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How to Grow Rosemary: Planting, Pruning, and Harvesting This Hardy Herb

green rosemary bush, many branches are randomly arranged. fresh seasoning
Image Credit:
Andrei Metelev
Botanical Name
Salvia rosmarinus (aka Rosmarinus officinalis)
Grown as
Tender Perennial
USDA Zones
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Low
Height
1–3 feet
Spread
1–3 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Alkaline
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Blue
Purple
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Cut Flower
Disease-Resistant
Erosion Control
Evergreen
Fragrant
Low Maintenance
Winter Interest
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Pollinators
Deer-resistant
Rabbit-resistant
Resilience
Drought-Tolerant
Heat-Tolerant
Salt Tolerant
Plant Type
Herbs
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Looking to add some flavor to your garden and your dinner? Rosemary’s got you covered. This hardy herb is an overachiever of the plant world—aromatic, drought-tolerant, bee-friendly, and stylish enough to double as landscaping. 

Whether you’re planting it in pots or the ground, we’ll show you how to grow, prune, and harvest rosemary like a seasoned pro!

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is a compact, small to medium-sized woody shrub; there’s also a trailing variety. This shrubby herb is a type of sage and grows well with other Mediterranean herbs, such as lavender and thyme. It has lovely blue flowers as well, attracting pollinators!

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Drought-tolerant, rosemary grows best in warm areas, similar to its native shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In these conditions, rosemary can grow into a shrub 5 to 10 feet in height. Rosemary grows so vigorously in ideal conditions that it needs yearly pruning to keep it bushy.

This herb can be grown in the ground or in a pot. If you live in Zones 7 and warmer, it grows easily as a perennial evergreen shrub that lives for many years. Rosemary is hardy down to 15° to 23°F (-10° to -5°C), so it may need winter protection. In colder areas, rosemary should be grown in a pot and brought indoors for the winter.

When growing rosemary as a culinary herb, it’s best to harvest it in the spring and summer when it’s actively putting on new growth. Rosemary is a compact woody shrub. While all the leaves are technically edible, we usually only eat the tender leaves that form at the tips of new branches.

Planting

Plant in full sun in fast-draining soil; rosemary won’t tolerate being constantly wet. Ideally, the soil should be relatively fertile (mix in compost prior to planting to increase nutrient levels).

When to Plant Rosemary

  • Plant rosemary in spring well after the frosts have passed, once the soil is starting to warm up (around 70ºF or 21°C). In warmer climates, plant in spring or fall.
  • Most gardeners start rosemary from young plants bought at a nursery. This plant does not germinate easily from seed and seedlings are slow to grow.
  • However, if you have access to an established rosemary plant, rosemary is very easily started from cuttings.
  • If you wish to grow from seed indoors, just be aware it will take several years to grow the plant large enough to start harvesting.
  • Start seeds or cuttings indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost. (See your local frost dates.) 

How to Plant Rosemary

  • Rosemary grows well in the ground or in containers. However, it does not like wet roots, so if your soil is heavy or wet, plant it in a pot or a raised bed. Also, rosemary does not transplant well from ground to container, so start in a pot if you plan to bring it inside (especially in colder climates).
  • Before planting in the ground, mix in several inches of organic matter, such as compost, to create nutritious, fertile soil.
  • In a pot, use a container mix, as rosemary needs a lighter-weight soil mix.
  • Space starter plants 2 to 3 feet apart; rosemary does not like being crowded.
  • If starting seeds or cuttings indoors, keep the soil moist while seeds germinate and roots develop. Seeds can take a long time to germinate (2 to 3 weeks), so don’t give up right away! Plant outside once the plant is 4 inches tall.

Rosemary plant with purple flowers

Growing

  • Keep the soil uniformly moist, allowing it to dry out between waterings. Be consistent; be careful not to overwater.
  • Rosemary shrubs growing in the ground do not need fertilizer, but a potted plant will run out of nutrition more quickly, so feed with an all-purpose balanced fertilizer after flowering.
  • Mulch the shrubs to keep plants insulated in winter, but keep mulch away from the crown of the plant to avoid rotting.
  • Prune annually before new growth begins in the spring, and prune out dead wood. Don’t prune the rosemary too heavily.
  • If you leave rosemary unpruned, it can get very woody, leggy, and straggly. After about 5 years, it’s best to replace it.
  • Be sure to get cuttings or divide the plant for next season if it won’t survive winter in your area.
  • During the winter, bring potted rosemary plants inside. Learn how to overwinter rosemary indoors.

Rosemary plants

Harvesting

  • While rosemary is an evergreen that can be harvested at any time, it’s best to harvest young stems and leaves for the freshest taste. The plant puts on soft new tips in the spring and summer.
  • The leaves and stems get tougher and more woody as they age. The older tips are best for infusing things with flavor or scent, rather than eating. Try making rosemary vinegar!
  • Even the flowers are edible, with a slightly sweeter flavor. Add to salads or dishes as a garnish.
  • Snip off stems, while keeping an eye on maintaining an attractive shape to the plant. Don’t harvest more than a third of the rosemary at any one time.
  • To dry rosemary, hang it upside down in bunches in a dark, warm place. Once stems are dry, strip the leaves from them and store in a sealed jar.

Pests and Problems

  • Aerial blight
  • Bacterial leaf spots
  • Several types of root rot

Wit and Wisdom

  • In the garden, plant rosemary near beans, cabbage, carrots, and sage. Learn more about companion planting with herbs.
  • Rosemary tea is said to enhance one’s memory. Wear a sprig of rosemary in your hair to improve your memory.
  • In the language of flowers, rosemary symbolizes remembrance.
  • A sprig of lavender or rosemary under your ironing board cover will release its fragrance with the heat.

The Many Uses of Rosemary

Enjoy this video showing the rosemary plant—and its many uses as a helper in the garden, kitchen, and healing home!

Herbs

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Ckagan</span> Sat, 11/29/2014 - 16:22
The roots from water rooted cutting are delicate. Carefully plant the rosemary stem in good potting soil and keep it in light. Water just enough to keep it moist. Do not let the plant sit in a saucer of water. Once the roots have developed, most likely a month or two, you may transplant it to a bigger pot. I would baby it for awhile before I plant it out in a bigger container. Good luck. Rosemary is the herb of remembrance.
<span>Anonymous</span> Sat, 03/16/2013 - 23:46
I am a farmer from Nepal. I have. planted rosemary in 5000sq ft. Its alredy 12 weeks i plant but there is no change in Rosemary what can i do please suggest me
<span>Anonymous</span> Wed, 03/06/2013 - 11:28
We live in New Mexico and I have one rosemary plant that stays outside year round it is 3 years old now I cut it back several times each year and save and give away all the time it is a BUSH about the size of a barrel half the height our favorite is to use the rosemary on chopped potatoes in the oven baked I am so proud of this plant I have never seen rosemary so big it is planted under a Arizona ash tree on the berm of the well around the tree on the west side of our house
<span>Anonymous</span> Mon, 03/18/2013 - 23:10
I have a rosemary bush in the back of my house. It was there when we bought the house. I never water it, I do prune it because if I don't it will just take over, it grows so much. I know I should be ashamed for not caring for it, but it is a hardy plant that doesn't seem to mind the neglect.
<span>Anonymous</span> Thu, 05/16/2013 - 13:55
I also have a rosemary bush in my backyard that I inherited from the previous owners of our newly bought house. It is so large that I have to cut it back...I too have done nothing to promote it's growth but I love it. I want to learn how to grow plants from cuttings so that I might give Christmas gifts to my friends this year.
<span>Bill Y.</span> Fri, 07/05/2013 - 21:44
I live in Philadelphia. I use Clonex gel rooting hormone. I take cuttings in early May when the weather is in the low 70's for highs. I like my clippings to be woody but half than a pencil in diameter. I used potting soil, keep in moist but well drained and never let it dry out completely. keeping in bright light but non direct light. Should root in about 4 weeks. I use small used clear ice coffee cups from the local mini market so I can see if roots are growing. Plus they are free!!! Good luck.
<span>Anonymous</span> Tue, 07/10/2012 - 09:21
My Rosemary has grown very little, it is now mid July, I brought it home and set it out in a pot in May. It almost died but now looks a little better. Probably the extremely dry, hot weather we have had this summer here in West Virginia.
<span>Anonymous</span> Wed, 07/11/2012 - 12:01
I planted my rosemary in partial sun conditions in central WV ~ on the back porch which gets only morning sun and very little afternoon sun. It has done very well with the limited direct mid-day sun; so much so that I am already re-potting,dividing and sharing with my daughters & g'daughters.
<span>Bigeagle16870</span> Thu, 09/09/2010 - 22:41
Put a layer of good straw down on top of the rosemary plant.. along with a few shovels full of compost along the edges around the plant.. the straw acts like a blanket and helps to hold in some heat around the plants' crown..once it snows you can do nothing more... snow insulates the plant from the real killer in winter the dry wind... the compost holds the straw in place and gives some added "heat" but also will give the rosemary a jump start once the snow melts...
<span>Ozarkbreeze75@…</span> Sat, 02/20/2010 - 22:24
Rosemary doesn't overwinter here in Illinois. It seems like it's going to be able to winter over, but in the spring dies off from the roots up. My daughter grows it year around in North Carolina, though. And I NEVER have had luck growing it indoors, so I don't know what I'm doing wrong.