Rosemary is an herb that is a staple in mediaterani foods. This herb has earned its reputation for imparting its distinctive flavor to dishes. Not a staple dish, rosemary is also seasoned in a variety of different dishes. It is an aromatic herb that is grown as an annual. Every year this plant is always cultivated to take advantage of it.
In ancient times, the ancient Greeks grew rosemary for their health needs. Actually, this is a very useful plant, some people plant it for health benefits, some want to take advantage of it in culinary delights and some as an ornamental plant for decorating the yard or room.
Start Growing Rosemary
Rosemary is easy to grow, can be grown by seed, through cuttings or through transplants. So each method of planting has an effect on how long it will take for these plants to be harvested. Especially if planted from seed, this also affects the maintenance period.
When and Where Should You Grow Rosemary?
Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant, it grows in full sun and takes six months to reach maturity. Rosemary plants can reach heights of up to two feet when fully grown. One sign that it is ripe is the ornamental nature of blue-green needles.
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How to Grow Rosemary
Now we see how to grow rosemary from these three ways.
1. Grow rosemary from seed
The average gardener is reluctant to grow rosemary from seed because it takes a long time to germinate. Usually the germination time is 10-25 days, and the treatment time is also very long, which can usually take up to two years to mature. However, those who grew from seed said they got results that matched their fatigue in treatment.
To speed up sprouting of rosemary, the seeds should be planted three months before the weather warms up. Before planting rosemary seeds, it should be soaked for 6 hours, the goal is to soften the seed coat so that the germination process is faster. Sow the seeds indoors in warm light and don’t water them. In fact, with our caution, we have only low hopes of success in cultivating it.
2. Growing Rosemary from Transplants
Another method of growing rosemary is by transplanting. For this method, you can buy plants that are ready for planting at the plant shop. However, pay attention to strong plants, and look for ones that are easy to move to open ground so that there is no stress during transplanting.
Apart from planting rosemary in open land, you can also plant it in containers. However, you should prepare a bigger container as rosemary can grow up to 3 feet. The prescription rosemary is very useful because you can bring it indoors when the frost comes. When the frost starts to disappear, you can return to take it to a warm place or go outside.
3. Growing Rosemary From Cuttings
The next method of planting rosemary is by cutting the mature plant. If you choose this method, then pay attention to the timing of cutting them, the best time to cut these plants is late spring, or when a lot of new plants start growing underneath.
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Chopping rosemary branches or stems using a sharp knife, estimate about 3 inches below the leaves. Put it in a small pot about 3 inches deep in the soil. Each pot is filled with two cutting sticks. After that, water the soil and cover with a plate or cutting lid with a plate to keep moisture. Then place it in a place that gets natural light, and not direct light. If your cuttings are completely rooted, then it’s time to move them outdoors. Usually, this will take about 8 weeks.
Preparing a Rosemary Bed
This does not apply if you are permanently growing rosemary in containers. However, if you plant in outdoor soil, the best soil is sandy and well-drained. However, this Mediterranean herb can also grow on other soils, and it is more important to keep it away from places that may be exposed to frost.
If you are planting forever, for the benefit of many years, you must find a location free from frost so as not to mess up your plans later.
Spacing between plants
The planting distance between rosemary plants affects their yield and growth. If you are growing rosemary as a seasonal crop you can space it about 2 feet. However if you are growing them as perennials, then the spacing has to be further for them to grow properly, make the distance between the plants about 4 feet.
Watering and Mulching Requirements
Rosemary is a heat resistant plant, but at the beginning of planting you must pay attention to watering it so that the plant can grow stably. Since this plant does not require a specific soil, we must take care of fertilization such as using fish emulsion or fertilizing it with fish emulsion.
