Potted rosemary: if you want it to last more than 10 years, follow this gardener’s advice!
Rosemary or Rosmarinus officinalis originates from the Mediterranean and is an aromatic shrub cultivated mainly for culinary purposes.
It is also used in pharmacology, homeopathy and many other natural therapies.
These are things that most people know, however, it should be clear that the growth and longevity of the rosemary plant depend on its preservation.
On this page, in fact, you can discover how gardeners or gardening experts can grow rosemary in pots for up to 10 years and always enjoy its flavor.
To do this, just follow a few simple steps. With a little patience and love, even those who are taking their first steps into the world of gardening can do it.
Rosemary in a pot: the steps to a long-lasting plant
It is clear that the main secret to letting rosemary live for many years in a pot is to make it live in an environment very similar to the one in which it lives naturally. Furthermore, it is necessary to transplant the seedling from pot to pot regularly and with due care. This will make the root system much more robust.
Equally important is choosing the right pot to grow rosemary. A spacious, well-drained pot must be used. The diameter of the pot must be increased from time to time to give the roots more space. Drainage holes, on the other hand, are used to prevent water stagnation that could cause the root system to rot.
The plant in question must also be rooted every 2 or 3 years to avoid overcrowding the roots. In this way, it is possible to ensure healthy growth of the aromatic plant. Furthermore, the best time to do this is in spring, as this is when the plant activates its growth cycle.
Rosemary: what to do after potting the plant?
First of all, you should pay attention to the natural fertilizers that can be introduced into the soil to nourish it. The best thing to use is, without a doubt, compost and, occasionally, the addition of peat or perlite can be useful to facilitate drainage and keep the soil properly moist.
The ideal time to fertilize the plant is definitely the flowering period. If you want to have a rich plant, you must use a liquid fertilizer from April to September, once a month.
Don’t forget that rosemary does not need to be placed in moist soil to develop, although it tolerates most of the conditions to which it may be exposed very well. However, soil that is too wet will damage it beyond repair, so check the soil’s moisture levels and only water the plant when the top 2 to 3 centimeters of soil appear dry.
On the other hand, during the coldest season of the year, it is necessary to place the pot containing the seedling in a sheltered place or indoors to protect the roots from low temperatures.
The plant’s preferred soil is limestone. In this soil, the seedling will live longer. It is therefore necessary to avoid poorly drained soils, such as clayey soils.
With these small attentions, the plant will be able to live healthy for a long time.