Growing Your Own Herbs in Limited Space - Rosemary

Rosemary is an evergreen member of the mint family and a fragrant herb which is often used in cooking. While not an overly pricey herb to purchase in the store, Rosemary is also not free so you may save a few dollars by growing your own. Top that off with the fact that the plant is an attractive one to look at, which may be pruned and trimmed nicely, and which adds a strong aromatic scent element to any herb garden and you have a nice incentive to grow your own Rosemary.

While Rosemary may be grown in a garden it is also suited to being grown in a large flower pot or box, making it perfect for an apartment or other dwelling where you may not have room for a "proper" outdoor garden. Inside a house or an apartment Rosemary will add a fresh herbal smell which is particularly delightful around the holidays. In fact since Rosemary has the appearance of an evergreen, you will often find Rosemary "bushes," sold at Christmas time, and trimmed in the shape of a small Christmas tree. Some folks even put lights and decorations on them. In outdoor gardens, Rosemary bushes may grow quite large and, since it may be pruned into shapes, it makes good topiary.

Rosemary may be found, in the spring, at stores such as Wal-Mart for about $3. Wal-Mart often sells these plants in a biodegradable, "Peat-planter" which makes replanting a snap. You simply remove the plastic instruction wrap and then the bottom from the container; dig a hole to fit and plant, container and all. For Rosemary, whether you are using a "Peat-planter" or regular transplanting, you should plant it slightly deeper than the level of the dirt in the original container. Water it well upon transplanting and once the soil has become dry thereafter. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region and is very drought and pest resistant. In fact, it does not like too much water. Let the soil dry between watering. I have found that watering lightly, about once a week, works well.

As for fertilizer, personally, I used a fertilized potting soil in the flowerpots when I transplanted my Rosemary plants. I have not added any sort of fertilizer since and they have done fine so far. However, as they outgrow their current pots they will probably be transplanted once again with more fertilized soil.

Traditionally Rosemary is used medicinally and in cooking. In medieval times it had a reputation for increasing memory and cognitive ability. I do not know about memory but it does do something special for potatoes and is good for use in barbeques. I have also adde Rosemary to light olive oil for a herb dip for bread.

Overall, Rosemary is quite easy to grow and makes for the perfect herb for the beginning gardener who is just starting into herbs. Even if you are a more experienced gardener, however, you may wish to consider the addition of this delightfully scented evergreen to your garden.