The popular herb rosemary originally comes from the warm countries of the Mediterranean coast. With a little care, the plant can also be grown in Germany, although cultivation in a pot is recommended. There are countless different types of rosemary, but most of them are not hardy and therefore belong in the house over the winter.
Grow rosemary from seeds
Growing rosemary from seeds is quite a complicated affair. The fine seeds do not germinate particularly reliably, and they also require a lot of care. The seeds are spread between March and April in fine potting soil mixed with sand and previously moistened. The breeding container should be covered with glass or transparent film and placed in a light and warm place. The seedlings should stay in the pot for the first year and only be planted out in the garden the following year - provided they are a hardy variety.
Growing rosemary from cuttings
On the other hand, it is much easier to grow rosemary from cuttings. For this purpose, cut young and still green shoots from the mother plant, about 10 centimeters long. Then remove all leaves from the lower half and dip them in a rooting hormone. Plant the shoot in a pot with a mixture of sand and soil and keep the substrate nice and moist. The pot finds its place in a bright and warm location. The roots form after about four to six weeks. Breeding by lowering is a bit more tedious, but also more promising. In contrast to the cutting, this remains connected to the mother plant until the roots form.
care for rosemary
Rosemary thrives best in well-drained, lean, dry, and chalky soil. Plant the herb a little higher - for example on a small hill - so that the water can drain off better, because waterlogging is fatal for the drought-loving plant. In addition, rosemary prefers a sunny and sheltered location, the plant is only hardy in exceptional cases. Water lightly - once the needles fall off, you're definitely watering incorrectly. Whether too little or too much, you have to judge by the roots. Rotting roots indicate waterlogging and thus too much water.
tips and tricks
Newly grown young plants should not be harvested in the first year or only a little. Only with older rosemary does regular pruning serve to care for the plant by removing old and woody parts and thus stimulating fresh shoot growth.
IJA