Worth knowing:
The evergreen and bushy branched Rosemary can easily be recognized by its intense aromatic scent and the dark-green, slender and longish leaves that are slightly curled towards the lower end to protect them from drying out. The numerous blue-purple flowers with their far outreaching stamens can present themselves from February until June. The shrub can easily be cultivated in a tub and it is even frost-hard to some degree.
Natural Location:
Wild Rosemary grows all over the western and central Mediterranean region, particularly in the coastal areas from Portugal until the Ionian Sea.
Cultivation:
The best time for propagation is starting in February at a sunny place indoors as the seed is a light germinator. Scatter the seeds onto moist coconut substrate or organic herbal soil and slightly press them on. Cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the soil from drying out, but don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on the potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25° Celsius and keep the surface of the earth moist, but not wet (ideally using a water sprayer). Depending on the propagation temperature the first seedlings will come up after two to five weeks. Seedlings that are already raised indoors can be planted out with beginning of May. As soon as there is no more night frost expected, you can move the seedling with its complete root ball, to avoid stress for the plant.
Place:
The plant needs the sun, warmth and a wind-sheltered place to produce its full aroma.
Care:
Keep the soil always moist, but not wet. Water your plant as soon as the top layer of the earth has dried out. Fertilize the plant either very modest with compost or organic fertilizer for herbs, or don’t fertilize at all.
During the winter:
Ideally, Rosemary hibernates in a bright and cool place indoors with a temperature around 5° to 8° Celsius. Water only as much as the rooting doesn’t dry out. Outdoor plants should be provided with a thick layer of mulch or foliage to frost-protect the roots and with a clear plastic cover as moisture protection.
Picture credits:
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- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
