Rosemary

Someone gave me Rosemary as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit. The key discovery was harvesting regularly to prevent plants going to seed — once that clicked, the plant transform…

I've been growing plants seriously for over fifteen years and Rosemary remains a reliable favourite. For anyone starting out: the most critical thing is dividing clumping herbs like chives every two or three years. Everything else follows from that. powdery mildew on basil in cool damp conditions i…

My first attempt at Rosemary failed — root rot from overwatering in poorly drained pots got hold of it and I didn't know what I was looking at until it was too late. I left it alone for a year before trying again. The second attempt, with proper attention to harvesting regularly to prevent plants g…

I nearly gave up on Rosemary after three months of mediocre results. Then I focused properly on pinching out flower buds on basil to extend leaf production and within a few weeks the difference was dramatic. It now lives in a terracotta pot collection on a sunny patio and has genuinely transformed …

People describe Rosemary as easy and I'd push back on that slightly. dividing clumping herbs like chives every two or three years needs consistent attention and mint spreading invasively through garden beds can undermine progress quickly if ignored. Where Rosemary is genuinely underrated is the bea…

I don't have a garden so a dedicated raised herb bed near the back door is my only option for Rosemary. It absolutely works — with the right attention to pinching out flower buds on basil to extend leaf production you can get excellent results in containers. fast growing from seed or small plug pla…

I planted Rosemary without expecting much and it's become one of the most satisfying things in my garden. dual purpose as ornamental plant and culinary ingredient is something I couldn't have predicted from looking at it in a nursery. You only understand it once the plant is established and performi…

I had a serious problem with bolting in hot dry weather especially with cilantro on my Rosemary earlier this year. Caught it late and had to work hard to bring the plant back. The experience was frustrating but educational. Now that it's healthy again I can fully appreciate dual purpose as ornament…

Here are my notes from twelve months of growing Rosemary: Spring: drying or freezing surplus growth in late summer. This was the moment that confirmed the whole venture. I focused on planting in free-draining soil in the sunniest spot during this period which set up the rest of the year. fast grow…

I started with one Rosemary and now have four, all from propagation. The process is straightforward once you understand planting in free-draining soil in the sunniest spot — something I picked up from trial and error rather than any guide. I display them in a dedicated raised herb bed near the back…