Status: 06/02/2023 05:00 a.m
Pretty flowers in spring and an intense scent: planted in the right location, rosemary can also thrive here, although it is only conditionally hardy. Tips for planting and wintering.
The intensely scented sprigs of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) are often used as a spice in cooking. The Mediterranean shrub is one of the most popular herbs and is also a real asset in the garden. In a suitable location, it can grow up to two meters high and a good one and a half meters wide. Its pretty blue, pink or white flowers usually appear from March and provide food for numerous insects.
The right location
Rosemary is only partially hardy, but can also overwinter in a sheltered place in our latitudes. The location should be sunny and warm and the Garden soil tends to be dry and well drained. Heavy, rather loamy soils are best mixed with gravel or sand so that less water can be stored. Planted in a herb spiral, rosemary comes to the highest and therefore driest area. Accordingly, rosemary requires little water and only needs to be watered in persistently dry summer weather.
Overwinter rosemary: Plant hardy varieties in the garden
If you want to overwinter rosemary in the garden, you should choose hardy varieties if possible: These should include “Veitshöchheimer Rosemary”, “Hill Hardy” and “Arp” – but this is not a guarantee for winter hardiness. In any case, the rosemary should be protected by garden fleece or fir branches. A layer of foliage protects the roots.
If you want to make sure that the rosemary does not freeze to death in winter, you can alternatively plant it in a bucket. The plant should overwinter in a bright place, such as a cool stairwell at a maximum of ten degrees. Well protected, rosemary in a pot can also overwinter outdoors. To do this, cover the shrub with brushwood or protect it with a jute bag and place it as close as possible to a house wall. A styrofoam plate protects against cold from below. Don’t forget to water in winter, but the soil must never be wet.
Plant rosemary in a pot
If you want to plant rosemary in a pot, it is better not to use normal potting soil, as it stores too much water and contains too many nutrients. Lean mineral substrates, such as special soil for citrus plants. Alternatively, mix potting soil with sand and clay granules. The sufficiently large pot – about a third larger than the root ball – needs a drainage hole so that excess water can drain off and no waterlogging occurs. It is best to put potsherds or expanded clay over the hole so that it does not clog.
Use in the kitchen and as a medicinal herb
Rosemary is a popular spice in Mediterranean cuisine and tastes great with meat dishes, potatoes or vegetables. Twigs preserved in oil are also popular. Both individual leaves and whole branches can be harvested – at any time of the year. The popular spice also tastes dried with the typical spicy-tart taste. Rosemary is also used as a medicinal plant. For example, it prevents flatulence and stimulates the circulation when used as a bath oil.
Further information