I think Im killing Rosemary!

GardenForums.com a friendly and growing community of gardeners. We feature a Garden Discussion Forum and Garden Photo Gallery. It's a fun and friendly place to talk with other gardeners, ask questions, share you knowledge, view and post photos and more! Whether you're a master gardener, or brand new to the hobby, you'll find something of interest here.



fireman28

New Member
Maybe someone can help. I have a nice size rosemary plant that Im not sure what to do with this winter. I live in Missouri and I killed a plant last year because I left it out in the cold. This year I have brought the new one in and have it sitting next to a bright window. My house never gets above 74 deg. but all of a sudden it doesnt look so good. The local nursery told me not to water this winter until it went back outside. Im not sure what to do now.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have a couple of them outside in a container and I really don't know if they will survive the winter either. But I will find out. They are certainly getting watered with all the rain we get.
 

sunflower3

Member
I don't think you will get them to survive the winter indoors or out. Watering or not watering. I have tried everything and mine always die, best to just dry it and use it and start over next year. that's what I do now so much easier and if it's dieing you might as well use it instead of throwing it away. just my thought and experience.
 

lynpenny

Super Moderator
Staff member
Here is the thing they can not stand a cold breeze in the house. I got them to winter over a couple of times to only put them out too early and have them die. They will not overwinter in a room that has an outside door. they need water in the winter but be careful not to overwater. They need light. but it is so much easier to get a new one in the spring.
Now that I live down here in the south I get to leave mine out in the ground and they live over winter and get really huge.
 

Flower4Yeshua

Super Moderator & vegemm
Staff member
Well, I had two at the last place here in PNW and they made it out dooord...they did die back, but I had mulched the plant with several inches of leaves...Maggie, the lady that planted them said she had no trouble just letting be and they made it...
 

Gloria

Super Moderator
Staff member
I'm lucky with our SC weather..I have one outside that's about 4 years old. Doesn't need much care. It dies back a bit in the winter but sends out new shouts come Spring. Fireman, I would experiment with your climate. Get another.. plant it outside, trim it down hard for the winter and cover heavy with mulch.
 

Blueaussi

New Member
The mistake that most people make with potted rosemary is that the soil is too rich and holds too much water. They can survive very nicely over the winter indoors, but make they get sunlight, and don't over water. Now, that doesn't mean no water, just make sure the top of the soil gets dry and that the pot has excellent drainage. And if you used a potting soil with fertilizer like Miracle Grow, I would recommend repotting. If you have to use Miracle Grow, use the cactus and succulent mix.

Like Gloria, I live where I can grow rosemary outside year round. I have several scattered around the yard. The ones that are on the low side of the yard, the side where the natural drainage of water flows, are decidedly smaller and don't do as well as the ones in the sandy high points. Rosemary really hates having wet feet.

Putting them in a cool well lit room like a sun porch works well, they go fairly dormant until taken back outside. And don't forget to harden them off when they do go back outside, just because they're evergreens doesn't mean they can't get some sunburn.

Remember, too, that as with any plant brought in from the outside, aphids can be a problem. They're not as apparent on a plant like rosemary, but they can kill one. Since I avoid insecticides as much as possible, I take all my over-wintered plants into the shower a couple of times and rinse them carefully with a hard stream of tepid water, really getting into the crevices around buds and where the leaf attaches.
 

fireman28

New Member
Thank you everyone for the great advice. This really gives me some options to try. Ill make sure to let you all know how it turns out.
 

Maggie

New Member
This my rosemary that I got for Christmas in 2005. I set it out in the garden in the spring of '06 and it's now around 4ft tall and almost as wide. When I first got it I keep it in the tool shed (after Christmas) and watered it a couple times. I didn't expect it to live but it fooled me. Sometime some of the needles will die but then they green back out again. I enjoy rosemary year round. I'm in zone 6 what is your zone.
 

Attachments

  • rosemary3.jpg
    rosemary3.jpg
    198.6 KB · Views: 381

Kya D

Active Member
Rosemary is one herb that I just can't grow. It will freeze outside and dies inside.
I am not fond of the flavor so I just sneak some from the huge plants that I see down south in parking lots
 

Flower4Yeshua

Super Moderator & vegemm
Staff member
Kya I use to k=not like to cook with it either...then I tried it on some potaoes and OH MY GOODNESS...it is my favorite to use now...add a bit of white pepper..sea salt and fresh garlic...yummy
 

Blueaussi

New Member
@#$^&*^$!!!

I had a great recipe for rosemary pesto on the computer that was stolen. If I remember correctly, you make it like basil pesto with the garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan, but you replace about half to 2/3 of the olive oil with butter. Oven roast some potatoes, then toss it with the the pesto. It is to die for!

The rosemary pesto isn't good for eating on bread like the basil pesto, it's too strong and grainy. It's fabulous, however, on things like roasted or grilled chicken or pork as well as the potatoes.
 

grcolts

New Member
Rosemary

Rosemary is one herb that I just can't grow. It will freeze outside and dies inside.
I am not fond of the flavor so I just sneak some from the huge plants that I see down south in parking lots

Living in Texas, Rosemary does really well.
I have two plants growing in pots on our patio. When the weather gets cold I keep them under the porch roofing so they won't get frost. I love them in pots as I can always brush up against them for their wonderful aroma!
I also use them when I am cooking fish and they add some great flavor.
When they bloom, butterflies love those plants!
Here is to the Rosemary plant!:)
GR
 

GardenBear1

New Member
I grow it out side in my herb garden and it die back in the winter but by the end of April its starting to come back, as it starts to grow I cut all the old dead woody parts off and I end up with a nice looking plant each year.

Bear
 

fireman28

New Member
Update on killing Rosemary

So as to the advice of all of you I have kept my rosemary plant inside next to by back door where it gets sunlight throughout the day. I only water it about once every two weeks when yhe soil dries out. It is still alive and has grown more the past couple of months indoors than it has the past year outdoors. I wonder why that is? So to all of you that have offered your tips, thank you. Although winter is not completly over I think I will make it to spring. Maggie I do have a question for you. I am slao in zone 6. Do you leave your plant in its pot year round or do you transplant to the garden in the spring? How big is the pot that it is in? Just wondering if I should leave mine in the pot all the time.
 

Maggie

New Member
Maggie I do have a question for you. I am slao in zone 6. Do you leave your plant in its pot year round or do you transplant to the garden in the spring? How big is the pot that it is in? Just wondering if I should leave mine in the pot all the time.
.
I planted mine in the ground about 2 years ago and it is doing fine. I tried to post a picture of it but can't. Sometimes I can post pics. and sometimes I can't and this is one of those can't times.
 

Maggie

New Member
Fireman, here is the pic. of my rosemary after it went through a winter. I went back and downsized my picture and was able to post. I guess I have been trying to post to large.
 

Attachments

  • Copy of Rosemary 1.jpg
    Copy of Rosemary 1.jpg
    106.3 KB · Views: 378
Last edited:


Gardenforums.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Top