Rosemary: growing in an apartment

Of all the herbs, rosemary is closest to me. In addition to the fact that it is irreplaceable as a seasoning and participates in many of my culinary experiments, it is also great just as a houseplant: it is beautiful, has a pleasant aroma and, due to the large amount of phytoncides released, has a beneficial effect on the indoor air. For growing on a windowsill, fragrant rosemary is suitable, it is about it that we will talk about in this article.

Rosemary: essential conditions for growing

There are completely unpretentious plants that adapt to any environment. Rosemary, unfortunately, is not one of them, it will take some effort to grow it, but believe me, it's worth it. First, the soil must be very nutritious. Perhaps, in this case, the option with ready-made soil will not work, you will have to mix the soil yourself. To do this, take sod and leafy soils, sand, humus and peat, five components in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1: 1. In winter, the plant falls into a state of dormancy, so if you want to achieve flowering from rosemary, then for the winter months it would be good to move it to a room with a temperature not higher than +14 degrees. This condition is not necessary, but the plant will be more comfortable this way. Rosemary doesn't like cold water, so keep this in mind when watering. Make sure that the earth does not dry out, but at the same time try not to flood the plant. And it is also very important to maintain air humidity if the apartment has an aquarium or a humidifier - place rosemary next to them. If not, place a container with water next to it, which, evaporating, will provide the necessary humidity. During the period of active growth (from spring to September), it is necessary to fertilize the plant; both organic and mineral complex fertilizers are suitable. Feed every 2-3 weeks. And of course light, it is needed in large quantities. The best place for rosemary is a south, southeast or southwest window, in summer - a balcony or garden (just bring it home at night).

Rosemary: growing from seed

Growing rosemary from seeds is not easy, they germinate for a very long time and not all. For example: the last time I had planted 20 seeds, 2 things emerged, the first 2 weeks later, and the second 5 weeks after planting. But after almost 3 months, the sprouts were equal in size and feel great. Seeds are sown in early spring. Place them on a damp cloth for a couple of days. Prepare a container with nutrient soil, moisten it and distribute the seeds over the surface, cover with foil on top. Ventilate the greenhouse for a few minutes every day and keep the soil moist. You will have to wait for shoots for a long time, someone will show up in 2-3 weeks, and someone can get out in a couple of months. When the shoots appear, remove the film, water them very carefully (you can do this from a syringe) so as not to damage the shoots. Also, carefully plant them in separate pots when the rosemary has 2-3 true leaves. At first, protect them from drafts, and when the sprouts get stronger, take care of them like adult plants, which means competent watering, fertilization and more light.

Propagation by cuttings. With cuttings, everything is much simpler: cut off the woody shoot from the top of the plant. Important! Pre-disinfect the pruning shears, as clean tools are the key to a healthy plant! The length of the shoot should be 10-12 cm, it is better to remove the lower leaves. Put it in water and wait, as soon as roots appear - plant in the ground.Or the second option: immediately stick the cuttings into moist soil (for example, into a mixture of sand and peat), deepening by about 4-5 cm. Build a "greenhouse" from a bag on top, just do not forget to ventilate it every day. You will know that the stalk is rooted when new young leaves appear. By the way, if you do not have the opportunity to cut a stalk from a bush, then you can try to root rosemary from the vegetable department of the supermarket, it is possible, the main thing is that the branches are fresh.

Possible problems

Essential oil plants rarely get sick and are even less likely to be affected by harmful insects, all this thanks to phytoncides and a rather strong smell. But, as they say, anything can happen, so let's focus on possible problems. If the lower leaves begin to turn yellow, then your rosemary lacks moisture, you have dried it out. And when the leaves fall, it's the other way around, it signals an excess of moisture. Brown-rusty spots on the foliage are a sign of a fungal disease (which most often occurs due to abundant watering), in this case you will have to spray the plant with some kind of preparation containing copper (and the soil can be spilled just in case). Of the pests of indoor rosemary, perhaps only the spider mite threatens. So as soon as you see thin cobwebs, immediately spray the rosemary with soapy water, repeat this three times with a difference of 3-4 days.

At first, rosemary, like all young indoor plants, must be transplanted annually, gradually increasing the pot as the roots grow. A transplant every 2-3 years will be enough for an adult plant. When choosing a container for rosemary, opt for ceramics - in such a pot it will feel very comfortable. Ceramics breathes, absorbs excess moisture. Don't forget about drainage, this is also extremely important.

Growing rosemary is a long and painstaking process. But if you are ready to be patient and put in a little effort, then soon a beautiful, fragrant and very useful rosemary bush will grow on your windowsill!