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How to Overwinter Rosemary and Grow It Indoors All Winter

Growing rosemary indoors will allow you to keep this herb all winter, so find out how to overwinter rosemary!

Rosemary Winter Care Guide: Keep Your Herb Thriving Indoors

Written By: Robin Sweetser Gardener

Find out how to overwinter rosemary and grow rosemary indoors to keep this wonderful herb growing all year!

Every fall, at least one person heading south for the winter will come to me with plants that they can’t bear to let die. I am a sucker for a beautiful plant, so if I have the room, I usually say yes. I have gotten some remarkable plants that way—jasmine, streptocarpella, orchids, geraniums, begonias, and rosemary. 

rosemary

How to Overwinter Rosemary

The rosemary I have now is several years old. Last year, it spent the winter on a cold windowsill at the library. The heat was on the fritz there last winter, but this plant sailed through the 50ºF nights with no problem. Occasionally, I would wrestle it into the sink and spray water over the needles, but it usually just got watered when we noticed the lanky new growth drooping. I brought it home, and it spent the summer outdoors, enjoying the bright sunshine, heat, and rainfall. Now, it is back inside for the winter.

overwintering rosemary

The three most important things to consider when overwintering your rosemary are light, temperature, and water.

Temperature

In the past, I have had success wintering rosemary in a south-facing window in an unheated upstairs bedroom. Now, we are lucky enough to have a greenhouse attached to the house. We keep it fairly cold; the heat only comes on out there if it drops below 40ºF, and sometimes plants too near the glass freeze at night. And yet, the rosemary is thriving. 

Watering

It can get a messy sprinkle of water on its needles weekly, along with regular watering when the soil feels dry. Rosemary hates wet feet, so do not let yours sit in water. It needs well-draining potting mix, and a clay pot can help keep the roots from rotting. Many people make the mistake of letting their rosemary dry out too much, but a dry rosemary is a dead rosemary. Water when the soil feels dry.

Light

Now let’s talk about light. Rosemary needs the brightest light you have. I have had the best luck with south-facing windows, but many people resort to supplementing with grow lights. If you don’t have access to a nice south-facing window, a western or eastern one will do. North-facing windows won’t get enough sunlight, but if it’s all you have, it’s better than nothing!

rosemary in bloom, rosemary flowers
If you are very lucky and your plant is very happy, it may even reward you with some blossoms!

Frequent clipping keeps it from getting too leggy, and when new growth starts this spring, it will make for a bushier plant.

Growing Rosemary Indoors

The best part about keeping rosemary in the house is that you can stroke it every time you walk by and release that lovely fragrance into the air. Smelling it supposedly enhances cognitive function—clearly, I’m not smelling enough of it! Rosemary can even reduce anxiety and stress and repel bugs.

Cooking with it is a treat also. Fresh rosemary goes well with potatoes, chicken, and vegetable soup, and we stuffed our Thanksgiving turkey with it. Plus, if your indoor rosemary doesn’t make it and dries up—free dried rosemary! Try delicious recipes like Corn Bread with Rosemary and Pine Nuts and Rosemary Chicken with Spinach.

Cornbread with pine nuts and rosemary
Cornbread with pine nuts and rosemary

Rosemary is said to symbolize “remembrance,” and Rosemarie, the woman who gave me this plant, is often in my thoughts.

Want more growing tips? Check out our Rosemary plant care page! Plus, get more tips for growing plants indoors and getting your garden ready for winter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can rosemary survive the winter indoors?

Yes! Rosemary can thrive indoors during the winter if given the right conditions. It needs bright light, cool temperatures (40°–60°F is ideal), and careful watering to prevent root rot.

How much light does rosemary need indoors?

Rosemary requires at least 6 to 8 hours of bright, direct sunlight daily. A south-facing window is best. If that’s not available, consider supplementing with a grow light.

How often should I water rosemary in winter?

Water rosemary when the top inch of soil feels dry. Avoid letting the plant sit in water—rosemary hates “wet feet.” Consistent but moderate watering works best.

Should I prune rosemary in the winter?

Yes, light pruning helps keep rosemary bushy and healthy. Clip sprigs for cooking or to encourage new growth. Avoid heavy pruning until spring when growth resumes.

What kind of pot is best for indoor rosemary?

A clay or terracotta pot with drainage holes works best because it prevents excess moisture and helps keep roots healthy.

Can I still use rosemary for cooking while it’s overwintering indoors?

Absolutely! Snip fresh sprigs to use in soups, stews, roasted vegetables, and meat dishes. Frequent clipping also helps keep the plant compact.

Why is my rosemary dying indoors?

The most common reasons are lack of sunlight, overwatering, or letting the soil dry out completely. Check for good drainage, keep the plant in the sunniest window possible, and avoid temperature extremes.

Are you overwintering your rosemary this season? Let us know below!

Herbs

About The Author

Robin Sweetser

Robin Sweetser

Gardener

Robin has been a contributor to The Old Farmer’s Almanac and the All-Seasons Garden Guide for many years.

Read more from Robin Sweetser

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Comments

<span>Patricia Kephart</span> Thu, 09/02/2021 - 05:27
Out of 6 Rosemary cuttings I rooted in early May of 2020 I kept the best (3) to grow in one large pot .I'm filling around them with potting soil and mulching around them with 6-8" straw. Hopefully they'll make it without any heat this year.I'd like to plant them in the ground but the hoop house protects them from harsh winds and snow which could kill them.They've grown over a foot since last winter.
<span>Tim Cotter</span> Mon, 01/11/2021 - 15:07
I've not had luck inside in winter. This year in the garage 50-60 degrees with a light on all day and watering as needed. It has been in 25-45 degrees outside, but the real cold is starting here soon. Buffalo, Zone 7 I think. Hope it lasts. Good advice.
<span>Linda</span> Mon, 01/11/2021 - 15:04
I found two Rosemary plants in the shape of a little Christmas tree this winter and brought them home. One turned brown and dried out quickly. I had placed that plant in my dining room which is on the east side of our home. Now that I read your article, I suspect it died quickly because of the dry air and lack of sunlight. The other Rosemary plant was placed in my unheated entryway which has a series of long, windows letting in southeast light. This plant is still green, giving off a lovely fresh sent when I touch it almost everyday! It is in a very tightly packed pot and is severely cropped for the effect of having a tree shape. I guess I will leave it where it is happy and let its limbs stretch beyond its tree shape...a new friend!
<span>Belinda</span> Fri, 11/20/2020 - 08:34
I am bringing my Rosemary Plant in from a long healthy summer. We live in Ohio, so we'll have some winter weather and light in our small home is at a premium. I've never managed to keep one alive yet, but hope some of your tips make this one a first to survive!!
<span>Patricia Kephart</span> Wed, 11/11/2020 - 19:54
I have 6 small plants grown from cuttings earlier this year They're growing in 1 gallon pots in a hoop house I built from scrap.They're very vulnerable the 1st yr so I sunk the pots in 3 gallon buckets and filled the buckets with sand .As an extra measure of protection I placed the buckets inside milk crates and crammed straw all around the buckets . (I insulated the crates too)As a last resort I can put cloches over the plants and lay frost blankets and mylar sheets over them.Even though heat Automatically turns on at 35 degrees I don't know if it'll heat the green house fast enough to prevent them from freezing.If this isn't enough protection to help them to survive the winter here I'll probably never try to grow Rosemary again here.
<span>Chet Swartz</span> Fri, 10/09/2020 - 23:56
I live in the western mountains of central Virginia and i always have rosemary plants in the garden and flower beds. I have lost many to winter over the years. I finally think I have figured out how to keep them from dying. The plants always make it until after Christmas but when the temperatures drop into the teens and lower and the dry Winter wind howls the plants just dehydrate and dry up and die. For the last half dozen years I have been putting a 55 gallon plastic drum with no bottom (makes a wonderful planter if you cut it off about a foot from the bottom) and cut about a 12-inch hole in the other end and put the barrel over the whole plant thus protecting it from the wind. If there hasn't been any falling weather in a week or two I will take a watering can and water it occasionally. The temperatures here in the mountains can drop below zero during the night and not get above 20 F during the day. When the temp gets into the twenties or above during a sunny day I will take the barrels off the plants so they can get some sun. I usually don't keep them covered more than two months. I think that protecting them from dry cold wind is the key to keeping them alive during Winter. I still clip branches for kitchen use during this time.
<span>Ben King</span> Fri, 10/09/2020 - 16:58
I have had my rosemary planted outside here in South Carolina (Zone 8) for over 10 years now. It has grown into a large shrub and continues to provide us with both new growth and beautiful blooms every year with very little care. I use straight cuttings for BBQ skewers after removing the leaves. They give the kabobs great natural seasoning!
<span>Kathee Emm</span> Fri, 01/03/2020 - 17:11
I've had good luck with rooting cuttings in water, taken in the fall here in SW PA. Once rooted in late winter, I pot them up and done! I've transplanted these starters in the garden (where they don't overwinter), in a pot on the porch, SE exposure, and I kept one small pot in the kitchen window above the sink, eastern exposure, for an entire year! I just repotted it and am crossing my fingers. The closer to the kitchen, the more they get pruned -- and they seem to love that. Me too!
<span>Thomas</span> Thu, 12/19/2019 - 08:55
Here in Cincinnati, Ohio, I had a Rosemary plant in the ground for 3 or 4 years. It was planted 6 or 8 inches from south foundation wall. Grew to 2 foot diameter in size, with trunk thumb sized. Weather goes Below 0 at times.
<span>Thomas</span> Thu, 12/19/2019 - 08:55
Here in Cincinnati, Ohio, I had a Rosemary plant in the ground for 3 or 4 years. It was planted 6 or 8 inches from south foundation wall. Grew to 2 foot diameter in size, with trunk thumb sized. Weather goes Below 0 at times.