Rosemary has been used as a spice for quite some time.
Due to its healing properties, this plant quickly became widespread.
WHAT IS IT USEFUL?
Rosemary is used in the treatment of kidney and urinary tract diseases.
An infusion of leaves can normalize the secretion of bile and relieve colic.
Rosemary essential oil and its decoctions have a good effect on the hair structure (combine water and rosemary in equal parts - a glass of rosemary to a glass of water - add the resulting solution to shampoo (in a two to one ratio) and rinse your hair thoroughly.
Rosemary helps open clogged pores on the scalp, which greatly accelerates hair growth.
You can make tea with rosemary; it is very useful for the general tone of the body, improves blood circulation, and also improves hair growth being a natural stimulant.
In addition, fresh rosemary leaves will be a piquant highlight of each of your culinary masterpieces prepared in the country.
A moderate amount of this herb can be added to both meat and fish dishes.
PLANTING AND CARE
Rosemary is propagated by cuttings, which usually take root well.
The southern climate is more suitable for the plant, but it can also be successfully grown in central regions.
The main thing is not to forget that rosemary does not tolerate waterlogging and cold, so it requires mandatory shelter for the winter.
It is good to plant it in shady places.
REPRODUCTION BY CUTTINGS
- Dig a hole 10 cm deep and add rotted manure or compost.
- Plant the cutting in the hole and carefully compact the soil around it.
- Water the planted plant. In two years, the cutting will turn into a beautiful and tall bush.
Rosemary benefits and cultivation (from the Encyclopedia of Garden Plants)
Rosemary: benefits
Rosemary is one of the symbols of Easter. In medieval medical treatises, rosemary tincture is recommended to treat insomnia, and rosemary was also considered a means of preserving youth. Modern scientists have discovered alkaloids (rosmaricin), ursolic and rosmarinic acids, tannins, resins, and bitterness in rosemary leaves. The leaves, flowers and upper parts of the shoots contain essential (rosemary) oil, its yield, depending on the place of growth of the plant, is 0.3-1.2% (by wet weight). The accumulation of oil in the leaves has two maximum “peaks”: at the height of flowering and during fruit shedding.
The essential oil contains substances that make rosemary an excellent remedy for insomnia. Rosemary helps with gallbladder diseases, diabetes, and nervous disorders. Rosemary essential oil has a softening effect and helps with respiratory diseases. Rosemary is effectively used in cosmetology - in particular, to increase hair thickness.
Decoctions, infusions and rosemary oil are used for impotence, the treatment of colds, rheumatism, bronchial asthma, anemia, tonsillitis, gingivitis, stomatitis, pharyngitis, furunculosis, leucorrhoea, wounds and ulcers. Even if you have a home small bush rosemary, the air in the house or that part of the garden where rosemary grows becomes fresh, pleasant, filled with aroma and healthy.
What is it eaten with?
As a seasoning, rosemary is best suited for meat dishes– for roast pork, lamb, rabbit. This seasoning can give pet meat a gamey flavor. In traditional Greek cuisine, dried rosemary leaves are used to season meat. poultry– stewed and fried chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese. In the Mediterranean tradition, broken dry or chopped fresh rosemary leaves are mixed with parsley and ground with butter. This paste is placed in small pieces under the skin of the breast and legs of the bird, after which the bird is placed in the oven, pan or frying pan and cooked. In French cuisine, rosemary is used to add a unique flavor to meat and chicken soups, as well as pea soup. But when consumed, rosemary should not be used as a seasoning. Bay leaf, and vice versa. These two herbs do not go together.
Where to plant rosemary
The more light you can provide to your rosemary, the more fragrant its leaves will be. Lack of light leads to a decrease in essential oil in the leaves.
This is a heat-loving plant, sensitive to low temperatures. Young bushes can freeze at a temperature of -5-7 °C, and at -10 °C the above-ground part of the plant dies. Rosemary does not tolerate sudden temperature changes. Rosemary overwinters at +6-15 °C.
This Mediterranean guest is light-loving. When growing indoors, place a pot of rosemary near a south window; in a greenhouse, rosemary may require lighting.
Rosemary is drought-resistant, it should be watered sparingly: excessive watering will harm the plant.
But the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Symptoms of lack of moisture are yellowing of leaves. If watering is excessive, rosemary sheds its leaves. Stagnation of water at the roots is especially destructive for rosemary - in this case, the plant dies. In winter, watering should be moderate but regular. With the onset of spring, you need to gradually increase watering. If the summer is hot and the rosemary is in direct sunlight, you need to water it more. Good drainage is necessary. Air humidity should not be high.
This spice feels good in summer cottages, in open areas not shaded by trees. Rosemary and other herbs are sometimes planted in greenhouses with cucumbers or nightshade crops - the spices have a specific smell and repel many pests, including aphids. But in this case it is important to provide the rosemary with enough light.
The best neighbors for rosemary are basil, thyme, bay, dill and parsley.
Growing rosemary
Rosemary is not picky about soil. It can grow on almost any soil, but feels good on loose and humus-rich soils. Not suitable for growing rosemary acidic soils, as well as damp areas.
Rosemary should be grown on dry, permeable soils: the soil should be slightly alkaline or neutral. If the soil is dry and sandy, you need to add humus or peat to the soil.
Rosemary seedlings are planted in open ground in our latitudes at the end of May. Planting pattern -50 x 50 or 60 x 60 cm. This plant can also be planted with rooted layering.
In autumn, the soil of the area planned for planting rosemary
is dug over the entire length of the shovel bayonet and about 5 kg of humus or compost is added to square meter. When planting (at the end of spring), it is recommended to place a handful of ash in each hole (you can replace it with a tablespoon of mineral fertilizers in each hole). The fertilizer must be thoroughly mixed with the soil.
Each plant must be watered immediately after transplantation. warm water. Regular, daily watering with warm, settled water is needed until the bushes take root. After this, water rosemary when grown in open ground Recommended only in very hot weather.
Most often, summer residents root rosemary cuttings in a container, and at the end of May they transplant them into open ground. If growth is weak, 14-15 days after transplantation it is recommended to feed the plants with organic matter: mullein diluted with water. You can fertilize with complex mineral fertilizer. In the future, fertilizing can be done once or even twice a month.
The beds with rosemary should be mulched with fine sand - preferably river sand. Mulching will increase soil temperature and protect against weeds. In addition, the area where rosemary is grown must have good drainage.
By the way, when grown in open ground, rosemary does not get sick and is not affected by pests.
When growing rosemary, phosphorus fertilizers are applied in the fall, and nitrogen fertilizers in the spring. With this feeding schedule, you can grow strong rhizomes and healthy branches and leaves.
What about in winter?
Rosemary – perennial. In the fall, some summer residents transplant rosemary bushes into flowerpots and take them indoors for the winter. But more often the plants are left to overwinter on the site. In this case, at the end of the growing season, rosemary is carefully covered with dry leaves. If the snow cover is high and the winter is not too severe, the “Mediterranean guest” will survive it without loss. In the spring you need to prune the plants to form bushes. In the same place, a rosemary bush can live for 10 or even more years.
Those rosemary bushes that are taken into the house for the winter are dug up along with a lump of earth and transplanted into boxes or flower pots.
Rosemary is also an excellent balcony plant: it is grown in containers.
Rosemary propagation
Rosemary is propagated by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush.
This plant produces seeds only in the climatic zone of the European south. Germination remains for 2-3 years, but it is reduced - about
50%. Rosemary germinates slowly; shoots can only be seen a month after sowing the seeds.
More often, rosemary is propagated by cuttings about 10 cm long, which are cut in the summer from annual growths. Young shoots of an old plant can be cut in the fall. Cuttings are picked lower leaves and immerse the lower end of the cutting in a solution that stimulates the growth of the root system for the time specified in the instructions for each specific drug. Then plant in well-drained soil in containers or pots with a mixture of peat moss and fine gravel. It is recommended to spray them with a spray bottle periodically. Cuttings usually take root in two to three weeks. For better rooting of cuttings, the temperature in the room where the rosemary is located should be maintained at +20-22 degrees for several days - this optimal temperature for the growth and development of this plant.
The cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or container every 7-10 cm in a row, leaving about 20-25 cm between the rows. The lower end of the cutting is buried 5-6 cm into the soil. It is recommended to mulch the soil with peat.
Rosemary bushes are now on sale and are sold in supermarkets as fresh herbs. They are good for more than just food. The tops of the plants can be used as a seasoning, dried or fresh, and the cuttings are suitable for planting.
But it is most effective to start growing rosemary from a mature young plant, which is available in flower shops, or taken from a specialized garden center. The fact is that growing rosemary is not very simple task, and by purchasing a grown plant, you will be insured against the fact that your rosemary will die.
Rosemary pruning
Rosemary should be pruned in the spring, in April. The bush is pruned so that it grows more densely. When pruning, you should leave 3-4 internodes of the previous year's growth. Anti-aging pruning is necessary when the stems of an adult plant become bare. Anti-aging pruning is carried out once every 5-7 years, cutting off the shoots close to the ground. It is recommended to pinch the plant for better branching.
We collect and save
Rosemary leaves are collected as needed, and for harvesting for the future, branches are cut during flowering at a height of about 5 cm from the surface of the ground. In the first year of life of a rosemary bush, it is better to limit yourself to one cutting; in subsequent years, you can do 2-3 - before, during and after flowering.
Store rosemary in airtight containers or canvas bags.
- It is believed that the most fragrant leaves are those collected before flowering, or rather before buds appear on the bush. Largest quantity essential oils contain leaves that grow on the upper third of the branches. They are the youngest and most tender.
- For storage, it is better to dry rosemary leaves in the fresh air, in the shade - it is not recommended to use any microwave, no oven. Only if the leaves have dried naturally will they retain their unique aroma, slightly reminiscent of camphor, and that bitter-spicy taste for which gourmets value this seasoning.
- Properly dried leaves should be brittle, with the top side convex and the bottom concave. The color of dry rosemary leaves should be grayish-green, darker on the top than on the inside.
- Fresh rosemary leaves, when used as a herb, should be small - approximately 3.5 x 0.4 cm in size, with curled edges, silvery-whitish underneath.
READERS RECIPES FROM ROSEMARY
DIY rosemary oil
Place a few sprigs of rosemary in a bottle and pour it in olive oil first cold pressed. Leave in the sun for about six weeks. Then the product is filtered and poured into a dark bottle. Rosemary oil can be used as a massage oil. It is not recommended to use rosemary oil internally in its pure, undiluted form. This can cause irritation of the stomach lining and disruption of the intestines and kidneys.
DIY rosemary wine
Several sprigs of fresh rosemary are placed in a bottle of dry white wine. Cover with a lid and leave for 10 days in a cool place. After this, the wine is poured into a dark glass bottle. For general strengthening purposes, you can drink 100 g per day in small sips.
DIY rosemary tea
A teaspoon of dry leaves is infused for 20 minutes in a glass of boiling water. This tea (a glass a day) is an excellent tonic for weakness after the flu or ARVI. As a remedy for depression, rosemary is supplemented with lemon balm, St. John's wort and blueberry leaves in equal parts. A tablespoon of the herbal mixture should also be poured with a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes and strain. Instead of tea, you can drink it with chocolate – also a known antidepressant.
Medicinal rosemary, or ordinary rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – benefits and harms, uses and contraindications
Growing
For the winter, it is better to replant it in a pot and take it indoors.
Grows well on calcareous soils, loose and light in mechanical composition. Heavy, overly fertilized, acidic and very wet ones are not suitable.
Regular moderate watering is required.
You can feed (no more than once a month) with a water infusion of mullein (5:1), complex mineral fertilizers(according to instructions). Particularly demanding of phosphorus and nitrogen.
Once every 6 years, the plant is rejuvenated by cutting it to a stump.
Uses of rosemary
Herbal tea for migraine attacks. Mix 6 tbsp. rosemary leaves, 4 tbsp. peppermint and lemon balm, 3 tbsp. tricolor violet herb. 1 tbsp. Brew the mixture like tea. Drink during breakfast. Tea has a vasodilating, stimulating, refreshing, invigorating effect and helps increase blood circulation.
For kidney stones (especially with alkaline urine), mix 2 tbsp. wild strawberry leaves, rosemary, lingonberries, horsetail, caraway fruits and common juniper. 1 tbsp. pour the collection into a glass cold water, leave for 6 hours. Then boil for 15 minutes, cool, strain and drink in 3-4 doses per day. The course of treatment is 14-20 days.
This collection is contraindicated in acute inflammatory processes in the kidneys and bladder.
For nervous disorders, depression, mix 1 tbsp. rosemary leaves, lemon balm (or mint) and blueberries, St. John's wort herb. Drink as tea throughout the day.
Rosemary contraindications
Allergies, pregnancy, hypertension.
Use with caution if you are prone to seizures!
Rosemary is a spice whose aroma combines the aromas of lemon, eucalyptus and pine, and also carries notes of a fresh sea breeze. Today we will tell you how to grow rosemary in open ground in the country or at home in a small pot on the windowsill.
Description and features of rosemary
Under natural conditions, rosemary grows in open ground all year round. The average height of the bush, covered with thin, needle-like leaves, reaches 2 m. The culture blooms with small flowers of a delicate bluish hue. There are not many varieties of the crop known - only about five, but we usually grow two types: medicinal rosemary or ordinary rosemary.
It is noteworthy that the spice is valued not only for its exceptional aroma in cooking, but is also included in many healing tinctures and medicinal mixtures.
Necessary conditions for cultivation
Growing rosemary in our latitudes requires compliance with certain conditions. Remember: seedlings of the crop cannot withstand frost, do not like drafts and shading, and prefer light, loose and nutritious soil.
In the open ground
Rosemary is a heat-loving crop, so it is better to wait to plant it in the garden until warm spring weather sets in. Optimal time- end of May, then the bush will probably take root well. The landing site should be sunny, sheltered from strong winds. It is important to follow the correct watering regime: the soil should be kept constantly moist, but not wet.
In apartment conditions
The decision to plant rosemary in a pot in an apartment requires compliance with almost the same rules as growing rosemary in open ground. You will have to maintain a constant temperature within +20 °C, place the container with the crop on a southern windowsill, and monitor the level of soil moisture.
Landing rules
To grow a beautiful, powerful rosemary bush, it is important to take into account not only the requirements of the culture, but also to comply with all prerequisites landings.
In open ground
So, when a place for planting on the site has been selected, it’s time to take care of the composition of the soil. Prepare the optimal soil mixture It’s not difficult, just mix 2 handfuls of ordinary lime, 2 kg of coarse sand, 2 kg of humus, about 5 kg of leaf soil and a few handfuls of sawdust.
Maintain the distance between the holes: the more powerful rosemary bushes you want to grow, the less often you should plant them. On average, the distance between plants should be 50 cm. Remember that you can plant rosemary only after night frosts, even minor ones, have completely passed.
The crop can be planted or sown. If you have the opportunity to get several formed cuttings of an adult bush, planting rosemary directly in open ground will not be difficult. In addition, crop seeds can be sown as seedlings by waiting until they sprout at room conditions, or even root the cuttings by cutting off the top shoots of the bushes.
In apartment conditions
Growing fragrant rosemary in an apartment begins with sowing seeds. They are planted in light, well-moistened soil at the end of winter. The container is covered with glass or transparent film and sent for several weeks to a cool room with a temperature of about +5–6 °C. Then the pot is moved to a warm place, where shoots will appear (after about 1 month).
When the plants grow slightly and already look like small bushes, they are picked into separate boxes, and after some time they are planted on permanent place.
Features of care
Caring for the crop is not difficult, and the features of the process differ little from whether you grow rosemary in a garden bed or in a pot on a loggia.
In the open ground
Caring for rosemary in open ground is quite simple. It is important to keep the soil in your rosemary bed slightly moist, especially during hot summers. The culture also requires regular fertilizing throughout the entire period of active growth. For this purpose, it is customary to use complex nutritional mixtures. You will also have to perform the entire set of standard garden procedures: loosening, removing weeds.
Wintering in open ground is possible, but only if you choose a frost-resistant variety. But before you leave the bush until spring, you need to securely cover the rosemary for the winter so that the spice does not die.
In apartment conditions
If you are growing rosemary on your home balcony, you need to follow a similar set of steps, with the exception of preparing for wintering. With the arrival of cold weather, pots of rosemary are brought into a room where the temperature will not rise above +11 °C, watered occasionally and artificial lighting maintained for at least 7 hours a day. At home growing It is also important to ensure that excess water does not linger in the trays - this can lead to yellowing of the leaves.
Breeding rules
As already mentioned, the crop can be propagated in several ways: grown from seeds, sowed as seedlings, rooted cuttings taken from an adult plant, or planted cuttings obtained by dividing and planting overgrown bushes. The last two methods allow you to get a large plant much faster than waiting for the bush to grow from a seed.
Disease and pest control
You may be surprised, but you are unlikely to see what a pest-damaged rosemary bush looks like in an open garden bed. The reason is the pungent aroma of the spice, which repels most insects. The same applies to diseases - rosemary is extremely unpretentious and resistant to adversity. True, if you keep the bush indoors, be prepared to fight whitefly or white powdery mildew.
The spice can be dried, frozen, stored in the refrigerator - whatever you like. The main thing is that she will always give you a drink fresh air with an indescribable aroma of the Mediterranean coast.
Video “What are the benefits of rosemary”
In this video, Elena Malysheva and experts will tell you why rosemary should be consumed by all people.
Gardeners from various regions plant and care for rosemary in open ground. No one has considered this plant exotic for a long time: it grows in garden beds, in greenhouses and on the window sills of city apartments.
The Mediterranean native attracts summer residents with its aroma, original appearance. Rosemary is used in cooking, aromatherapy, cosmetology, and perfumery. ethnoscience offers enough recipes based on the spicy aromatic plant. It's nice to always have a fresh, healthy product on hand.
It is possible to grow a shrub in the country if the requirements of the plant are met. It will decorate any flowerbed or alpine slide. The phytoncides it releases will improve the health of the air. And as a reward, the gardener will receive the freshest spice for meat or fish: the country menu will become more varied.
Rosemary: plant description
It is difficult to confuse a Mediterranean resident with another plant:
- This Mediterranean shrub has evergreen, leathery leaves. Their color varies from green to silver. The shape is elongated with a sharp tip.
- The height of the plant in natural conditions (at home) reaches 2 m. Gardeners rarely manage to grow rosemary above 1 m. Usually it reaches 50-60 cm.
- In spring, rosemary delights with the appearance of flowers of white, lilac, pink or purple shades. But when grown artificially, the bush pleases with its beauty only with proper care.
- The aroma of the plant is multicomponent: it simultaneously resembles the smell of eucalyptus, camphor, pine, lavender, and citrus. The released phytoncides refresh and improve the health of the air. How large area occupy the plantings, the healthier the atmosphere at the dacha. But rosemary fully reveals all its notes if the growing rules are followed.
- Features of rosemary - vitamin content (40% of daily norm C, A) and folic acid. This makes the plant not only tasty, but also healthy.
The key to the success of growing rosemary in the country is competent agricultural technology. If followed, rosemary will delight you with its unusual aroma and pleasant appearance.
What kind of rosemary is available on sale?
Specialized stores offer rosemary varieties to gardeners:
- Semko, Tenderness, Vishnyakovsky, Rosinka (developed by Russian breeders);
- Severn Sea (grows to a maximum of half a meter);
- Prostpatus (shoots spread along the ground, carpet height 15 cm);
- Roseus (distinguished by pink-tinged flowers);
- Albiflorus (decorated with white flowers).
Foreign varieties are particularly decorative.
Choosing the best place to land
Rosemary is a native of the Mediterranean. To grow it in other regions, you should create conditions as close as possible to its native ones. You need to take care of planting in advance: only in this case the gardener will get the desired result.
House placement
“City gardeners” also successfully grow rosemary. At home, it is possible to create suitable conditions:
- place rosemary on a southern, southwestern or southeastern window sill (if there are none, a western or eastern one will do);
- the bush requires additional lighting(an agricultural lamp will do);
- to ensure the required air humidity, it is recommended to pour a 2-3 cm thick layer of expanded clay on top of the soil of the pot (when it is moistened, the water evaporates and the air around the rosemary becomes comfortable);
- The roots of the plant need access to air: rosemary should be planted in a clay container;
- the bush should be replanted once a year (the pot should be 2/3 larger than the previous one);
- a guest from the Mediterranean is afraid of drafts: when ventilating, it is necessary to protect him with a plastic screen.
If all the rules are followed, the plant will delight the gardener with its aroma and original flowers. But the British claim that only good owners grow rosemary at home.
Landing at the dacha
Before planting on the site, the gardener should carry out preparatory work. In my homeland rosemary - unpretentious plant. But in regions with different climatic conditions, careful preparation is required. The shrub feels great in the place:
- the sunniest and warmest;
- protected from cold northern winds;
- with deep groundwater;
- with alkaline, light soils.
Placement on the south side of the house is ideal. The wall will protect the rosemary from the northern winds. It heats up during the day and gives off heat to the plant at night.
Rosemary does not tolerate shade. When there is insufficient light, it withers and sheds its leaves.
In flooded areas, drainage should be poured into the planting hole. Crushed stone, broken red brick, gravel, and expanded clay are suitable. Layer thickness - 5-10 cm.
Rosemary placed in the garden does not tolerate weeds in the neighborhood: the soil around it must be clean. In dry summers, mulching the soil with a layer of 5-7 cm is allowed.
If the soils do not meet the required characteristics, it is necessary to carry out structuring at the intended planting site.
In the greenhouse
Some gardeners have enough space to place the plant in a greenhouse. In regions with harsh climates, gardeners are trying to grow rosemary in heated greenhouses. If the growing rules are followed, summer residents have spicy herbs on their farm all year round. Some sell cut shoots: the demand for the exotic spice is great.
What does the plant need:
- light calcareous soils mixed with crushed stone;
- absence of neighboring weeds or cultivated plants;
- moist warm air;
- absence of drafts;
- temperature in summer is 25-26 degrees Celsius, in winter 5-15;
- daylight hours 16-18 hours.
Summer residents often plant rosemary in an unheated room. In this case, the plant is ready for cutting 2-3 months earlier than it was planted outside. The bush should be left in such a greenhouse for the winter only during relatively warm winters: the temperature should not fall below zero. Otherwise, the guest from the south will freeze to death.
Planting in open ground
Southerners need to be planted in beds after the return frosts have passed. When the temperature drops to 5 degrees, rosemary stops growing. If the thermometer shows 0, he will die.
The soil should warm up well. To speed things up, it is recommended to cover the intended location with film for 5-7 days. With this method of preparation, the earth will become warm, and moisture will be completely retained.
Plantings should be covered with a double layer of white lutrasil. This will protect them from sunburn and night cold. In the absence of non-woven material, it is recommended to use any light-colored fabric and perforated film.
When installed warm weather(15-20 degrees) the cover should be removed. It is possible to grow rosemary in open ground if you create comfortable conditions for the plant.
How to prepare the ground
A Mediterranean resident prefers lightweight, moisture-permeable, alkaline soil. Crushed stone is a must. The planting area should be prepared in advance:
- carry out an acidity test using litmus paper: acidic soil needs to be limed;
- heavy soil should be sanded (a bucket per 1 square m);
- dig well, remove weeds;
- add crushed stone (1 kg per square m);
- add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers;
- Rosemary should be planted after the soil has warmed up.
Properly prepared soil will provide the gardener with healthy plants with fragrant shoots.
How to plant a plant correctly
Gardeners grow rosemary in two ways:
- from seeds;
- cuttings from an adult plant.
Each method has its supporters.
When to sow seeds
Seeds are not planted in open ground. They are planted at home, and young bushes are placed in a permanent place. For planting in open ground, you should sow the seeds 2-3 months before the expected filling of the ridge.
After pecking, the seeds should be placed in a container on the surface of the prepared soil and lightly sprinkled on top.
When to plant cuttings
When planting cuttings, use pre-rooted or freshly cut cuttings. For this purpose, one- to two-year-old shoots 10-15 cm long are used.
They should be cut in the spring (March to May). Cut the upper part at a right angle, the lower part at an angle of 45 degrees. Dip the lower cut into any root formation stimulator. Stick the shoots into wet soil or put it in water. Organize a greenhouse on top. The plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
With this method, the cuttings take root within a week.
Conditions required for good growth in open ground
Successfully growing rosemary requires the gardener to create a comfortable environment.
Lighting and temperature
The shrub prefers good lighting. A long sunny day is what he needs. Comfortable temperature is 18-25 degrees Celsius. But even at lower (positive) or high levels it develops sufficiently. The shrub will be happy with a warm climate with moderate amount precipitation.
How to water
The shrub is able to withstand a short period of drought. But the quality of cut shoots decreases. The gardener should not allow extreme situations. Rosemary needs to be watered as the soil underneath dries out. It is important to avoid stagnation of water and waterlogging of the soil.
Loosening, weeding and fertilizing
Rosemary loves free air access to the roots. Therefore, you should regularly loosen the soil under the bushes. At the same time, weeds are removed: they deplete the soil and shade the plant.
How to trim
But there is another type - formative pruning. It is produced annually in the spring. In this way, gardeners give the plant the required shape.
How to cover
It is not necessary to cover rosemary in regions with warm winters. But where there are minor negative temperatures, the plant should be covered with non-woven material white.
Plant propagation
The shrub is easy to propagate. Gardeners use the following methods:
- cuttings;
- layering;
- planting seeds;
- dividing the bush.
Gardeners often want to plant rosemary. The search for planting material begins. What to do if there are no seeds on sale? The solution is simple: buy the spice in the green section of the supermarket. It can be used for cuttings. It is important to ensure that the branches look fresh.
How to divide a bush correctly
The bush should be divided after 7-8 years of its life in the garden. An adult bush is dug up and cut into pieces with a shovel. The upper (ground) parts are cut off and transplanted to a new location. For better survival, surgery should be performed in early spring(as soon as weather permits). This is how you can plant rosemary that is constantly growing in open ground. The advantage of the method: a guest from the Mediterranean is perfectly rejuvenated with this separation.
How to take cuttings
The plant is easily propagated by cuttings. Shoots of the first or second year should be rooted. The operation can be performed in early spring (at home) or in June (at the dacha). The chopped shoots from below are cleared of leaves. The lower cut is dipped in a root growth stimulator, the upper cut in melted paraffin.
How to root in water
5 mm of rainwater is poured into a vessel made of opaque material. The cuttings are placed in liquid and a plastic bag with perforations is tied on top. The vessel is placed in a bright place, but protected from direct sunlight. With this method, the branches will give roots in 2-3 weeks. Non-lignified shoots take root faster.
How to root in soil
The gardener should allocate a garden bed. How to proceed:
- choose the warmest place in the garden;
- loosen the soil;
- stick the branches at an angle of 45 degrees at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other;
- install arcs;
- pull non-woven material high-density white (20 g/square m and above);
- press the shelter to the ground and secure it.
Next, it remains to monitor the soil moisture: as soon as it dries, carefully moisten it. When young leaves begin to appear, the cuttings are ready to be planted on the beds. The method allows the branches to take root in 3-4 weeks.
How to make layering
Propagating rosemary by layering does not cause difficulties even for inexperienced gardeners. In May-June, the shoot of the 2nd year is slightly cut across and slightly moved apart at the site of the cut. Then they are dipped in a root former, pinned to the ground and sprinkled with soil on top. The top of the branch is cut off. This is necessary so that the plant can better grow its root system. The cuttings are regularly moistened for 3 months. Next spring the rooted shoot is ready.
How to get cuttings without pruning
Gardeners are familiar with an ingenious way to obtain rooted cuttings without pruning:
- choose a 1st or 2nd year shoot 15-20 cm long;
- cut off the top (for intensive root formation);
- clear it of leaves 5-7 cm in the middle;
- Make a bag from a film with holes and tie it to the bottom of the peeled stem;
- fill the film with damp sphagnum or neutral peat;
- tie the bag loosely on top of the peeled stem.
How to propagate by seeds
This method is suitable for obtaining rare varieties of material. The method is quite labor-intensive. How to proceed:
- check seeds for germination in water (empty ones will float, full ones will sink);
- soak them in aloe vera juice or potassium humate for 6-8 hours;
- scatter on the soil surface;
- moisten a little and sprinkle sand on top;
- cover the top with a film with holes;
- put in a warm place (22-25 degrees Celsius).
The seeds will germinate only in a month. All this time, the gardener must monitor the soil moisture and remove condensation from the film. As soon as the leaves appear, the cover should be removed. It’s time to place the container on the brightest windowsill or take it out into a heated greenhouse.
How to prepare rosemary for winter
In areas with warm climates, it is recommended to trim rosemary in the fall, feed it and cover it with non-woven material.
Pests and diseases
The spice is threatened by spider mites. This occurs during dry periods or improper watering.
Fragrant plants are readily eaten by scale insects. To protect against these pests, it is recommended to maintain high humidity air around the plantings.
If there is excess moisture, the plant becomes covered with mold. Violation of growing conditions leads to a deterioration in the consumer qualities of cuttings.
Where is rosemary used?
The aroma of spice and its chemical composition explain the use in various fields. In the culinary world of Italy, Spain, and France, it is impossible to prepare lamb dishes without twigs. The spice goes well with fish and seafood.
The medicinal effect is used in the treatment of bacterial and viral diseases. Gargling helps get rid of sore throat. Cold inhalations of the plant infusion are useful for a runny nose. Planted in a flowerbed, it improves the health of the air.
Hello, dear readers!
Traditionally, the set of herbs we use usually consists of parsley, coriander, and sometimes more is added.
But there is also, which is still considered an exotic seasoning, although growing it is not so difficult.
Rosemary in Latin means “freshness of the sea” or “dew of the sea.”
Rosemary This is a perennial, evergreen, decorative flowering, spicy and aromatic plant. It can be grown both as a spicy and medicinal herb.
In Europe, for some time, rosemary was even used as snuff to treat the common cold.
But the residents Ancient Greece They believed that rosemary was a magical plant that drives away evil spirits, brings happiness and restores youth. Rosemary not only has nutritional and medicinal benefits, it is also an excellent ornamental plant.
Exquisite spice
Rosemary has a lightly sweetish camphor-pine aroma, and its taste is spicy-pungent with a pleasant bitterness.
The tops of annual shoots with leaves and flowers can be used fresh. They can be added for flavor to various dishes, for example, soups, hot meat dishes.
Rosemary shoots can also be added to various spicy compositions. For example, a mixture of rosemary and savory can be an excellent substitute for black pepper.
The taste of rosemary goes well with cabbage, legumes and eggplant dishes.
Here is a very interesting recipe for cooking poultry using rosemary: a small amount of dried parsley and rosemary, grind it with butter to a paste consistency; then lightly rub the chicken pieces with this paste or put it inside the carcass, but only a little. The main thing here is not to overdo it and you will get a very flavorful dish.
Rosemary adds a very piquant taste to tomato and cream sauces, and is also good for adding to tea. The tea acquires a unique aroma.
And fruit salads will acquire a very refined taste if you add rosemary to them in small quantities.
Rosemary essential oil is used in various industries, for example: baking, cosmetics, confectionery, perfumery and distillery.
Helps with 100 ailments
Rosemary is very valuable medicinal plant. Rosemary leaves contain a very valuable multicomponent essential oil, which consists of camphor, resins and esters.
It has numerous medicinal effects, such as: antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, expectorant. Rosemary has antioxidant properties and has the ability to remove toxic substances from the liver. It also stimulates the heart vascular system and blood flow with low blood pressure, myocardial infarction.
And fresh herbs and preparations based on them are used in dietary nutrition for diabetes, diseases of the liver, gall bladder, vascular system, gastrointestinal tract, upper respiratory tract, insomnia, neurasthenia, dizziness, vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Tea and infusion of rosemary greens are used for headaches, as a gargle for sore throats and tonsillitis.
Having learned about such most valuable medicinal properties rosemary, I no longer doubted that it must grow on my summer cottage. And a new plant will appear in my collection of spicy and healthy greens.
Growing Rosemary
Despite its southern origin, rosemary can be successfully grown in our summer cottages.
You just need to take into account some of its features. Rosemary is very thermophilic and light-loving, so spring and summer frosts are very destructive for seedlings.
It prefers calcareous, light, loose soils.
It must be planted in areas that are protected from the wind. It is also important to know that rosemary does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil, and also does not like acidic soils.
But “our capricious” rosemary is very resistant to various diseases and pests.
Rosemary is propagated in several ways: by seeds through seedlings, cuttings, layering or dividing the bush.
For seedlings, we sow seeds in February-March in seedling boxes. After approximately 25-30 days, the grown seedlings must be planted into separate pots.
And then, with the onset of warmth, we plant the seedlings in a permanent place in open ground.
If you want to propagate rosemary by cuttings, then they should be cut from young shoots at the end of June. The cuttings should be about 8-10 cm long and have 3-4 internodes. Then we bury the lower ends of the cuttings at an angle of 30-45 o into the ground to a depth of about 5 cm and at a distance of 10 cm from each other.
Care for rosemary is the same as for other plants; first of all, weeding and regular watering. After watering and rain, loosening is necessary.
It is also necessary to feed the plant and it is best to do this with a solution of mullein (1:5).
By fulfilling all these simple requirements, we can grow beautiful rosemary bushes.
If the winter is expected to be harsh, it is advisable to cover the rosemary bushes securely.
Harvesting rosemary
During the flowering period, rosemary accumulates the maximum amount of essential oil and at this moment it is necessary to start cleaning it.
Only young shoots need to be cut. Then we dry the cut shoots in the shade under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area. After drying, grind and store in glass jars with well-lapped lids.
The aroma of rosemary greens can last up to 2-3 years, of course, if stored properly.
"Bed" on the windowsill
Rosemary can also be grown at home on the windowsill. It grows well in pots.
On summer period It would be best to take the rosemary out onto the balcony, but don’t forget to bring it back into the room later, long before the first frost sets in.
Otherwise, due to sudden changes in temperature, leaves will begin to fall rapidly. And rosemary may lose its decorative effect.
Gradually, over the years, the stems of rosemary become bare, so every year in the spring or in mid-February the crown must be trimmed.
An interesting fact is that the lower the temperature in winter, the better rosemary then blooms in the spring. The most optimal temperature for it is 12...14 o C. Rosemary, grown at home on a windowsill, releases phytoncides that constantly disinfect the air in the room, while destroying viruses and pathogens, and also successfully eliminating unpleasant odors.
This is what a wonderful plant you can grow in your summer cottage, or even on your windowsill at home. And an exquisite spice, and an excellent healer, and spectacular decoration garden - all this is rosemary.
I suggest watching a very interesting video about this wonderful plant, which site reader Evgenia shared with us. Thank you very much for this!
See you soon, dear readers!
Growing rosemary at home or in the country does not present any serious difficulties - you just need to choose the right variety and follow the rules of care and agricultural technology.
Rosemary has a pleasant, pronounced aroma, reminiscent of pine or camphor. The taste of rosemary is spicy and pungent; this plant is often used in Mediterranean and European dishes.
This plant is an evergreen shrub or tree. Neat, even branches are covered with thin, even leaves that look like pine needles. During flowering, rosemary is covered with delicate pink or white buds.
In the upper part of the plant, the leaves have a bright green tint and a characteristic shine; towards the lower part they become dull and lighter. When growing rosemary in open ground, its height can reach 1 m, sometimes higher.
On a note! Rosemary growing in wildlife, reaches the size of a small tree.
The regions where rosemary grows are Greece, Turkey, northern Africa, Italy, Portugal. In most of these countries, rosemary is grown as a spice or perfumery and cosmetic raw material. In 1813, rosemary was brought to the botanical garden of Crimea, from where it quickly spread throughout the peninsula, perfectly adapting to the warm Black Sea climate.
There are many different legends and stories surrounding rosemary. This plant is considered mystical - they say that it can save from evil spirits, attract good luck and prolong life.
Interesting! Rosemary was given at weddings and used to decorate funeral processions.
This plant not only has a pleasant aroma and taste, but also brings great benefits when consumed regularly - it has a beneficial effect on digestive system, regulates the production of gastric juice.
The essential oils contained in the composition are responsible for the bright aroma of rosemary.
On a note! The plant is widely used in the cosmetics industry and pharmacology.
Here is a list of just some of the beneficial substances it contains:
- rosmarinic acid;
- tannins and anti-inflammatory substances;
- resins;
- borneol;
- alkaloids.
Regular consumption of rosemary is recommended for people with low blood pressure - it relieves stress and helps to calm down. Helps improve memory, stimulates blood circulation in the brain, and has a positive effect on visual acuity.
On a note! An infusion of rosemary and lavender in water is recommended for those who are undergoing rehabilitation after a stroke.
Rosemary is used to cleanse the air of germs. Based on young shoots, a remedy for impotence, colic and rheumatism is made.
It is also widely used as a spice - it goes well with fish, vegetables and salads, served with fried and stewed meat, mushrooms - this makes it an almost universal seasoning.
On a note! Both fresh and dried rosemary are used in cooking. Aromatic marinades and broths are made from it.
Varietal variety of rosemary
In Russia, this plant is widely grown - usually two main types are used for planting: medicinal rosemary, a tall, straight shrub, and prostrate rosemary, which does not reach a great height, but grows well in breadth.
Optimal time for planting
Rosemary is usually grown for practical and decorative purposes. personal plot. The unique aroma creates the illusion of a seashore, the air becomes cleaner and more pleasant.
To grow rosemary, it is worth remembering the basic agrotechnical principles.
On a note! In such conditions, rosemary grows quickly.
To propagate seedlings, it is necessary to prepare in advance - in early March - boxes for sowing and place the seeds in suitable soil. The first shoots will appear in a month - then they are picked into separate pots. You can plant it in a permanent place in open ground in the warm season, when frosts have ended and good weather with positive temperature.
How to grow in the Moscow region?
Growing in the middle zone climate requires good care and compliance with all rules. Long frosty winters almost completely destroy the above-ground part of the plant. If you decide to grow rosemary from seeds, you need to maintain a temperature regime of 25-28 degrees. Cuttings take root indoors and are kept warm for some time before planting in open ground.
The seed method of propagating rosemary is preferred. Loose, moist soil with the addition of old compost and peat is suitable for sowing.
On a note! Seeds prepared and sown in the soil are covered with film or glass and left at a temperature of approximately 10-15 degrees until the first shoots appear.
The most suitable temperature for growing rosemary seedlings is approximately 11-12 degrees after the plants are planted in separate containers.
As soon as the plants get stronger, you can plant them in open ground.
On a note! This usually happens in early June.
To facilitate the planting process, substances that stimulate growth and accelerate rooting are used. Sandy drainage and fertilizers are used to plant cuttings. After a month, when the cuttings take root, they can be transplanted to a permanent place.
How to germinate seeds?
Before sowing seedlings, it is best to pre-germinate the seeds to improve germination. Before being sent into the ground, the seeds are soaked, placed between two clean cloth napkins or cotton pads. Keep for about three or four days, maintaining moisture.
For sowing, prepare a substrate from a mixture of leaf humus, sand and peat. You can use ready-made soil mixture for seedlings.
On a note! The seeds are laid out in a flat tray with a substrate, without burying them in the ground, covered with film and put in a warm place until the first shoots appear.
The germination of rosemary is reduced due to the presence of a large amount of essential oils. This makes it similar to plants such as carrots and basil, so it is recommended to soak the seeds in a growth stimulant or simply in water.
Washing the seeds increases germination - to do this, they are laid out in deep glassware and pour water for about half an hour, then filter through cheesecloth and repeat the procedure up to 3-4 times.
How to plant rosemary in open ground?
In the second half of May, after the frosts have completely ended, the seedlings are moved to a permanent planting site. There are no special requirements for the soil; rosemary can grow calmly in nutrient-poor soil. However, it is important that the soil is loose enough to allow air to pass through.
Important! Plant rosemary on sunny place, it is best near a wall that will protect from the wind.
Rosemary does not require frequent watering; it is enough to water it as the soil dries out. During the flowering period, the inflorescences are cut off and used for culinary or medicinal purposes, as well as for drying. Upright rosemary requires pruning, but prostrate varieties do not require this. The second type of rosemary tolerates pruning well - this way you can collect young shoots.
Important! In no case should you cut the shoots to the woody old parts of the plant - this leads to damage; it is necessary to leave a quarter or a third of the length.
How to replant?
After the seedlings have grown to about 10 cm, you can begin transplanting into the ground. Pots are prepared in advance; it is best to use clay pots with holes for water drainage. The containers are filled with soil and a hole is made into which the plant is placed without shaking off the soil from its roots. The soil is watered.
How to properly ensure wintering?
First frost in middle lane usually expected by the second half of October - at this time rosemary is placed in a warm room where the temperature will not fall below +7 degrees.
On a note! Carefully move the rosemary from the garden bed or flowerbed into a tub or container without damaging the roots.
What to remember for those who grow rosemary at home.
When the first shoots appear, carefully remove the film in order to accustom the plant to room air. You can overwinter rosemary in pots in a cool room, and when growing indoors on an ongoing basis, replant it every two years as the root system grows.
How to trim?
After the plant grows, the crown can be formed. To do this, pinching the ends of the branches is done to slow down the growth of shoots.
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Woody branches are cut off. It is important to leave enough green mass so that the plant retains its strength. |
| Prune again after the plant has finished blooming. |
| Remove no more than 1/3 of one shoot, starting from the tips of the leaves. Under no circumstances should you cut down a bush at the base. |
| When pruning, you need to leave the bearing old shoots. |
Important! Pruning is performed either in winter or early spring.
Cuttings
If vegetative propagation of rosemary is necessary, use the cutting method - cut fresh shoots approximately 5-10 centimeters long, prepare a nutritious soil mixture in which to plant planting material. Leave in a place shaded from sunlight or on a northern windowsill. The root system will begin to develop in about two months.
On a note! When planting cuttings, maintain a distance of two meters from each other - prostrate rosemary bushes can reach more than a meter in length.
Rosemary care
Rosemary is an unpretentious plant that tolerates drought and large amounts of sunlight, and also does not require special care. The only enemy of rosemary is cold; frost kills it.
For gardeners from the northern regions, we can recommend a method of growing in summer in flower beds and beds in the open ground with wintering indoors in tubs. In summer, the plant actively grows and gains strength, and in winter it is transplanted into a box.
On a note! Watering is practically stopped; the temperature in the holding room should be about 10 degrees above zero.
Light and placement
In the garden, rosemary is planted on the sunny, south side. After wintering they take it out to open air only after the end of frost.
Watering
It is not necessary to water the plant abundantly, but you should not allow the soil to constantly dry out. Be sure to arrange it in the container drainage system and drainage to prevent overflow.
Priming
The soil for planting rosemary is selected to be loose so that air and water can flow well to the roots. In its wild form, rosemary grows in soils with a high content of sand and gravel. His root system allows you to stay well in the ground.
On a note! Acidic, waterlogged, swampy soils are unacceptable.
Trimming and shaping
Cut off some of the shoots to give it a rosemary bush the required form. As a rule, this occurs in mid-spring, before the plant has entered the active growth phase.
On a note! Approximately every eight years the plant is rejuvenated - the bushes are cut down to the very roots.
Cut young branches can be immediately used on the farm - fresh or dried. Greens are also harvested in the fall, before the plant is sent for the winter.
Rosemary propagation
Can be used:
- seeds;
- layering;
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush.
The cuttings remain after spring pruning - they are rooted in a mini-greenhouse in well-loose soil. The length of cuttings for planting is about 10 cm. They are rooted at an angle.
Seeds are usually available for free sale - they are sown around February or March, 2-3 months before warming.
On a note! Germination occurs at temperatures above 11-12 degrees.
For planting, it is convenient to use food containers with a lid - they are convenient to ventilate, it is necessary to leave access for air. The cover is removed completely when the plants have sprouted.
Fertilizer is required only for those plants that survive the winter in open ground. Complex universal fertilizers with the addition of nitrogen or phosphorus are required. It is enough to fertilize once a month.
On a note! If the plant overwinters indoors, feeding is not required.
In warm climates where frosts are rare in winter, rosemary overwinters well. Extreme bottom bar Temperatures for rosemary are 5 degrees below zero; at this temperature the plant may die. Therefore it is required good shelter, if in winter there can be such temperatures.
Collection and preparation
Green young rosemary leaves are used as a seasoning and medicine. good time for collection - clear sunny days.
When flowering, young shoots along with flowers are used for drying.
On a note! Greens can be eaten fresh straight from the garden.
Rosemary can be taken directly from the garden for cooking
It is best to harvest greens during the period when the plant is blooming - it contains more useful substances.
The weather for collection should be dry, without precipitation or wind.
On a note! Only young shoots are used for storage and drying.
Typically, bouquets of collected shoots are dried in well-ventilated, dry rooms. Some people use a stove or oven for this.
Need to dry the rosemary
Greens can be dried even after cutting.
On a note! The best way Store dried rosemary in tightly sealed glass containers.
Some housewives freeze shoots and leaves in plastic bags - this method is also allowed.
What problems might you encounter?
Typically, rosemary does not tolerate high soil moisture well - this leads to the formation of a whitish coating on the leaves. The frequency of watering should be reduced and the plant provided big amount sunlight. Fungicide helps some plants, but after using it, the rosemary leaves will become unusable and even poisonous.
On a note! The enemy of rosemary is spider mites. It starts in dry air, and you can get rid of it by spraying with an insecticide and clean water.
Large rosemary bushes produce a huge number of shoots and therefore require replanting.
Growing rosemary yourself - great way get a wonderful and always fresh seasoning and a beautiful plant at home.
Video - About propagation and cultivation of rosemary
