How to Grow Rosemary Indoors All Year

Rosemary thrives indoors when planted into an appropriate pot that fits its size, as well as through regular trimming.

Choose containers that drain quickly and allow for ample airflow; long window boxes or shallow fiberglass troughs work well.

Light

Rosemary plants feature stiff needle-like leaves with aromatic scents to add flavor and aroma to food, fragrant hair rinses and tea blends, aromatherapy spritzes and other fragranced products, stress relief properties that improve memory retention, as well as other medicinal compounds which have healing benefits for stress reduction and memory enhancement. Growing rosemary indoors is a simple way to enjoy its healing properties year-round!

Rosemary needs ample full spectrum lighting. If your window doesn’t offer direct sunlight, fluorescent or LED lights that mimic it might provide sufficient illumination. When the available sunlight falls short of needs, rosemary plants become leggy and sparse; to increase their exposure move closer to a bright window or use higher output grow lamps.

Indoor air is significantly drier than its outdoor counterpart, meaning rosemary needs more water indoors than outdoors. Overwatering is a big risk with houseplants in general; rosemary in particular is vulnerable. Use a skewer to check moisture levels; when dry soil occurs, use extra moisture until drains out the bottom of its pot using a saucer as needed and emptying after 20 minutes.

Although rosemary thrives even in poor, rocky soils, it will benefit from additional nourishment. Scatter a handful of compost or worm castings into the topsoil every 6-8 weeks or spray once every month with light kelp fertilizer as an organic alternative to synthetic fertilizers.

Temperature

Rosemary is a light-loving plant that thrives best under direct sunlight and performs poorly in cold weather, preferring temperatures between 60o and 75oF for optimal growth. To ensure that rosemary plants receive enough sunshine, place them on a sunny windowsill or room that gets natural daylight during the day, like a sunroom. Ideally during wintertime it should remain between 60 and 75oF; drafty environments or too-warm conditions may reduce humidity levels too much and stress the plant.

Rosemary grows well in both outdoor and sheltered indoor settings during the winter, depending on your location. To maintain maximum success with rosemary plants during the coldest winter nights, it should be brought indoors as soon as nighttime temperatures reliably remain above freezing. If you intend on growing rosemary outdoors during this period, take care to gradually expose them outside over several days and bring them indoors at nighttime for maximum health and growth. To grow rosemary outdoors this season, gradually move it out gradually over a couple weeks and bring back in again during nightfall – otherwise it could die!

To avoid root rot, grow rosemary in well-draining soil. A quick-draining potting mix composed of cactus soil, perlite and aged compost works great, with an additional tablespoon of horticultural charcoal added for extra drainage and disease prevention. Regular pruning and thinning will keep rosemary healthy and bushy – trim mature stems regularly to encourage new growth, then prune the whole plant twice annually: early spring and mid autumn.

Humidity

Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) plants bring an aromatic note into any room they grace, with their fresh scent known to ease digestion, improve memory retention and repel pests from common household areas. Growing rosemary indoors requires taking care to provide an ideal climate with lighting conditions, temperature, humidity levels and watering needs similar to outdoor gardens; once this has been accomplished, you’ll enjoy delicious and fragrant rosemary throughout the year!

Bright sunlight is essential to growing rosemary successfully, so position a window planter near a south or west-facing window that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sun each day. Turning weekly is recommended to ensure even growth, while misting nearby plants helps promote air circulation. Temperature matters too: rosemary thrives between 65 to 75 degrees F with little humidity for optimal growth – extreme cold or heat could stress its roots so keep away from drafty areas or heating vents to avoid stressing it out too much!

Rosemary is a shallow-rooted herb that requires space to soak up moisture through its leaves, so pots containing clay or terra cotta of at least 8 inches depth will do. Choose a well-draining potting mix specifically tailored for herbs or cacti. Water your rosemary sparingly; allow its top inch of soil to dry between watering sessions; test for moisture by inserting your finger about an inch deep into the soil – when it feels dry it’s time for more!

Water

Rosemary plants prefer sandy, well-draining soil, though they can tolerate clay or terra-cotta pots as long as there is drainage at the bottom. When selecting an extra deep pot for these plants, ensure it includes a drainage hole at its base for proper water management.

Rosemary requires plenty of sunlight in order to flourish, so place it near a south or east-facing window receiving 6-8 hours of direct sun each day. If there’s no sunny spot nearby, install a full spectrum grow light as an easy way to supplement natural lighting sources. In either case, make sure containers are rotated daily in order to achieve even growth.

Although rosemary is considered hardy, sudden temperature shifts may cause its needles to drop unexpectedly. To protect its needles during cold snaps and bring back outdoors once temperatures warm back up again.

Too much water can be just as detrimental to rosemary as too little, so make sure that the soil moisture level is regularly checked using a simple finger test: stick your finger into the soil about one inch down and feel whether or not it feels dry – if this indicates need for irrigation.

Dry indoor air can also pose problems, so misting leaves may help add humidity into the environment. A ceramic self-watering planter filled with free-draining potting mix may be another effective option that can automatically regulate how much moisture enters into its soil.