Getting Rosemary Through the Winter

Getting Rosemary through the Winter

Rosemary is a tender perennial in USDA hardiness Zones 5 and 6, which includes most of Massachusetts. This means it can live for years, but it must come in for the winter or it will freeze to death.

Rosemary has particular requirements for optimum growth and health. It n= eeds full sun and likes warm, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil that is neith= er too wet nor too dry. It can do fine in the ground or in a pot, as long as i= ts requirements are met.

Here are some suggestions to get rosemary through the winter and back in= to your garden the next spring.

Potting: Texas potting. This is a method of potting your rosemary that allows you to better regulate the moisture content of its soil. See our handout on <= b>Texas potting.*

Indoors: Rosemary = must come inside in the fall; it will freeze and die if left outside. It can take temperatures down to 25 degrees F, the= refore it will survive a light frost. But get your plant inside before major frosts set in.

Light: Rosemary ne= eds light! If rosemary does not get enough light it gets very leggy and unhappy. Either place your rosemary in a very sunny window or use a pl= ant light (one with a bulb specifically for plant growth). South or west facing windows are best. If using a plant light, give your plant about= 16 hours/day of light. A timer can help to keep the light consistent.

Mildew control: Rosemary is subject to powdery mildew, a white, powdery dusting that appears on the needles and sometimes the stems. Untreated, this will c= ause your plant to drop needles and eventually to die. There are a couple of ways to deal with powdery mildew:

Adequate air circulation<= span style=3D'font-family:Symbol'>- make sure there is air space aro= und your plant. Using a fan to lightly circulate air nearby can help.
Baking soda spray- when you see the first signs of powdery mildew, spray your rosemary with this mixture:

1 quart water

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 drop dish detergent

1 drop vegetable oil

&nbs= p; Place in a spray bottle and use when needed. Will last indefinitely.

Timing: Don’t put your rosemary plant back outside until we’ve had our last ma= jor frost, usually by the middle to end of May. And remember to get it in early enough in the fall.

Happy growing!

* Texas Potting instructions are post= ed on our website: www.neuhsa.org