Rosemary: Learn How To Plant, Grow and Harvest

Where to Plant Rosemary

Light Requirements

Rosemary flourishes in full sun, needing at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Choose a bright, unobstructed spot in your garden to maximize growth and aroma. If growing indoors, position rosemary near a sunny, south-facing window to ensure it receives plenty of light year-round. Rosemary does not tolerate shade and will become leggy and weak without enough light.

Soil

A native of rugged Mediterranean hillsides, rosemary thrives in well-draining, sandy or loamy soils with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0–7.0). It strongly dislikes heavy, clay-based soils that retain water, which can quickly lead to root rot. To ensure success, plant rosemary in soil that drains freely after rainfall or amend your soil with sand or gravel to improve drainage.

Climate

Rosemary is winter hardy in USDA Zones 8–11 and can tolerate temperatures down to about 20°F (-6°C). In colder regions, select cold-hardy cultivars like ‘Arp’ and ‘Madeline Hill’, which can survive in zones 6–7 with protection. Not sure about your zone? Find it here. Rosemary loves warm, dry climates and shows remarkable resilience to both heat and moderate humidity.

Vegetable Gardens

Thanks to its potent scent, rosemary acts as a natural guardian for your vegetable beds. Plant it alongside crops like cabbage, carrots, and beans to repel pests such as slugs and snails. Discover more pairing tips in the best and worst rosemary companion plants guide.

Patio and Seating Areas

Rosemary’s mosquito-repelling properties make it perfect for patios, balconies, and outdoor living spaces. Its refreshing aroma not only deters pests but also enhances your surroundings. Learn about other plants that repel mosquitoes.

Ground Cover

Trailing or creeping rosemary varieties are ideal for cascading over stone walls, stabilizing dry slopes, and softening landscape edges. They combine beauty with functionality, preventing soil erosion in sloped gardens.

Container Planting

Rosemary thrives in terracotta pots on patios, balconies, and sunny windowsills. Containers provide perfect drainage and allow you to enjoy rosemary’s fragrance up close, while making it easy to move indoors for winter protection.

Houseplant

Rosemary can be grown indoors year-round with the right conditions. Provide bright light, good air circulation, and minimal watering. It’s one of the 20 best herbs to grow indoors all year.

Coastal Gardens

Naturally adapted to salty air and sandy soils, rosemary is a top choice for seaside landscapes. It thrives where other plants struggle against salt spray and dry winds.

Drought-Tolerant Gardens

Once established, rosemary needs little supplemental water, making it an ideal addition to xeriscapes and low-water landscapes. It pairs beautifully with other drought-tolerant favorites like salvias.

Pollinator Gardens

Rosemary’s nectar-rich flowers attract bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds. It’s a must-have plant for butterfly gardens and wildlife-friendly spaces.

Rock Gardens

Rosemary’s rugged nature and aromatic foliage make it an exceptional addition to rock gardens, where it spills gracefully among stones and thrives with minimal care.

Border Planting

Rosemary’s evergreen presence creates attractive year-round definition along pathways and garden beds. Its soft blooms add seasonal charm and fragrance to structured plantings.

Foundation Planting

Use rosemary near buildings and patios where its compact habit, fragrant foliage, and low maintenance needs provide beauty and functionality without overwhelming nearby structures.

Hedge

Upright rosemary cultivars can be clipped into neat, formal hedges or allowed to grow naturally as informal, aromatic screens for pathways or small garden boundaries.

Specimen Plant

Let rosemary shine as a striking centerpiece in herb gardens, raised beds, or container displays. Its sculptural shape and aromatic greenery make it an irresistible focal point year-round.

How to Plant Rosemary

Rosemary can be grown from seeds, cuttings, or nursery plants. For faster and more reliable results, start with cuttings or small plants rather than seeds, which are slow to germinate and can be tricky for beginners.

Prepare the Site: Choose a sunny spot with fast-draining soil. Amend heavy soils with sand, gravel, or compost to improve drainage. Raised beds or large containers with drainage holes are excellent options in areas with poor soil.

Spacing: Space rosemary plants 2 to 3 feet (60–90 cm) apart to allow for their mature spread and ensure good air circulation, which helps prevent diseases like powdery mildew.

Planting Depth: When transplanting nursery plants or rooted cuttings, plant them at the same depth they were growing previously. Avoid burying the stems too deeply.

Watering: Water well after planting to help settle the soil around the roots. After establishment, rosemary prefers to dry out between waterings. Overwatering can lead to root rot, especially in heavy soils.

Mulching: In very dry climates, a light mulch of small gravel or coarse sand can help retain moisture without causing humidity issues around the base of the plant.

Container Planting: Use a well-draining potting mix designed for cacti or succulents if planting rosemary in pots. Containers allow easier overwintering indoors in colder regions and control over soil conditions.

With the right conditions and care, your rosemary plant will reward you with its aromatic foliage and charming flowers for many years.

How to Care for Rosemary

Watering

Rosemary thrives on a careful balance of moisture and drought. Avoid overwatering, as rosemary roots are highly susceptible to rot in soggy soil. Water deeply but infrequently, allowing the top 1–2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings.

In hot, dry climates or during summer, rosemary grown in containers may need more frequent watering than those planted in the ground. Watch for wilting or brittle leaves, a sign that watering is needed. Always ensure excellent drainage to prevent water accumulation at the roots.

Fertilizing

Rosemary is naturally adapted to lean soils and requires little feeding. Over-fertilizing can reduce the intensity of its aromatic oils, leading to less flavorful leaves.

In spring, apply a light feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or incorporate compost into the soil.

If growing rosemary in containers, an occasional light feeding throughout the growing season can help sustain healthy growth without encouraging excessive softness or legginess.

Pruning

• Prune lightly after flowering in late spring or early summer to maintain a compact, bushy shape and prevent plants from becoming woody and sparse.
• Regular light trims throughout the growing season encourage branching and denser foliage.
• Remove any dead, damaged, or overly leggy stems annually to promote vigorous new growth.
• In colder climates, avoid heavy pruning in late fall, as tender new growth may be vulnerable to frost damage.

Overwintering

• In USDA zones 7 and colder, grow rosemary in containers and bring it indoors before the first frost.
• Place the pot near a bright south-facing window where it will receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Supplemental grow lights can help during darker winter months.
• Keep indoor temperatures above 40°F (4°C) and ensure good air circulation to prevent mildew and fungal problems.
• Water sparingly in winter, allowing the soil to dry out almost completely between waterings, as the plant’s water needs decrease dramatically during dormancy.

Harvesting and Storing Rosemary

When to Harvest

• Begin harvesting once rosemary plants are well-established and at least 12 inches (30 cm) tall.
• The best time to harvest is early in the morning, after the dew has evaporated but before the day’s heat diminishes the essential oils in the leaves.
• In mild, frost-free climates, rosemary can be harvested year-round. In colder areas, harvest before winter dormancy to preserve flavor.
• Frequent light harvesting encourages the plant to become bushier and produce more tender new growth.

How to Harvest

• Use sharp, clean scissors or pruning shears to snip sprigs just above a leaf node or branching point. This technique encourages fuller, more vigorous regrowth.
• Select healthy stems with vibrant green leaves for the best flavor and aroma.
• Never harvest more than 20–30% of the plant at a time to avoid stressing the plant and slowing future growth.
• Regular light harvesting throughout the growing season promotes a dense, lush shape.

Storing Rosemary

• Fresh: Wrap freshly cut rosemary sprigs in a damp paper towel, place them inside a plastic bag or airtight container, and refrigerate. They will stay fresh for up to two weeks.
• Dried: Bundle stems together and hang them upside down in a dry, well-ventilated, dark area. Once fully crisp, strip the leaves from the stems and store them in airtight containers away from light and heat. Properly dried rosemary retains its flavor for up to one year.
• Frozen: Chop fresh rosemary leaves and freeze them in ice cube trays filled with water or olive oil. This method preserves more of the herb’s vibrant flavor compared to drying and provides easy pre-portioned seasoning for cooking.

How to Propagate Rosemary

If you love rosemary, you’re in luck — it’s one of the easiest herbs to propagate. While you can grow rosemary from seeds, it’s a slow and tricky process with low success rates. For faster, more reliable results, cuttings are the way to go. Layering is another option, though it takes a bit more time and space. For most gardeners, starting from cuttings is the easiest and most rewarding method.

From Cuttings

• Step 1 – Select a Stem: In spring or early summer, snip a healthy, non-flowering stem about 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) long from a mature rosemary plant. Softwood or semi-hardwood stems root best.
• Step 2 – Remove Lower Leaves: Gently strip the leaves from the lower half of the cutting, exposing the nodes where roots will sprout. Keep a few leaves at the top to fuel growth.
• Step 3 – Dip in Rooting Hormone (Optional): For an extra boost, dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder, although rosemary often roots just fine without it.
• Step 4 – Plant the Cutting: Insert the cutting into a pot filled with a well-draining mix like perlite and peat moss. Press the soil gently around the stem to hold it in place.
• Step 5 – Create the Right Environment: Place the pot in a bright, warm spot out of direct sunlight. To keep humidity high, loosely cover the pot with a plastic bag or a clear dome.
• Step 6 – Water Lightly: Keep the soil barely moist — not soggy — to prevent rot. Good drainage is key to healthy roots.
• Step 7 – Transplant: After about 4–8 weeks, tug gently on the cutting. If you feel resistance, it’s rooted! Transplant your new rosemary plant into a bigger pot or directly into the garden.

From Seeds

• Step 1 – Start Indoors: Sow seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before your last expected frost. Use a sterile seed-starting mix for best results.
• Step 2 – Surface Sow: Lightly press seeds onto the soil surface. Don’t bury them deeply — they need light to germinate.
• Step 3 – Keep Warm: Maintain a soil temperature around 70°F (21°C). Be patient: rosemary seeds can take 2–4 weeks (or even longer) to sprout.
• Step 4 – Transplant Seedlings: Once your seedlings are a few inches tall with multiple sets of leaves, transplant them into larger pots or into the garden.

By Layering

• Step 1 – Pick a Low Branch: In early spring, select a flexible stem near the base of the plant that you can easily bend to the ground.
• Step 2 – Wound the Stem: Lightly scrape or nick the underside of the stem where it touches the soil — this encourages faster root development.
• Step 3 – Pin and Cover: Pin the wounded section down with a landscape staple or small wire and cover it with soil, leaving the growing tip exposed.
• Step 4 – Water and Wait: Keep the soil moist but not soggy. In a few weeks to a few months, roots should form. Once the new plant is established, sever it from the parent and transplant it.

Tip

The best time to propagate rosemary is in spring or early summer when the plant is actively growing. Try to avoid taking cuttings or layering during the winter, when growth slows and success rates drop.

Common Pests and Diseases of Rosemary

Pests

• Aphids: These small sap-sucking insects can cluster on new growth, causing leaves to curl and weaken.
• Spider Mites: Tiny pests that cause stippled, yellowing leaves and fine webbing, especially during hot, dry weather.
• Whiteflies: Small flying insects that feed on plant sap, leading to yellowing and wilting of leaves.
• Mealybugs: Soft-bodied insects that appear as white cottony masses on stems and leaves, weakening the plant over time.
• Slugs and Snails: These pests can chew irregular holes in lower leaves and stems, especially during wet conditions.

Diseases

• Root Rot: Caused by overwatering or poor drainage, leading to yellowing leaves, wilting, and eventual plant death.
• Powdery Mildew: A fungal disease that appears as a white, powdery coating on the leaves, often during humid conditions with poor air circulation.
• Gray Mold (Botrytis): Causes fuzzy gray growth on stems and leaves, especially in damp, overcrowded plantings.
• Downy Mildew: Results in yellow to brown patches on leaves, with a downy white growth on the undersides.
• Leaf Spot: Fungal or bacterial spots appear on the leaves, causing premature leaf drop if left untreated.

Prevention Tips

• Plant rosemary in well-draining soil and avoid overhead watering to prevent fungal issues.
• Space plants properly to ensure good air circulation.
• Inspect plants regularly for pests and remove affected parts promptly.
• Use natural remedies like neem oil or insecticidal soap for minor pest problems.