powder: perlite or vermiculite is suitable.
3. Place the pot in a warm place out of direct sunlight.
4. The soil should always be moist, but not too wet, otherwise the tip of the cutting in the ground will start to rot.

The roots will appear in 2 weeks, after waiting a little more, the shoot is transplanted into a pot or soil. It is preferable to choose earthenware for planting, since the root system of rosemary is well developed, it should also be spacious enough.

When it finally takes root, you can pinch off the top, then the bush will branch out and become fluffy.

Interesting: If it is difficult to get cuttings for planting, then you can buy green sprigs of rosemary at the grocery store, fresh herbs put in water will quickly give roots, after which they are transplanted into a pot.

How to care

Depending on where the plant is planted, caring for it may be slightly different.

In the country

If rosemary is planted in an open field, then special care is not required for it, usually it is:

• moderate watering;
• feeding once a week with organic or mineral fertilizers;
• loosening the soil;
• weeding.

In cold weather, the insulation of the bush is required if the temperature in winter drops to -3. In the middle lane, it is enough to insulate the bush at the dacha, it will die, it is better to transplant it into a tub and bring it home.

Important! The grown stems of rosemary become bare, so the bush must be pruned by the end of winter to allow young shoots to grow. It will become fluffy again.

At home

Rosemary cannot be called too capricious plant, but when growing at home in a pot, it requires certain rules to be followed:

1. Rosemary is a southern plant, sunlight, warmth and moderate moisture are the conditions in which the plant feels comfortable. A light window sill in the south or east is the most suitable option.
2. The bush is picky about moisture, if it is not watered in time, it will respond with yellowing of the leaves. Excess watering is even worse: the roots begin to rot, and the plant dies. Therefore, the optimal time to moisten the soil will be when its top layer dries up by 3 or 5 cm.
3. For good growth, the bush needs fresh air, in the summer it is taken out to the balcony, if there is a plot, it can be planted in the country. Sudden changes in temperature are contraindicated for him, if he is left on the loggia in the fall, he will lose leaves.
4. In winter and autumn, additional lighting is needed on the windowsill, a phytolamp is perfect for these purposes. In winter, you do not need to water the rosemary often; trimming at this time is also undesirable.
5. Fertilize the bush in a pot every 15 days in the warm season, in winter, a one-time feeding with phosphate is enough per month, nitrogen fertilizers are suitable for summer.
6. Rosemary grows very quickly, so that the roots have enough space, it must be transplanted into spacious pots after 2 years.

Important! In order for the plant to please in the spring with rapid flowering, it needs to create winter conditions: 10 degrees, rare watering.

Diseases and pests disturb rosemary infrequently, if a spider mite appears, a soap solution will help get rid of it.Powdery mildew develops from dampness, then it is processed with any suitable preparation, only these leaves cannot be eaten, it is better to wait until new ones grow.

Tip: Cutting rosemary sprigs for seasoning is best during the flowering period, at which time they are rich in nutrients. The shoots are dried, crushed, folded into jars with tight lids, with this storage the aroma lasts up to 3 years.

It is quite affordable to grow rosemary at home, the main thing is to provide the plant with high-quality care, then the aromatic spice can always make the cooked dishes even tastier, and bright delicate flowers will decorate the house or garden plot.

Among spicy-aromatic plants, rosemary rightfully occupies one of the first places. In most European countries, it is grown everywhere, both in large agricultural firms and in private estates. And those who do not have their own plot of land cultivate rosemary as a houseplant so that they always have their favorite seasoning at hand. With us, it is just beginning to gain popularity, so many simply do not know how to grow this valuable crop from seeds at home. Meanwhile, this is not at all difficult to do, although you will have to be patient.

How to grow rosemary

Description of rosemary

Rosemary belongs to the evergreen shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. Wild representatives of this species are most common in the northern regions of Africa, southern Europe, and Cyprus. It was brought to Russia at the beginning of the century before last, and since then it grows here only in culture. In the wild, rosemary is not found on the territory of the Russian Federation, since it does not tolerate the climatic conditions of the middle zone.

Rosemary - description

The plant is a lush bush with a height of 50 to 200 cm (depending on the variety), with pubescent tetrahedral stems and small leaves, similar to needles. Purple, slightly elongated flowers are collected in 5-10 pieces at the tips of short shoots. After flowering, smooth, small, rounded brown fruit nuts are formed. Rosemary blooms in April-May, seeds ripen in mid-September.

Rosemary bloom

The leaves contain tannins, alkaloids and acids, but the most valuable component is essential oil, which is widely used in medicine and cosmetology. Depending on the region of growth, when harvesting raw materials, from 0.3 to 1.2% of oil is obtained from the total mass of the plant. The maximum content of essential oil is observed during abundant flowering and when ripe seeds are shedding.

The chemical composition of the aerial part of the plant

Carbohydrates	64.06 g
Protein	4.88 g
Ascorbic acid	61.2 mg
Thiamine	0.514 mg
Riboflavin	0.428 mg
Vitamin B6	1.74 mg
Potassium	955 mg
Magnesium	220 mg
Phosphorus	70 mg
Iron	29.25 mg
Selenium	4.6 mg
Zinc	3.23 mg

Growing from seeds

Growing rosemary in a pot

Growing this crop from seed takes a lot of time and patience, as opposed to propagating by cuttings. But getting seeds is much easier than getting good cuttings if rosemary is not grown anywhere nearby. The most optimal way to breed a spice at home is to grow a bush from seeds, and then propagate it vegetatively.

Seed preparation and sowing

Rosemary seeds

Rosemary: seeds

Rosemary, seeds from Holland

Rosemary seeds tend to germinate for a very long time, so sowing should be started no later than a month and a half before the onset of stable heat. This is usually the second half of February or early March, depending on the region. To speed up the germination process, the seeds must be properly prepared.

Step 1. The seeds are placed in a glass and poured with a small amount of warm, settled water. Leave to swell for 5-6 hours.

Germinating seeds

Seed soaking

Step 2... The soil substrate is prepared: 2 parts of garden soil with neutral acidity, 1 part of river sand, 1 part of rotted compost. If it is not possible to prepare the soil mixture on your own, use a ready-made substrate for indoor plants.

Step 3. Take containers for sowing up to 15 cm high, poured expanded clay or small pebbles for drainage on the bottom, fill it with a prepared substrate.

Specially prepared seedling mixes are fine, you can also use sand or vermiculite

Step 4. Spread the swollen seeds over the surface, sprinkle them a little with earth (no more than 0.4 cm), moisten the substrate with water from a spray bottle.

Plant the seeds in the box

Drizzle with water from a spray bottle

Step 5. The container is covered with a film or a transparent lid and placed in a warm place, for example, above a battery. The optimum temperature for germination is considered to be 25-30 degrees Celsius.

Cover the drawer

The first shoots will begin to appear no earlier than a month later, and for full shoots it will take 6 to 8 weeks. All this time, they maintain a stable temperature, and periodically check the moisture content of the substrate under the shelter. If necessary, the soil surface should be moistened with a spray gun. When shoots appear, the film must be removed to avoid the death of delicate shoots from the black leg.

Rosemairn sprouts in a box

Seedling care

Rosemary sprouts

The main condition for the normal development of seedlings is good lighting and warmth. It is best to put a box with seedlings on the windowsill on the south side, and in cloudy weather, also supplement it with a phytolamp. The room temperature should not drop below 18 degrees. Watering is very moderate, through a spray, preferably in the morning.

Rosemary seed: sprout care

If the distance between the seedlings is at least 3 cm, it is not necessary to dive them into separate containers. With sufficient light, they can grow quite normally for a month without thinning. If the seedlings are too dense, picking is indispensable. As soon as two true leaves are formed, the seedlings dive into separate cups or small pots with loose and nutritious soil.

Rosemary transplant

When the sprouts reach a height of 3-4 cm, the seedlings can be hardened a little. They choose a warm, windless day for this and put the rosemary by the open window for a few minutes. It is very important to avoid drafts, otherwise the seedlings may die. Gradually, the hardening time is increased, you can take the pots with plants to the balcony and leave them outside for longer and longer. When outdoors, be sure to protect the seedlings from wind, rain and direct sunlight. During this period, the plants are very vulnerable, therefore, their care must be especially careful.

Growing rosemary in pots

Rosemary bush in a pot

Disembarkation to a permanent place

When the seedlings are strong enough and grow up to 7-8 cm in height, they can be transplanted to a permanent place. It can be open ground or a large flowerpot. If you are going to grow rosemary outdoors, choose the right place for it: it should be a well-lit area with drained light soil, preferably with an admixture of limestone. In the lowland, in the shade, in a ventilated place, rosemary will not grow, you will only waste your energy and destroy the plant.

Step 1. The soil is loosened well, recesses for the roots are made, a handful of rotted organic matter is introduced into each hole and mixed with the ground.

Step 2. The seedlings are carefully separated and taken out one at a time along with a clod of earth to minimize trauma to the root system.

Planting rosemary in the ground

Step 3. Each sprout is carefully lowered into a separate hole, leveled and sprinkled with soil from all sides. Water, add soil again and lightly tamp it with your hands.

When planting for decorative purposes, the minimum distance between the bushes should be 10 cm.When planting in order to collect raw materials, at least half a meter is left between the plants. If the rosemary is planted in pots, everything is done in much the same way, but first, several small holes are made in the bottom for drainage. Instead of ordinary soil, it is better to take a mixture of vermiculite and sand, so you can maintain optimal humidity in the flowerpot. After transplanting, the flowerpots are placed in a light shade for a couple of days to make it easier for plants to adapt to new conditions.

Plant care

Growing rosemary outdoors

One of the most important maintenance conditions is proper watering. The soil in a pot or in a garden bed should not be wet, but it should not dry out either. Watch the plant carefully: if the lower leaves have lightened, began to turn yellow, the roots do not have enough water. If the leaves fall off, this means an excess of moisture. Water should be poured directly onto the ground to keep the leaves dry. Plants intended for use in food should be fed only with organic fertilizers, no more than once every 2 months.

Rosemary is resistant to most diseases and pests, but sometimes it is affected by spider mites, scabbard and leaf spot. If the mite has just appeared on the plants, it is enough to wash the leaves with soapy water and the pest will disappear. In case of severe damage, only insecticides will help, for example, Fitoverm or Agravertin. If affected by spotting, the bushes need to be sprayed with copper-containing preparations.

Means "Fitoverm"

Fitoverm, instruction

In indoor conditions, the plant needs to provide maximum light. Periodically, the flowerpot should be turned to the window with the other side so that all shoots receive sufficient lighting.

Turn the pot

Also, do not forget to regularly air the bushes by exposing them to the balcony in warm weather. Over time, rosemary grows and requires formative pruning. It should be done at least twice a year - in early spring and early autumn.

With the onset of cold weather, plants in flowerpots should be brought into the house. In order for the bush to continue to develop normally in winter, the temperature in the room should not be higher than 16 and below 10 degrees Celsius. Rosemary, planted in beds, in the southern and central regions can winter in the ground under cover. It is best to sprinkle the soil at the roots with a thick layer of sawdust or dry foliage, and this must be done in time before the first frosts. To prevent thin shoots from breaking under the snow, you can bend them to the ground and cover them with spruce branches.

Propagation by cuttings

By autumn, bushes grown from seeds can be propagated by cuttings. By the way, this is an effective way to preserve the plant for the next year.

Step 1. The strongest shoots are chosen and cuttings 9-10 cm long are cut from them.

Rooting green rosemary cuttings

Rooted cuttings

Step 2. Prepare the soil: mix 1 part of sod land with 2 parts of sand and 1 part of peat. The resulting substrate is heated for at least an hour in the oven to destroy harmful microorganisms.

Step 3... They take a pot, pour a layer of expanded clay for drainage, then fill it with soil mixture, wate it abundantly with water.

Preparing the soil

Step 4. The lower ends of the cuttings are dipped in a root or other root stimulator, and planted in a prepared container. The cuttings are buried in the soil by about 3-4 cm.

Transplanting rosemary cuttings

Step 5. Cover the pot with a transparent bag, in which ventilation holes are made, and place it on the windowsill from the south or west side. Be sure to shade from direct sunlight.

Cover the rosemary

Seedlings in peat pots

It will take about three weeks for rooting. All this time, monitor the temperature in the room, do not allow sudden changes in it. Examine the cuttings carefully, immediately remove the rotten twigs.When the root system is formed, you can begin to transplant the plants into separate pots. Do everything as described above, but only take more containers so that there is enough space for the roots.

Rosemary tips

Rules for the collection and procurement of raw materials

Rosemary begins to be consumed in the second year after planting. By this time, the bush will already get stronger and grow, and many useful substances will accumulate in its leaves and young shoots. For drying and freezing, raw materials are collected during the flowering of the bush.

Cut off the twigs

Only young healthy stems are cut, with or without flowers. Cut shoots are laid out in a thin layer under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area with low humidity.

Wrap the rosemary with parchment paper while drying. Thus, dust will not settle during drying and rosemary will not fade in sunlight.

Dry rosemary separately from other aromatic herbs so as not to mix odors. When the stems are dry, they can be shredded for convenience and stored in a glass container with a tight lid.

How to dry rosemary

If you prefer to freeze your herbs rather than dry them, take a clean plastic bag, fold dry, clean rosemary sprigs in them, remove excess air, and close tightly. The bags can now be placed in the freezer. With this method, greens are stored for several months without loss of taste, but in dry form and sealed containers even longer - about 2 years. But it is best, of course, to use freshly cut shoots, and growing rosemary indoors provides this opportunity.

Frozen storage

Video - Growing rosemary from seeds at home

Video - Planting rosemary in open ground

Rosemary is a small light-loving bush that migrated to our area from the Mediterranean. Thanks to their wonderful aroma, the twigs of the plant have been used in cooking for several centuries for the preparation of many dishes. The substances contained in rosemary improve mood, relieve stress, and improve skin condition.

A spicy heat-loving plant is unable to withstand the winter of the middle lane. To preserve rosemary until spring, gardeners have to move it to an apartment and continue growing at home.

Features of growing at home

Despite the fact that rosemary came to us from warm countries, in winter it must be kept in cool conditions. It is best to place the plant pot on a well-insulated balcony or windowsill on the south side of the house.

In addition, the plant needs good air circulation for several hours a day. These are, perhaps, all the features of growing rosemary on a windowsill in an apartment. All other requirements are quite standard and easy to fulfill.

What varieties are suitable for growing in an apartment

Before planting a bush you like, you need to take into account the fact that in nature, rosemary can grow up to 2 m in height and 1.5 m in width. Naturally, such a large-sized plant cannot fit in any apartment. Therefore, in a confined space, it is recommended to grow undersized varieties rosemary such as Rosinka, Tenderness, Severn Sea, Taurentius. During the flowering period, the above varieties are covered with white, blue and purple small flowers with a delicate aroma.

Tall species can also be grown on a windowsill, only they need to be cut frequently. Among plants 1-1.5 m high, it is worth paying attention to the Veshnyakovsky Semko variety - with leathery leaves and purple flowers, Salem - with fragrant purple flowers, Roseus - with large pink flowers.

How to plant and grow on a windowsill - features, conditions and step-by-step instructions

When growing rosemary on a windowsill, it is important to comply with all agrotechnical requirements. Only a bush growing in a favorable environment will serve as an interior decoration, a storehouse of useful substances and unique taste.

What should be the place

Before you get a spicy plant, you need to familiarize yourself with its characteristics in advance. The following information will help you determine if your rosemary will be able to create the right conditions.

Temperature

The optimum temperature in the room where the rosemary pots are located is+ 12- + 16 C... Warmer environments are bad for spring blooms.

Important! Rosemary reacts to sharp fluctuations in temperature by dropping leaves.

Humidity

So that the plant is not attacked by fungi, the air humidity in the apartment should be below average. Rosemary will grow rapidly if the room is ventilated daily for 2-3 hours. In winter, air circulation can be arranged using a conventional fan.

The potting medium should be constantly moist, but never wet. It is better to underfill the rosemary and allow the soil to dry out for a short time than to turn the soil mixture into a swamp.

Illumination

In order for rosemary to form leaves more actively, in winter a light-loving plant must be placed on the south or east windowsill. In the summer, a container of rosemary is transferred to the balcony or planted on the site. The pot must be periodically turned towards the light by one or the other side. Thus, deformation can be avoided when the plant bends to one side of the light, which often happens when growing light-loving plants on a windowsill.

On short winter days, rosemary gratefully responds to morning and evening supplemental fluorescent lighting.

What container to plant

Due to the fact that the root system of rosemary is highly branched, the plant must be planted in spacious clay or terracotta pot. The optimal dimensions of the planting container: height 15-20 cm, width 25 cm.Deviations from the recommended values ​​downward by 3-5 cm are allowed.

What kind of soil (substrate)

To plant rosemary on a windowsill in an apartment in a flower shop they buy neutral or slightly alkaline soil for growing seedlings. Instead of purchased soil, you can use a mixture of garden soil and sand. The main condition is that the soil must be loose and breathable. Before planting, the bottom of the pot is laid with a layer of drainage through which excess water will flow into the pan.

Preparing seeds or cuttings for planting

Semyonand rosemary sprout very long and poorly: seedlings make their way to the surface only a month after sowing. To accelerate the emergence of seedlings, on the eve of planting, the seeds are soaked for 24 hours in water or a growth stimulator.

Cherenko preparationin rosemary for subsequent cultivation on the windowsill is carried out in the following sequence:

1. In late spring, on a healthy bush, the tops of young shoots 8-10 cm long are cut off.
2. Planting material is cleaned from foliage
3. The cut sites are dipped in a growth stimulator, due to which roots are formed faster.

Direct landing

All preparatory work will be useless if the landing is not correct. The procedure depends on the type of planting material.

Seeds rosemary is sown in this way:

1. The planting material is evenly spread over a container covered with a damp substrate. Please note that due to poor germination of seeds, you need twice as much as you plan to get seedlings.
2. Sprinkle them on top with a 0.5 cm layer of moist earth
3. The container with crops is covered with glass or foil and placed in a warm place where the temperature is + 25- + 30C. Lighting is irrelevant at this stage.
4. As soon as the seedlings hatch, the box is gradually opened and transferred to a bright place. Moisten the substrate as needed using a spray bottle.

Landing cuttings rosemary for growing on a windowsill is carried out as follows:

1. To prepare the substrate, sand is mixed with peat moss.
2. Prepared cuttings are buried in the soil at an angle of 30-45 degrees.
3. The container is covered with a film and holes are made in it so that fresh air can flow to the handle.
4. The box is placed in a warm, bright place. The mini greenhouse needs to be periodically opened and sprayed.
5. At 3-4 weeks of age, new plants can be transplanted into a permanent pot.

Video: features and difficulties of growing rosemary in a pot at home

How to care after planting and before harvest

All cultivated plants, without exception, need care, including the unpretentious rosemary. Of course, you can let everything take its course, however, in this case, the plant will be "liquid" and low-yielding. So what does rosemary need to grow normally at home?

Watering

Watering the plant, you need to adhere to the golden mean. For rosemary, prolonged dampness or drought is extremely undesirable: in the first case, the roots will begin to rot and the plant will die, in the second the leaves will turn yellow and fall off, after which the rosemary will dry out. During flowering and in winter, the amount of watering is minimized.

Important! It is necessary to water the plant at the root, since the ingress of moisture on the leaves causes the appearance of fungi.

Top dressing and fertilization

The first time the rosemary seedlings are fed at the age of 1 month. In the future, the bush is fed 2 times a month. In winter, when the plant grows very slowly, rosemary is fertilized once a month. As a top dressing, mineral fertilizers are used in accordance with the instructions or organic dressings (1: 5).

Transplant and pruning

You need to transplant rosemary once a year, preferably in the spring. The transplant is carried out by the transshipment method:

1. The plant, along with the earthen clod, is removed from the old pot.
2. In tall varieties, part of the roots and aerial parts are cut off in order to dull their growth. Low-growing ones are transplanted without pruning.
3. The prepared rosemary is placed in a new pot and the missing soil is poured, lightly tamped and watered.

Over time, the branches of mature bushes become very bare, and the plant becomes less decorative. To prevent this from happening, rosemary is periodically pruned. With the help of pruning, the bush is given the desired shape, and the cut off branches are harvested for the winter or used for cooking in the near future.

Worth knowing! Harvesting and crown formation is best done during flowering, when the maximum amount of nutrients is collected in the branches.

Cutting stimulates the plant to grow actively, as a result of which rosemary grows many lateral shoots and becomes more luxuriant and beautiful.

Important! Rosemary will tolerate pruning well if at least a third of the entire length remains from young shoots. Pruning to old wood makes the plant weak and vulnerable.

Diseases and pests

Rosemary growing on the site is much less prone to colonization of microorganisms and insects than a spice plant grown in an apartment on a windowsill, but it is still susceptible to some diseases.

• If the indoor air is too dry, the plant will attack spider mite. You can get rid of the pest by spraying the plant with biologics safe for health or self-prepared solutions. If rosemary sprigs are not added to food, the plant is treated with an insecticide.
• Places of congestion scabbards treated with a weak solution of vinegar. Rubbing is done every 5 days.
• Yellowed lower leaves indicate a lack of moisture.
• To get rid of blotches, rosemary is sprayed with preparations containing copper.

Terms of germination and harvesting

The seeds of a spicy plant are simultaneously endowed with low and long germination. Provided that optimal conditions are created, seedlings appear only 3-5 weeks after sowing.

TO harvesting the fragrant plant can be started immediately after the length of the branches will reach 15 cm... To make the rosemary bush faster, experienced gardeners recommend periodically pinching the top.

The main thing in growing rosemary on a windowsill in an apartment where there is a pot with a bush is to create the right microclimate. It is equally important to cut off the spice in time and treat it from diseases and pests. For the care rendered, rosemary will certainly thank the gardener with its appearance and fragrant twigs.

Video: growing rosemary at home