Rosemary is one of the most used medicinal and aromatic plants in cooking, health and beauty. For this reason, more and more people want to grow rosemary at home. Those who own land, such as orchards or gardens, are more likely to grow this plant because it is easy to grow in the ground. On the contrary, if you live in an apartment or a house that only has a patio, a balcony and/or windows, you will have to use the rosemary in pots, and the rosemary care potted can be a bit more elaborate.
For this reason, we are going to dedicate this article to telling you everything you need to know about the care of potted rosemary.
Key features
Among the main constituents of rosemary we find essential oils, phenols, flavonoids, fiber, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, vitamin B1 or thiamine and vitamin B3 or niacin. The composition has the following properties of rosemary:
- It is a digestive plant and therefore helps to alleviate problems related to digestion and all these organs such as heartburn, flatulence, overdigestion, etc.
- It is used to treat oral problems, such as preventing cavities, reducing oral infections and inflammations and eliminating bad breath.
- Helps take care of the liver and gallbladder, so it can help prevent and reduce certain problems with these organs.
- It is a very powerful natural antibiotic.
This plant is also widely used in essential oils, including vegetable essentials and concentrates, to enhance health and beauty.
Potted Rosemary Care: Light, Temperature, and Humidity
The first thing to know about caring for a rosemary plant is the conditions it needs to live and grow in good condition. Among the conditions that should be considered in the care of potted rosemary, we find the following:
- Full light for rosemary: It must receive direct natural light, since it is a plant that needs a lot of sun and light. However, make sure that in strong sunlight, the plant is not exposed to direct sunlight on all hot days, as its leaves burn easily. Because of this, it's best to find a place with both sun and shade when it's hot and bright sunlight, and try to find a place with lots of natural light when it's hot or cold.
- The best temperatures: This plant can adapt to both hot and cold temperatures, but in reality, the proper temperatures for rosemary are those found in hot and temperate climates. As such, it cannot withstand hail, frost and sudden drops in temperature, but neither can it withstand areas with a lot of sun.
- A lot of humidityDirections: This plant is native to the entire Mediterranean region, so it is used to dry and rainy seasons, although never in excess. Therefore, it does not require much moisture, and watering is sufficient.
Where to place rosemary
Knowing the conditions explained above, it can be deduced that this type of pot will grow well both indoors and outdoors. Outside, however, it is best to plant it directly in the ground, where it will grow the most.
Depending on the climate of our place, it is more recommended outside or inside. For this reason, in cold climates, it is best to have a pot of rosemary inside the house, and although it can withstand some cold, it is best to avoid frosts and significant drops in temperature. Inside the house, it is important to place the plants near the windows, but not near the glass, as it can be too cold, and avoid the direct hit of radiators and air conditioners, which can dry out the plants.
Instead, if we live in a temperate or warm or even hot climate, it is best to grow rosemary outside where it can receive enough hours of natural light, but if the sun is hot enough in our area, it is best to plant it in direct position in full sun and shade, such as under larger plants or trees or where there is an awning.
When to water rosemary
Another care of rosemary is irrigation, since as we mentioned before, must be fertilized properly, as this plant is accustomed to dry and wet periods, but never in extreme conditions.
For this reason, although there are different irrigation systems, whether for surface or surface plants and pots, one highly recommended for caring for aromatic plants at home, such as potted rosemary, is drip irrigation. This system gives you great control over watering rate adjustment without overdoing it.
But even if you use the most suitable irrigation, It won't do much good without good drainage because the plants will be waterlogged and die. So when you transplant it into a pot, you want to make sure you use the right potting mix and put some stones in the bottom next to the hole to make sure the water filters well and doesn't get trapped and drown the roots.
Also, when the plants are still small and it's warm, you can extend the watering to once a day, or every other day if the drainage is good. On the other hand, in the slightly cooler months, it is best to water the plants one to three times a week, depending on the temperature.
Rosemary pruning and possible pests
To continue learning how to care for a potted rosemary plant, you also have to think about its pruning. It is advisable to prune rosemary when you see that its leaves and flowers are dry or yellowish, when you see little growth or when parts of it are full of pests such as aphid or cochineal. Ideally, wait for flowering to end, then cut just below the parts to be removed, avoiding cutting perfectly healthy parts. In this way, you will see that the rosemary will be beautiful and full of fragrance the next time it blooms.
Pests on rosemary can be a big problem and can completely destroy the plant if not removed or controlled.