Rosemary

For some of us, the only exposure to Rosemary is the trip to Scarborough fair. For others it is a wonderful herb for cooking and a beautifully decorative plant. Rosemary is lovely to look at gives of a wonderful smell and tastes delicious when blended with the right foods. The good news continues as it is relatively simple to grow rosemary in most gardens.

Rosemary features in many Mediterranean dishes. Also, if there are fans of roast beef in the family, try putting some rosemary in the marinate. The family will go wild. Rosemary also goes nicely with lamb and chicken, fortunately for those in the northern reaches of the world, the Mediterranean climate isn’t needed to grow rosemary successfully. It cans stand up to some cold weather. For extreme climates the herb can be brought inside.

Rosemary needs 3 things to grow well. Adequate exposure to the sun, good air circulation and soil that drains well. For temperate climates the herb may need a lamp or to be brought in. If the area is frost free then growing Rosemary in the ground should not be a problem.

Rosemary should be fed well in the early spring. Fish and kelp are the best source of nutrients. This will get the herb off to a good start for the remainder of the growing season.

If the area has winter temperatures below 30 Fahrenheit, it will be necessary to bring the rosemary inside. Extreme temperatures like this will kill it off for sure. In these instances keeping the plants in a pot years round is likely best. Continually transferring them will put extra stress on the roots.

Rosemary is a wonderful plant. It is beautiful to look at, smell and eat. Contrary to popular belief, the plant is quite easy to grow. Make sure there is adequate sunlight, air and soil. They rest will take care of itself.