How to Grow Great Rosemary in Your Home Garden

The herb rosemary has many uses. It can be used in the garden, kitchen, and bath. It has been used since ancient Greece and is a favorite among modern gardeners. Here are some tips to help you grow great rosemary in your home garden or container collection.

It was believed that rosemary helped improve memory in ancient Greece. Many students would wear a garland of rosemary in their hair while studying. They did this in hopes that it would help them retain more for the information for their exams. Rosemary was believed to also help keep bad dreams and demons at bay in the middle ages. It was placed under the pillow by many men and women.

Rosemary is much more than a spice for cooking. It can be used in sachets for drawers, rinses for hair, and can add a piney scent to soaps, creams, and lotions. It can also be used to enhance the flavor of mushrooms, tomatoes, peas, lentils, spinach, cheese, squash and eggs. Both the flowers and leaves can be used in both garnishes and many recipes. The spiky leaves should be crushed or minced before use. Then they can be sprinkled or rubbed into foods.

Your rosemary plant will grow in branching stems that are covered with fragrant needlelike green leaves. It will be in clumps that are somewhat shrubby. Rosemary is a half-hardy perennial that is an evergreen in temperature zones 8 through 9. In temperature zones 6 and 7 there is a hardy variety, called "Arp", that can be grown outside. Otherwise, you will have to grow the plant in a container and bring it inside during the winter months. These plants can reach 5 to 6 feet tall if they are grown outdoors. Most of the plants grown in containers, however, will reach 1 to 3 feet in height.

Rosemary will grow best if the soil is well-drained, sandy, or gravelly. It will need full sun to thrive. If you start your plants from seeds, you will need patience. The seedlings will grow slowly and the percentage of seeds that will germinate is very low. It might be better for you to buy a plant from your garden center or local nursery. If you are growing rosemary in containers, place them about 2 feet apart. If you plan to grow the rosemary as a perennial in the garden, they should be spaced at least 4 feet apart.

It is safe to begin to harvest rosemary as soon as the plant has been established and is growing. Clip off a sprig and then strip the needles from the stem before using. They should be chopped up before you put them into any recipes. This herb can also be dried or frozen. If you choose to freeze it, use whole sprigs. When you need a bit of rosemary, just take off as many leaves as is needed.

Rosemary is an easy herb to grow, once it has sprouted. It is always enjoyable to be able to use fresh herbs in anything you are cooking. Hopefully, these tips will help you grow an abundance of rosemary for you and your family to enjoy.