Spicy plants are quickly gaining a place in the gardens and apartments of amateur gardeners.
Housewives try not to buy dried herbs in bags, but grow them on the windowsill or in the garden. Fresh, fragrant herbs have a richer smell, and more useful substances are retained.
Among the "spicy abundance" rosemary occupies a special place. Its unusual aroma attracts culinary lovers. But not everyone knows how to grow rosemary.
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Biological features and various varieties: which one to choose?
Rosemary is a fragrant, spicy plant with decorative qualities.
The main species that gave rise to various varieties is rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.). Originally from the Mediterranean, a shrub from the family. Lamiaceae conquered Europe and Asia with their spicy-tasting qualities and medicinal properties. As a spice, it is most popular in Africa, India and Russia.
The shrub grows from 50 to 2 m tall. Interesting needle-shaped leaves, like conifers. A spherical bush in the spring is covered with tender, light lilac flowering caps, which gives it a special charm. Among different varieties there are specimens with flowers from white to dark purple.
At home, the shrub belongs to the evergreen perennials. In the conditions of central Russia, a thermophilic culture grows like an annual or winters in apartments, as a tender, Mediterranean plant does not withstand Russian frost. But this has its own plus: the housewives use fresh herbs all year round, moving the growing spice to the windowsill.
What varieties of rosemary are suitable for growing in the ground: these are White, Biryusa, Crimean, Horizon. For winter gardens and loggias, the Tenderness variety is ideal. And the most popular is Rosinka. Tall plants are grown in southern latitudes, while dwarf and creeping forms are more suitable for northern latitudes.
Rosemary is not just a spicy plant. Its healing properties have been known since ancient times.
Substances contained in a unique plant:
- increase cerebral circulation;
- improve brain function and memory;
- help get rid of depression.
An infusion of the leaves is drunk for asthma, they are gargled with colds, various inflammatory processes. Rosemary oil is known in cosmetology.
Some inexperienced gardeners claim that tarragon and rosemary are same. These are spices, but belonging to different families.Outwardly, they are remotely similar, but each spicy crop has its own biological characteristics and scope.
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Propagation of rosemary by cuttings
Having wondered how to plant rosemary, the gardener takes action. You can get an adult plant in different ways: from seeds, propagate vegetatively from a twig, transplant a copy bought in a store, divide the bush into several parts.
The traditional way - planting seeds
Tender shoots appear 2-3 weeks after sowing.
In the southern regions, you can immediately plant seeds in open ground. In mid-latitudes, this method is also suitable, only the bush will grow closer to autumn, and there will be no greenery during the summer.
Therefore, a reasonable approach is to sow the seeds indoors. The approximate sowing time is the end of February - the beginning of March. In May, the seedlings will be ready for transplanting into open ground.
Rosemary
Consider step by step how to grow rosemary from seeds:
- You should take a 2-layer gauze and divide it in half. Put the seeds on the bottom and cover the top. Moisten with water so that the gauze remains wet, and the seeds are not completely covered: only moistened. Instead of water, use Epin's solution (growth stimulant)
- Sprouts will appear warm, so the temperature regime is maintained at + 18- + 22C. Gauze is moistened daily with a spray bottle. Such seed preparation is necessary, as they germinate for a long time.
- The earth and containers are prepared in advance. For mass sowing, it is more convenient to use containers or boxes with holes to drain excess water. The earth mixture consists of equal proportions of sand and peat with the addition of a small amount of dolomite flour
- After 2 days, the swollen seeds are laid out on the surface of slightly compacted earth for further germination. Soil is poured on top no more than 0.5 cm high and moistened
- The container is covered with glass or polyethylene and placed in a warm place. The soil is constantly moistened and ventilated so that there is no mold on the surface.
- Germination of seeds lasts 2-3 weeks, after which seedlings appear. When the first sprouts are found, the film is removed, and the container is placed on the windowsill or in another well-lit place. The ideal option is to use additional lighting with a phytolamp. It warms the soil and prevents seedlings from stretching.
- A month later, the plants grow by 10 cm, and up to 4 leaves with small internodes appear on the stem. This is the time when the picking starts, when the seedlings are transferred to separate containers. It is convenient to plant rosemary in cups, from which grown specimens are carefully removed with an earthen clod and planted in open ground.
This is what seedlings look like ready for planting in the ground
After picking, it takes a month for the seedlings to get stronger. They are placed in beds or planted in beautiful planters, creating a container garden.
If seedlings are planted in open ground, then a distance of 50-60 cm between plants is observed to obtain bushes. When growing rosemary on greenery, it is enough to plant seedlings after 10-15 cm.
Getting cuttings: features of the method
Cuttings are the most convenient way to propagate rosemary.
Growing rosemary from a branch is not difficult. This seedling method is called cuttings. As cuttings, the tops of the shoots are used, which are cut from an adult plant.
If you buy a sprig of rosemary or bunches of spice, they are also suitable for planting. Cuttings are carried out in May, when rosemary branches are already leafy.
The order of procedure is as follows:
- The lower leaves are removed from annual branches (10 cm), leaving 1/5 of the stem bare. They also work for breeding rosemary, the fresh shoots of which are bought in the store.
- The lower part of the branch is treated with dry Kornevin, and the cut points are sprinkled with crushed coal. They put it in melt or rain water, dissolving a tablet of activated carbon in it, which acts against rot.
- A jar of twigs is covered with a bag, creating the effect of a greenhouse. Optimal conditions - a warm and bright place, but not bright sunlight
- The time of appearance of the first roots is 2-3 weeks. During this period, the water should be changed every 3 days.
- When the root system forms up to 3 roots, the branches are taken out and planted in the ground. Can be left in the growing room. Use a universal earth mix with a neutral pH level, adding sand and peat to it for looseness. With the right approach, rooting is 80%.
One way to root cuttings
Strong, well-rooted cuttings are placed in a permanent place. A year later, it is realistic to harvest the first crop, and after 3 years a large, well-leafy bush grows.
Cuttings give roots not only in water, but also in the ground. The preparation of the cuttings is traditional: the apical cutting is cut off, the lower leaves are removed, and they are treated with Kornevin. Planted at an angle of 45 degrees to a depth of 5 cm in a mixture of earth, peat and sand (1:1:1).
Constantly monitor the condition of the branches and moisten the ground. After a couple of weeks, small roots appear, after which it is recommended to plant them in the ground. The procedure is carried out in the spring. Over the summer, the cuttings take root well, grow and endure wintering under cover.
It is easy to increase the number of spice plants using layering. In the spring, the lower branches are bent and pinned to the surface, filling the place of contact with a layer of earth. In autumn, the cuttings take root. They are separated from the mother plant, and the finished planting material is planted at a permanent place of residence.
Rosemary can be propagated by dividing the bush. In the spring, the bush is dug up and divided into 3-5 parts so that each division has a couple of branches and 2-3 roots. Gently plant delenki in pots or soil. In the summer, additional rooting occurs and the green mass is actively growing.
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Growing a spicy plant: environmental requirements
You can grow rosemary from store-bought cups sold at garden centers.
Having wondered how to grow rosemary in the country, gardeners are actively studying literature, studying the Internet or consulting with lovers of spicy crops. The Mediterranean plant thrives in temperate climates, but under certain growing conditions.
Before you start planting rosemary, you should consider its biological features:
- The landing site should be well lit: the spicy culture needs light and warmth, but does not like strong winds and drafts
- It does not tolerate even short-term frosts: a cold test is detrimental. Planting in the ground is possible when the threat of return frosts has passed.
- In winter, shelter is necessary, but this does not guarantee the survival of the plant. The best option is transshipment into a pot and placement in a winter garden, on a glazed loggia or balcony, where it is necessary to ensure a temperature regime of at least + 5C
- What soil or substrate to plant rosemary in? Light, nutritious, calcareous soils with a slightly alkaline pH are needed. Rosemary does not like acidic substrates and heavy soils.
- Demanding on soil moisture, tolerates short-term drought. But close groundwater leads to growing problems: rosemary roots rot. For the same reason, the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture. When growing in a lowland, a drainage layer is important.
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This is how well-groomed rosemary bushes look when it blooms
Growing rosemary is not that difficult. The main care activities are traditional and include watering and fertilizing, loosening weeding.
Sometimes the plant suffers from pests and diseases, which also needs to be fought.
Watering and feeding
Compliance with the water regime is one of the main points when growing a spicy plant.
Watering is carried out as the earthen coma dries up: in summer - every other day, in winter - once a week.
If the needle leaves turn yellow, this is a signal of a lack of moisture. With its excess, the bush sheds foliage.
On fertile soils suitable for spicy culture, top dressing is carried out once a month. Add complex mineral fertilizers "Universal", "Vegetable Bed" or any of your choice. From organic matter, they are fed with infusion of mullein (1:10). The high nitrogen content allows rosemary bushes to quickly gain leaf mass.
The plant is responsive to phosphate fertilizers, which contribute in the second half of summer and autumn (superphosphate).
Weed removal and mulching
rosemary seedling
Rosemary is a perennial, so it grows slowly in the first months. With such growth, it is actively "clogged" with weeds and dies. It is necessary to monitor the condition of small shoots: weed and loosen the soil in time.
Mulching won't hurt either. Peat, straw or humus will reliably cover the ground, retain moisture in the soil, and prevent weeds from germinating.
pruning
When pruning, additional shoots are formed
Pruning is carried out on adult specimens that have formed into a shrub. This approach assumes:
- removal of weak and twisted branches;
- pruning the apical shoots by 1/3 to give the bush the shape of a ball and increase the number of shoots;
- pinching the top to limit growth and create a lush bush;
- when the bush ages, at the age of 5-7 years, it is cut to the ground, which stimulates the growth of young shoots.
If the gardener does not strive to create a beautiful bush, giving it a certain shape, then pruning is carried out solely for the purpose of forming additional branches that are used as seasoning.
Pest and disease attacks
whitefly
The smell of essential oils repels pests. But sometimes they can be found on the shoots. With improper care, the plant suffers from diseases. In this case, the following measures are taken:
- with powdery mildew, they are treated with copper sulphate;
- Biotlin helps with aphids;
- saves Aktar from the whitefly;
- a solution of laundry soap copes with spider mites (15 g per 0.5 l of water); processing is carried out three times, maintaining an interval of 2 days;
- the scale insect dies from the preparations of Mospilan and Bankola.
A serious danger is powdery mildew, which appears on the plant in a cool, rainy summer. Too dense plantings also lead to its development. With a strong spread, you can lose the spicy additive.
Features of the collection of raw materials and its preparation
Properly dried spice will retain its beneficial properties
Twigs are harvested in dry weather. The greens are ready for cutting 4-6 months after planting with cuttings and a year after seed propagation.
This is the harvest period, which is harvested as follows:
- cut annual shoots;
- dry in a dark room in a draft;
- crushed to the desired condition;
- laid out in jars for spices;
- are used as needed.
In the northern latitudes, spicy bushes are grown as annuals (they do not winter well), caring for them during the summer, and then cutting them off at the root. Another option is to transplant into containers or pots, leaving to grow on the windowsill until the next season. In the spring, rosemary bushes can be transplanted back into the ground.
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Household rosemary care tips
Fragrant bushes will green the kitchen, and fresh spice will always be at hand.
It is quite possible to grow rosemary on the windowsill if you follow the basic agricultural techniques. A properly formed, fragrant bush in combination with other spicy plants will create a “green zone” in the kitchen, and the hostess will always have seasonings at hand. The optimal location is a western window, where there is enough light so that the spice culture does not stretch.
What varieties are best for indoor growing? To get fresh herbs on the windowsills, choose Fragrant, Dewdrop, Lavender, Veshnyakovsky Semko. Of the varieties of foreign selection, Roseus, Albiflorus, Severn Sea are suitable.
Features of watering and top dressing: everything is good in moderation
sod land
When moistening the soil, it is best to observe the golden mean, watering the soil moderately. It is better to dry it out a little than to pour it: rosemary does not tolerate excess moisture, so drainage must be placed on the bottom of the pot. For irrigation, settled water at room temperature is used.
On average, the bushes are watered 2 times a week. The amount of moisture is reduced during flowering and in winter. In the initial stages of growth, when the plant is actively gaining green mass, spraying is useful.
If rosemary is planted in fertile soil, then top dressing is not necessary in the first year of growth. Usually use purchased soil, which includes:
- 2 parts of sod land;
- 1 part peat crumb;
- 2 parts of humus;
- 1 part coarse sand.
In the second and subsequent years of cultivation, complex mineral fertilizers are used for indoor plants, the choice of which is quite large. It is necessary to strictly follow the instructions: too concentrated a solution can burn the roots.
Transplant principles
The plant needs fresh soil and a larger pot
Transplantation is carried out once a year in the spring. When the rosemary bush reaches 5-6 years, it is transplanted less often - once every 3-4 years or the topsoil is changed, so as not to injure the roots of an adult plant. A transplant is necessary when the root system has completely occupied the volume of the pot. It is held in the spring, at the beginning of March.
Transplantation of store-bought rosemary and a home plant is carried out using the transshipment method:
- Before transplanting, the bush is carefully watered so that the earthen ball does not crumble when it is removed from the pot.
- Remove the container filled with earth. Part of the old earth is removed, rotten or dried roots are removed. But the earth is not completely shaken off, otherwise the plant will hurt
- Rosemary is transferred to a fresh clay or plastic pot of a larger volume, fresh earthen mixture is added. Then it is compacted and watered abundantly. At the bottom of the tank, drainage is necessarily created from pebbles or expanded clay.
Pruning Secrets
rosemary - pruning
To form a neat bush and stimulate the growth of new shoots, an adult plant must be cut periodically. For better tillering, it is desirable to cut off the top. It is best to carry out this procedure in the spring and summer, when there is an active growth of new branches.
The spice culture tolerates pruning well and recovers quickly. But at the same time, the condition must be observed: cut the shoots by 2/3. You can not cut the branches to the old wood: the plant begins to hurt and may die.
Attacks of pests and diseases on indoor culture
Biological products for plant protection
Errors in cultivation negatively affect the spicy culture. She becomes weak and often gets sick. Usually, in an apartment, a dry climate is “liked” by spider mites and aphids. In a warm and dry atmosphere, they multiply especially quickly, hitting the spicy plant. If the apartment is humid and there is stagnation of air, then rosemary suffers from powdery mildew.
At home, the use of "chemistry" is undesirable, so the choice most often falls on biological products and folk remedies that are easy to prepare. Fitovetm saves from pests, and fumigating the plant with tobacco dust is used from folk, proven means. Powdery mildew is treated with copper-containing preparations on the street.
When it's time to harvest spice twigs
Spicy herbs create a cozy corner in the garden and at home
If the plant is grown from seeds, then the first harvest must wait a year. A young plant is poorly leafy and cutting branches can lead to its death. When cuttings, branches can be cut off after six months. Rosemary grown on a windowsill does not need to be dried. Fresh branches are more fragrant and healthier than dried ones.
Rosemary is one of the spicy crops that have long been loved by the Russian people. Seasoning from it is a welcome guest in any home. It is convenient that rosemary is grown in the garden and on the windowsill. This is how housewives get fresh herbs all year round, delighting their family with fragrant, delicious dishes.
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