Rosemary

Rosemary is a hardy evergreen sub-shrub. It is highly ornamental, delicious, and fragrant with a fresh pine like scent. It is grown mostly for it’s aromatic leaves which are used as a culinary seasoning. It is also used medicinally. It blooms small fragrant light blue flowers in loose clusters. When grown in mild climate areas it makes a wonderful shrub. Cooler climate areas it is best grown in containers and moved inside before freezing or as an annual. As a seasoning it goes well with tomatoes, spinach, carrots, peas, mushrooms, squash, cheese, and lentils. It adds wonderfully to soups, in marinades, salad dressings, and fruit salad. It is good with poultry, fish, lamb, beef, veal, and game. It compliments chives, bay, and parsley. It can be put in a muslin bag and put in the bath tub with you as a bath. Can be added in a sachet with lavender, santolina, lemongrass, and tansy and hung in the closet as a moth repellant. Rosemary is said to be rich source of vit A, vitamin C, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, and zinc. It has antioxidant properties. It requires little care and it can be grown in pots and brought in in the winter and placed back out in the summer. It is drought tolerant and can be used for xeriscape. Can be grown inside in containers. A wonderful plant to grow!
Sowing: You can start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. Plant seeds outside in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Sow seed 1/4 of an inch deep. Plant prefers full sun but will tolerate slight shade. Keep moist until seed begins to grow. Transplant (if planting outside) to a sunny spot with fairly rich soil.
Germination: 15-25 days Soil: Light and well drained soil prefers alkaline soil. Ph range: 6.0-8.5 prefers between 6-7.5
Moisture: Prefers dry, well drained soil. Average water needs. Do not over water.
Spacing: 18-24 inches apart Height: 36-48 inches
Care information: Harvest anytime by snipping the end of the stems as needed, which will cause the plant to bush. If you do not want it to bush then harvest by pulling off leaves or sprays. Never take more than 20% of the plant. It is best fresh but can also be dried or frozen by freezing whole sprigs.
Rosemarinus officinalis
Annual