Asked on Jun 17, 2017
Why won't my rosemary grow?
+4
I have a large, prosperous garden. Everything is growing beautifully! Except my Rosemary. It's not dying, but it's not getting any bigger. It is planted next to onions, which research showed was a "friendly" plant. I have applied Miracle Gro, but to no affect. My soil is slightly nitrogen rich, but again, research showed no harm. It gets about 6-7 hours of sun a day, and plenty of well drained water. I don't know how to make her grow.
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When growing rosemary plants, provide them with well-drained, sandy soil and at least six to eight hours of sunlight. These plants thrive in warm, humid environments and cannot take extremely cold temperatures. Since rosemary cannot withstand winters below 30 F. (-1C.), it’s often better when growing rosemary plants to put them in containers, which can be placed in ground and easily moved indoors during winter.
Rosemary prefers to remain somewhat on the dry side; therefore, terra cotta pots are a good choice when selecting suitable containers. These pots allow the plant to dry out faster. Thoroughly water rosemary plants when the soil is dry to the touch but allow the plants to dry out between watering intervals. Even indoors, rosemary plants will require lots of light, at least six hours, so place the plant in a suitable location free of drafts.
I have my Rosemary in a plastic pot and took it in last year before frost. It was in a south window but only got bright light, no sun due to overhang outside. It was the only herb that really survived in that situation except a small clump of parsley and chives. When I put it outside it was like a small bush. Mine does not like to dry out and is still healthy. I had Rosemary planted in the garden before, but seems to do better for me in a pot. It is now a small bush about 18 inches high and about 22 inches wide. I am thinking about trimming the width down a bit so it isn't so wide and getting droopy from the weight of so many long stems.
I live in the Pacific NW and rosemary grows like a weed here. I planted in an elevated spot that drains well, gets full sun and have never fertilized it. I water once a week. I am rewarded with a huge plant that I drastically cut back each spring. It gets really large and woody after a few years and I take cuttings to make new plants. Minimal babying and lots of sunshine in a nutshell.
they are a hot weather plant..Mine stayed the same size the first year, I shaped it a bit, it was shaped like a Christmas tree, it promoted new growth. Again the following year I shaped it a bit more,, and it took off.. many gardeners follow the saying: first year plants sleep, second creep and third year plants LEAP.. Main thing is they don't like to be in soggy soil
I've never heard that saying before! I'll just trim her up a little, and stop worrying. Thank you!