5. Choose Sandy Soil

Rosemary plants don’t like to be left in standing water, so sandy soil is the best choice. If you don’t have soil that is already well-draining, you can mix some clean sand with potting soil for the same effect.

4. Place the Plant in the Sun

These herbs love the sunshine and thrive in it. If you only have a space where there is a little bit of shade, then the rosemary plant can still be planted there. This plant will tolerate a small amount of shade, but it would rather be in full sun.

3. Add Compost Each Month

Being an herb, rosemary does fairly well without any fertilizer. However, it does enjoy some good compost now and then. You can make up a tea from compost that consists of veggie scraps, chicken manure, and water. Let this set for a few weeks and then pour a small amount on the plant.

2. Don’t over Water

If you’ve placed the rosemary plant in well-draining soil, then you shouldn’t have to worry about overwatering. However, if the soil tends to hold on to more water than you suspected it would, be sure to let the soil dry out a bit before watering again.

1. Harvest with a Sharp Knife

Cooking with rosemary adds subtle flavor to foods. If you are going to harvest fresh rosemary to cook with, then use a sharp knife for cutting off the amount you need. The flavor can be released by smashing the leaves with a pestle and mortar right before they are used for cooking.

I prefer to let my rosemary plant do its own thing, but I do give it a little bit of shape with an old wire coat hanger. If you make a shape out of the hanger and place it right next to the rosemary plant, then you can form the young rosemary plant around the hanger. It will take a while to get it to cover the entire hanger. This also makes an excellent gift for someone who enjoys cooking. Do you grow rosemary for fun or for culinary purposes?

Top Photo Credit: roddh