The wide, dry macchia of the Iberian Peninsula are the home of rosemary. It rains very little here, especially in summer, so that the subshrub has optimally adapted to the prevailing conditions over time. Because of this, rosemary needs very little water.
Water rosemary in the garden
Thanks to its deep and branched roots, the plant is able to draw sufficient amounts of water and nutrients from the soil, even from a depth of several meters. For this reason, rosemary that has been planted out does not actually need to be watered, unless the summer is very hot and dry. On hot summer days you should water your rosemary - as soon as it sheds its needles, it's time to water it from the watering can.
Water young plants more often
However, the rule described above does not apply to this extent to cuttings or freshly planted rosemary bushes. These should be watered regularly but moderately. This will make it easier for the young plant to grow in the ground.
Water the potted rosemary properly
It looks a little different with rosemary planted in a pot - it has to be watered regularly, otherwise it will die of thirst. The right time has come when the top layer of substrate has dried well - you can easily check the degree of dryness with your fingers. Water vigorously, but avoid waterlogging. Excess moisture should be able to drain easily into a saucer, which is why the ideal pot for rosemary has drainage holes at the bottom. Alternatively, you can lift the whole plant out of the pot and dip its root ball into a bucket of water. Then let it drain well. This method works well for rescuing dried-up rosemary or for providing it with adequate watering on very hot summer days.
tips and tricks
In contrast to numerous other plants, which are better watered with rainwater, rosemary needs lime. So feel free to water the shrub with chalky (i.e. fresh) tap water to meet this need.
IJA