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Rosemary or Rosmarinus officinalis It is one of the most used medicinal and aromatic plants for cooking, health and beauty. For this reason, more and more people want grow rosemary at home. Those who have land, such as an orchard or garden, have it easier to grow this plant, since it grows very easily in the ground. On the other hand, those who live in an apartment or a house where they only have a terrace, balcony and / or windows, need to use pots and the cultivation can be a little more delicate.
Thus, at Ecologista Verde we offer you a practical guide about how to take care of potted rosemary plant so that, in this way, it is easier for you to achieve it and take advantage of its benefits.
Composition and properties of the rosemary plant
Among the main components of rosemary we find essential oils, phenols, flavonoids, fibers, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, vitamin B1 or thiamine and vitamin B3 or niacin. This composition allows the following rosemary properties:
- It is a digestive plant, so it helps to alleviate problems related to digestion and this entire apparatus, such as heartburn, flatulence, heavy digestion, and so on.
- It is used to treat oral problems such as the prevention of cavities, reduces infections and inflammations in the mouth and eliminates bad breath.
- It helps to take care of the liver and the gallbladder, which is why it serves to prevent and reduce certain problems in these organs.
- It is a very powerful natural antibiotic.
In addition, in this other Green Ecologist article we explain that the smell of rosemary increases memory by up to 75%. Thus, you can use it in the kitchen, to take care of your health and to increase your beauty because, for example, this plant is also widely used to make natural homemade shampoo.
This plant is also widely used in oils, both essential and concentrated vegetable, to improve health and for beauty. Learn more about what rosemary oil is for and how to do it in this other post.
Potted rosemary care: light, temperature and humidity
The first thing to know to care for a rosemary plant are undoubtedly the conditions it needs to live in good conditions and grow. Among the conditions that must be taken into account for caring for potted rosemary we find the following:
- Adequate light for rosemary: It is necessary that it receive direct natural light, as it is a plant that needs a lot of sun and light. However, it is necessary to ensure that in times of strong sun the plant does not remain all the hours of heat in direct sunlight, because it will be easy for its leaves to burn. Therefore, in times of high heat and strong sun it is best to find a place with sun and shade and in temperate or cold times to find the place with the most natural light possible.
- Optimal temperature for the rosemary plant: This plant can adapt to hot and cold temperatures, but really, the right temperature for rosemary is the one in warm and temperate climates. Thus, it will not withstand hailstorms, frosts and sudden drops in temperature well, but neither will areas where the sun heats up excessively …
- Adequate humidity for a potted rosemary: This plant is native to the entire area of the Mediterranean Sea and, therefore, it is used to having times of drought and times with more amounts of water, although never in excess. Therefore, it does not need high humidity and with the waterings it will be enough.
In addition, we recommend you to know How to plant rosemary with this practical guide from Green Ecologist.
Where to put the potted rosemary plant
Knowing the conditions explained above, you can deduce that this potted plant may be well in inside and outside. However, outdoors it is always better if it is planted directly in the ground, where it will grow much more.
Depending on the climate of our place, the exterior or the interior will be more recommended. Thus, in cold climates it is better to have the rosemary pot indoorsAlthough it can withstand some cold, it is better to avoid frost and significant drops in temperature. Inside the house it is vital to place the plant near a window, but not close to the glass, as it could be too cold, and avoid direct radiators and air conditioners, as they can dry out it.
On the other hand, if we live in a temperate or warm or even hot climate, it is best have the rosemary outside, in an area where it can receive many hours of natural light, but if the sun in our area is hot enough, it is best to place it directly in a sunny and shady area, for example under a larger plant or tree or in a place with an awning.
When to water a potted rosemary plant
Another of the rosemary care it is the irrigation, because as we have commented before it is necessary to dose it well, because this plant is used to times of drought and humid times, but never in extreme conditions.
For this reason, although there are different irrigation systems, both for plants in the ground or in the ground and for pots, one highly recommended to care for aromatic plants at home, such as potted rosemary, is drip irrigation system. This system allows to control very well that the irrigation is of an adjusted quantity and is not excessive.
However, even if you use the most appropriate irrigation, if there is no good drainage It won't do much good, because the plant can get waterlogged and die. Thus, when you transplant it to the pot you will have to make sure to use a suitable soil mixture and place some stones in the bottom next to the holes, to ensure that the water filters well and does not remain trapped drowning the roots.
Likewise, when the plant is still small and in times of quite hot, you can extend watering to even daily, if there is good drainage, or to one day and one day. On the other hand, during somewhat colder times, it is best to water the plant between one and three times a week, depending on the temperature.
Rosemary pruning and possible pests
To continue learning how to care for the potted rosemary plant, you also need to consider pruning it. It agrees prune a rosemary when you see that it has dry or yellowish leaves and flowers, when you see that it hardly grows or, when it has parts that are very full of pests, such as aphids or mealybugs. the ideal is to wait for the flowering to finish to do so and to cut just below the part to be removed, avoiding cutting completely healthy parts. In this way, you will see that for the next flowering the rosemary will be beautiful and will fill the place with smell.
The pests in rosemary They can be a big problem, and if we don't remove or control them, they can completely ruin the plant. Therefore, we recommend that you consult this other article by Green Ecologist on How to combat pests in organic farming, so that you can achieve it in the most natural way possible.
Why is my rosemary dry?
Yes your rosemary plant is dry You will have to review the basic conditions that we mentioned at the beginning. If your leaves and flowers turn yellow and brown and dry, it may be too hot or too cold, or the plant may be drowning.
Try not to have excess heat or direct sun, or cold, or air conditioners or heaters too close to dry it out, or the flooded earth. In case the plant is drowning, you will not only see the yellowish leaves, but some will turn very dark, even black, will be rotten, and the stems will be mushy.
In these cases, it is best that move it around and prune the dry parts. Also, if the ground is flooded, it will be important that the transplants and put new earth with a adequate drainage.
Below you can see this guide to rosemary care in a video on our YouTube channel. Also, below you will see our video on rosemary oil.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to care for a potted rosemary plant, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
