05 Oct Rosemary

Watering Instructions: Keep a medium moisture level-not too wet and not too dry. Do not let plant sit in standing water or mist the foliage.

Indoor Care Instructions: Place in front of a sunny window. Give good air circulation to reduce the chance of disease. Overwatering or letting rosemary dry out too much usually results in death. Rosemary can also be susceptible to powdery mildew in warm humid conditions. A treatment to protect and get rid of powdery mildew is to mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and a few drops of dish soap in 1 gallon of water. Spray infected plants weekly coating both sides of the leaves. This changes the pH levels to be inhospitable to the mildew.

Outdoor Care Instructions: Rosemary grows best in full sun. They can be kept in pots or planted in the ground. Use good potting soil when planting in containers. When planting in the ground, water regularly for the first growing season. After the first year planted reduce the watering frequency as rosemary will tolerate some drought. Fertilize regularly with liquid fertilizer once a month to keep green. Rosemary will grow into a fragrant ornamental shrub with lavender blue flowers when planted in warm weather areas. Use in recipes that call for fresh rosemary but rinse the foliage as you would with any produce.

USDA zones: 8-11

Mature Size: 20-40″

Fun Facts & Uses: Rosemary is truly the fragrance of the holidays. Rosemary is known as a herb of remembrance and love. Rosemary makes a perfect living gift. Use to flavor soups, stews, bread, vegetables, beef, chicken or fish.