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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>Gail</span> Fri, 01/08/2016 - 12:00
The needles on my rosemary plant seem to be turning black - can you please tell me what I am doing wrong?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 01/08/2016 - 15:23

Brown and black needles on your plant may be a sign that you have been overwatering and that you have root rot. As the roots are dying the needles are also dying. Stop watering and cut off the branches with brown or black needles. Only water when the soil is dry again. Let the soil dry out between waterings. Please read some of the questions and answers on this page to find more advice.

 <span>Kathy Middleton</span> Tue, 01/05/2016 - 09:16
I am overwintering my Rosemary plant indoors. Should I be fertilizing it too? Some of the stems seem to be dried up, others are nice and green. I cut back the dried stems, hopefully they will come back. Also when should I repot the bush? I transplanted it last summer but not sure if the pot is still big enough. Thanks.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 01/05/2016 - 11:51

Rosemary plants are tricky to overwinter. Make sure the soil is moist and mist the bush with water if the air in your house is dry. Also make sure it gets plenty of light. Do not repot the plant while it is indoors. Do not fertilize from November through January; sunlight levels are too low for plants to benefit from it and grow. Start fertilizing once per week in February. As the days lengthen, watch out for indications of its being potbound and repot as soon as you can. Use a good quality potting mix. Pruning or pinching back the dry stems is fine; it should lead to improved growth in spring and summer.

 <span>Kathleen Gillis</span> Tue, 12/08/2015 - 19:38
hi there, I have a huge Rosemary plant that is in a large planter. It's quite lanky, and I brought it inside in the fall, I live in toronto, I'm a bit worried that I may have dehydrated it, and wonder how I will know if it's still alive. Is there a Way to tell? The leaves are green but crisp to remove, and I'm wondering if it's doing something like hibernating in the fall and losing its leaves, and will come back in the spring. Should I clip it way back? How far?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 12/11/2015 - 15:35

Most rosemary is evergreen and never goes completely dormant. Take a cutting from it and scrape back the outside of the stem. If you see any green in the stem, it's still alive. Winter time is the best time to prune so you could cut back some of the lankier stems. Give the plant more humidity by having a humidifier in the room or mist the plant daily with water. Also make sure that the plant gets plenty of light.

 <span>Beagledt</span> Mon, 05/25/2015 - 20:54
I live in NE Florida and have a HUGE rosemary bush planted outside. (5'x6') My question is this. What is the best time of day to harvest it? I've read that the essential oils in various plants peak at various times during the day - and some even should be harvested at night, but can't really see much advice about Rosemary. Early morning? High noon? Late afternoon?
<span>Jadedbee</span> Fri, 08/14/2015 - 04:26
I have been doing some (a lot) of research on rosemary lately. It is best to harvest rosemary in the early morning, but it retains its quintessence better than other plants, so it will not have a negative impact to harvest at another time of day. :)
<span>Christine1</span> Sat, 05/02/2015 - 18:17
I have a beautiful rosemary plant that is outside - getting huge. I live in Northern AZ. Today I notice some white things on some leaves. They are the size of a small pea and if you crush it between fingers it is just wet. What could this be and how do i treat it?