How to grow rosemary at home

Rosemary lovers often complain that in the middle latitudes this spice does not survive in winter. What to do? Plant in a pot and on the windowsill!

How to grow rosemary at home? From seeds or from cuttings. Each method has its own difficulties, but they are quite surmountable.

We grow rosemary from seeds

Seeds are easy to find. They are sold in almost every specialized store. But this is the problem - they sprout very poorly. Sometimes sprouts have to wait a month, or even more. The secret of 100% germination is the planting method. Most people who want to have rosemary on the windowsill come standard. Planted in the ground, covered with a thick film, then a very long time waiting for seedlings. A sad picture, given the fact that with such a macar one has to reseed rosemary several times.

We reveal the secret - it is necessary to germinate the seeds in the "snail". This is a loosely folded roll of thick film, kitchen oilcloth or laminate backing. How to sow seeds in the "snail"? A strip of material 10-12 cm wide is rolled out on a flat surface. The length can be any, depending on the number of seeds.

Three strips of loose paper are placed on top, gently sprayed from the spray bottle with clean water. Then, at a distance of 0.8-1.2 cm from the upper edge, the seeds are laid out. Then carefully fold the resulting structure into a roll. Not so that the seeds breathe, but not too loose for the "snail" to keep in shape. Now you need to put all this interesting thing into a glass, pour about 1.5 cm of water into the bottom. Cover with a transparent bag on top to make a mini-greenhouse, put on germination in a dark warm place.

Shoots appear in 10-14 days. Immediately after this, the shelter is removed, and the "snail" itself, along with a glass, is transferred to a well-lit place. As soon as the first real leaflet appears, you need to roll the roll. Directly on the roots, carefully pour fertile soil mixed with sand in half. The layer should be no more than 0.5 cm. Now you need to carefully roll up the entire structure again. Do not forget to monitor the liquid level in the glass, add water if necessary.

After the appearance of the third true leaf, rosemary can be dived. Better yet, immediately plant it in a permanent place. In this case, wet paper is very well torn or cut with scissors along with the soil. It is also transplanted, along with earth and paper, so as not to damage the roots.

We grow rosemary from cuttings

Finding rosemary stalks will not be difficult for those who live near a large chain supermarket. On the shelves with greens you can always find several fresh twigs. They are great for planting. If you don’t see such a store nearby, you’ll have to get the stalk in other ways: beg for a gift, buy from friends, steal in the end. By the way, they say that stolen shoots grow best.

So, you are the happy owner of a twig. We cut off from the bottom about 6-7 cm of stem length. These leaves can be safely thrown into tea or other dishes. We carefully scratch the stem itself to a depth of not more than 1 mm. This can be done with the tip of a needle, pin or sharp blade. Now you need to quickly dip the cuts into any root stimulator and you can plant the cuttings in the ground.

For the first week you need to arrange a greenhouse over it, then you can remove it. As soon as you notice that the stalk has taken root and has grown, then immediately pinch the crown of the central stem. This will cause the plant to throw out side shoots, which also need to be pinched.Thanks to this molding, you get a lush bush, and not a long single stalk.

Some say they rooted rosemary cuttings in a glass of water, and they did it very well. Well, the method has a place to be. Try it in water if you don’t feel like messing with cuts and all that. A twig forms roots and can be planted in a permanent place.

We plant rosemary correctly

Adult rosemary has a very powerful broad root system. Therefore, the size of the pot is required appropriate. Depth no more than 15 cm, but with a diameter of at least 20 cm. That is, low and wide. The composition of the soil for the plant is the most ordinary: fertile land, clean sand and peat. The proportions are 2 to 1 to 1. Drainage is necessarily put on the bottom of the tank, because the roots do not like fluid stagnation.

Rosemary does not have to be transplanted every year. It will be enough in spring to replace the top 3 cm of soil with a new one. This technology is suitable if you have chosen a clay or ceramic pot. When choosing a plastic container, you will have to transplant rosemary every year. By the way, the plant does not like this process, so it is better to plant it immediately in ceramics.

Rosemary Care

This spice does not require any unusual attitude, but it cannot do without leaving it at all. Sprinkle rosemary with water at room temperature. It is advisable not to allow the drying up of an earthen coma. This is fraught with death. However, fluid stagnation can cause leaf dropping. Therefore, they carefully monitor that there is no water left in the pan after watering. If in 15 minutes the liquid has not completely absorbed, then it must be drained.

Rosemary loves the light. At the same time, it is absolutely not afraid of direct sunlight. Daylight hours for him should be at least 7 hours. Therefore, on the northern windows or in the winter, additional illumination will be needed.

The temperature should be slightly cool. The most optimal temperature is from 14 to 18 ° C. At a higher position, a container of clean water is placed next to the bush to maintain air humidity. Or more often they spray it from a spray bottle, rosemary perfectly tolerates such a light shower. If you need rosemary to bloom, then in winter it is kept at a temperature of no higher than 12 ° C. Then by spring, buds will appear on it, and a little later, bluish flowers. They only lower the temperature gradually, otherwise all the leaves will be reset.

Top dressing. Absolutely any mineral fertilizer is perfectly perceived by rosemary. Will not refuse a certain amount of organic matter. Only without fanaticism, overfeeding threatens the death of the plant. From February to November, strictly on moist soil, fertilizers are added once a month. December and January, rosemary should sit on a starvation diet. Do not worry, nothing will happen to him. For two months without fertilizer, this spicy weed will survive well.

Airing. Rosemary likes fresh air, but not a draft. Ventilate the plant more often, it will more than thank you for this. Better yet, after the threat of freezing frost disappears, take the pot out onto the balcony or garden. There he will grow beautifully all season.

Just be sure to bring the pot into the house long before the autumn cold weather. At + 5 ° С, shoot growth stops, at 0 ° С rosemary dies.

Pests and diseases

Before returning the pot to the windowsill, carefully check the rosemary for pests. In the climate of the middle zone, there are practically no fans of rosemary, but here is the ubiquitous aphid! She shouldn’t burst, she will be any plant, even the most unusual. Therefore, they cover the soil in the pot with cling film, and the bush itself is thoroughly washed under running water. Then quarantined. And only then they return to their native place by the window.

Try to do without insecticides and get rid of aphids by hand.Because after using the poison, you can forget about the culinary purpose of rosemary. However, this does not detract from its decorative value and ability to disinfect the air in the room.

Of all the diseases, only one threatens rosemary - powdery mildew. And even then, it arises only with a sharp change in temperature. How to deal with it? To begin with, provide the plant a constant temperature without sudden changes. And you will have to remove all the damaged shoots. Spraying with fungicides will help a little, because the rosemary leaves are too dense. They are covered with sturdy scales that simply will not let the drug inside the leaf.

If you missed, most of the plant is affected, then it makes sense to cut off the remaining healthy shoots and root them. The remaining diseased bush will have to be thrown away. By the way, the soil from under it is also good for nothing. It is already infected with pathogenic bacteria and must also be thrown out.

Useful Tips

1. For uniform growth of shoots, you should turn the rosemary pot 40-45 ° every week. After all, each side of the plant should receive its portion of sunlight in full.
2. Before planting, be sure to disinfect the soil, even if it was purchased in a specialized store. The required amount of land is poured into a dense bag, then placed in the freezer for 3 days. Then they take it out, allow it to thaw completely. Then it is thoroughly shed with a very strong solution of potassium permanganate, and after 12 hours it is calcined in the oven at a temperature of 105-110 ° C. After complete cooling, the soil is ready for planting. It no longer contains larvae of pests and pathogens.
3. Before sowing seeds in the "snail" they are not soaked! It will be enough of the liquid that is in the impregnated paper and at the bottom of the cup. For additional heat, you can put a container with a roll on a foam plate or a woolen cloth. A wooden or cork stand for hot is also quite suitable.
4. Try to avoid picking plants. Rosemary is much easier to tolerate a landing than transplanting into another soil. It is better to immediately plant it in a permanent place so as not to disturb the root system anymore.
5. If the tips of the leaves began to turn yellow in rosemary, then he asks for a drink. Do not forget, the earthen lump should not dry completely.
6. Nipping the shoots can be carried out from spring to autumn. In winter, it is better not to touch the plant. Even if rosemary began to stretch in height due to lack of light, it is advisable to use additional illumination in winter. A pinch to leave until a more appropriate moment.
7. Rosemary is very responsive to regular loosening of the soil. Its roots love to breathe. Only carry out this procedure very carefully so as not to damage them. You can use a fork with short teeth, a wooden stick. If there is no possibility or desire to constantly loosen the earth in a pot, then when planting it add fine gravel, broken brick or pieces of limestone. This will increase the breathability of the soil.

How to grow rosemary at home? Not so difficult. With the most standard agricultural technology, it’s quite possible to get a fragrant bush up to 60 cm high on the windowsill. It can grow up to one and a half meters, only you need it? Form the rosemary correctly and you can constantly enjoy the fragrant seasoning of your own production. Or use it for cosmetic purposes.

Video: how to plant rosemary from seeds