Rosemaryis one of the most popular Mediterranean herbs used in cooking and medicine, one of the most important ingredients of the aromatic mixture of Provencal herbs. Due to its wide range of properties, it is worth growing rosemary in the garden or even in a pot on the windowsill. See what thecultivation of rosemary looks likeand what are the properties and possibilities of using this herb.
Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis
Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis) is a plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family.It occurs in the wild in the Mediterranean region. It is an evergreen plant, in the garden it can grow up to 70 cm in height, although in the wild you can find specimens up to 2 m high. Rosemary stems are highly branched and densely hairy, covered with numerous leaves. The leaves are very narrow, pin-like, 2-5 cm long, dark green, rolled down at the end and covered with a cutter underneath. When rubbed in your hand, they spread a pleasant, resinous aroma. Blue-lilac flowers, purple or white, appear from March to June. Somevarieties of rosemarybloom in late summer or fall.
Properties of rosemary
The use of rosemary in cooking is very popular because this herb is extremely aromatic and also adds a dry flavor to dishes. It gives off a characteristic camphor-comfrey scent.Rosemarycan be used fresh or dried. It is perfect for meat, grilling and as an addition to vegetables, especially potatoes.
As for thehealing properties of rosemary , there are a lot of them. Rosemary improves memory and concentration. It has a warming effect and helps with colds. Rosemary has also been found to accelerate hair growth. It relieves headaches, migraines and epileptic attacks. Rosemary raises blood pressure, is good for indigestion, and helps fight general weakness. Theproperties of rosemaryhave been proven to have beneficial effects in minimizing wrinkles, as this herb is a very powerful antioxidant.
And to what substances can we owe the valuableproperties of rosemary ? Well, it is mainly rosaricin, rosmarinic acid, flavonoids, tannins and di-terpenes. You should also not miss the unusual volatile oils of rosemary.
Growing rosemary in the garden, on the balcony and on the terrace
As already mentionedrosemaryis a plant from the Mediterranean, where the temperature is high and the soil is not very fertile.That is why rosemary loves the sun as well as a well-drained, poor earth. Many gardeners recommend so-called not sticking with rosemary. They put a thick layer of gravel into the pot in which they want to put rosemary as drainage (it can also be expanded clay), and the plant is planted on top of it, filling the remaining part with light garden soil. If the soil is too heavy, you can add perlite to it.
Therefore, remember that the soil forrosemary cultivationshould be poor and well drained, even rocky. Ideally the substrate should contain a lot of lime, the recommended pH is 6-7. You do not need to water it too often, you just have to make sure that the soil does not dry out completely. In our weather conditions, the south-west exposure, sheltered from the wind, will be ideal for rosemary. You shouldgrow rosemaryin a pot and replant a larger one every year until the plant grows significantly.It cannot overwinter in the garden, as even slight temperature drops below 0 ° C damage the plant. For this reason,rosemaryis great for potting on patios, terraces and balconies, especially those hot and very sunny, where it is too hot for many other plants.
How to propagate rosemary
Rosemary can be propagated by sowing seeds. They are sown in pots in mid-March. Germination is uneven and requires a temperature of not less than 20 ° C.
Much faster newrosemary cuttingscan be obtained in the second half of summer by partially woody cuttings, which are planted in cold frames. In winter, they should be moved to frost-free places.
Note! A very comprehensive and practical description of rosemary cultivation was prepared by Irek from our forum. If you are interested in growing rosemary, be sure to read Irek's post. See on the forum: rosemary - ordinary and unusual herbs Irka :-)
Katarzyna Matuszak
