Rosemary
Rosemary was used by ancient mankind and is still one of the herbs chefs would not be without. Rosemary enhances roasted meats, roast potatoes, stews and hearty soups. Rosemary is a popular ingredient in <a href="http://greatlakesgardeners.com/community/index.php?/topic/3427-herbal-blends/" target="_blank">herbal blends</a>. It is also valued for the piney aroma of its leaves. Romans strew it on floors to deter pests and desease. In the play Hamlet, rosemary is called a symbol of rememberance and fidelity.
In gardens of zone 7 or higher, rosemary is perennial and will survive the winter. In mild climates, it will grow into an evergreen shrub. In colder zones, rosemary is best grown in containers and brought indoors for the winter, where it will require strong light from a sunny south facing window or a grow light. It is easily trained into an attractive topiary.
The most common variety, Rosmarinus Officinalis, has pretty cornflower blue flowers in the summer. Other varieties may have white, purple or pink blooms. The aromatic oils are more intense before flowering. To delay flowering, pinch back stems frequently.
Characteristics
- Perennial or container grown herb.
- Full sun to partial shade.
Propagation
- Best grown from cuttings, which is easy to do. Seeds are slow to germinate and take a long time (90 to 400 days) to reach maturity. Instructions for propagating plants from cuttings. Cuttings will be ready to transplant in about 4 weeks.
Planting and Tending
- Plant in garden AFTER the last frost (dogwoods will be in full bloom) or use special protection to get ahead of Mother Nature. Soil temperature should be at least 55 ° F to transplant.
- Average soil. Good drainage is essential.
- Water with a liquid organic fertilizer one month after setting out in the garden.
Companion Planting
- Repels cabbage moths, carrot rust beetles & Mexican bean beetles.
Plant near:
- Asian greens
- Bean
- Cabbage family
- Carrot
- Lettuce
- Sage
- Thyme
- Visit this link for a complete Vegetable and Herb Companion Chart.
More Information
Visit the Herbs Forum at GreatLakesGardeners.com to get answers to your growing herbs questions. To ask a new question, Register if you haven't already done so(it's free and helps protect the forum from spam), click on Start New Topic, enter your question and click on Post New Topic.
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You may also appreciate these books on growing herbs.