Rosemary (Rosmarinus) is an evergreen semi-shrub plant of the Lamiaceae family.
In the natural environment, rosemary lives in North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Morocco), Cyprus, Turkey and European countries (Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, France, in the former Yugoslavia).
History of the name and useful properties
WITH Latin The name of the plant translates as sea freshness. But the aroma of rosemary combines the smell of pine and camphor, so the Greek name is closer to the truth, meaning a balsamic shrub.
Rosemary is famous for its aroma. It is included in a bunch of spices (a bunch of fragrant herbs or a bouquet of garni), as well as in the collection of Provence herbs. It is added to drinks, marinades. The tops of the shoots, when fresh, become seasoning for soups, meat dishes, eggplant, legumes. Rosemary is a close relative of hyssop, basil, lavender, mint, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, mint.
Signs and superstitions about rosemary
students Ancient Greece wore wreaths of rosemary on their heads, because they believed that it improves memory. It was also considered a symbol of marital fidelity. Used in rituals: weddings, burials, decoration of churches, seances and other magical performances. Due to their disinfecting properties, plants were used to purify the air in medical institutions.
The plant is thermophilic - it winters in open ground only in regions with a mild climate. For cold areas suitable container and pot growing.
Growing rosemary from seeds
Possibly seed and vegetative propagation(cuttings, layering, dividing the bush).
- rosemary for seedlings spend in late February-early March.
- Soak seeds in warm water for a few hours.
- At the bottom of the planting container, place a drainage layer consisting of expanded clay, pieces of foam (it should occupy 1/3 of the container).
- The soil needs nutritious, moisture-permeable, loose. This can be a peat-based all-purpose substrate, or a mixture of sand and vermiculite, or peat with leafy compost.
Spread the seeds over the surface (you can first dry them a little in the air until they flow), sprinkle with earth, moisten by spraying from a fine sprayer. Cover the crops with film or glass. Germinate at a temperature of 25-30 ºC.
Ventilate the greenhouse, periodically moisten the soil. Shoots will appear in 1.5-2 months. Remove the cover, provide bright diffused lighting. When young plants reach a height of 7-8 cm, they can be seated in separate containers or in open ground.
Propagation of rosemary cuttings
Cuttings of rosemary photo of cuttings rooted in water
- spend in September-October.
- From annual shoots cut into segments 8-10 cm long. They should contain 3-4 internodes.
- Remove the leaves from the bottom, hold the cuttings in a growth stimulator.
- Root in light, loose soil with good drainage or water.
- Provide warm and bright lighting without direct sun rays keep the soil moist. After the appearance of new leaves, you can sit down.
Reproduction by layering
Reproduction is a fairly simple method. Tilt the shoot to the ground, fix with staples, sprinkle with earth, leaving the top above the ground. Water along with the main plant. When the tip goes in growth, you can separate from the bush and transplant.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Indoor rosemary is most often propagated. Remove the bush from the soil, divide it into several parts: each division should contain a developed rhizome and shoots. Treat the cut sites with a fungicide, plant the delenki.
How to grow rosemary at home
Landing
How to grow rosemary on a windowsill? Nothing is easier! Plant rosemary in a pot (preferably clay) with a diameter of 9-11 cm with good drainage holes. Lay a drainage layer of pebbles on the bottom.
Priming
The soil needs water and breathability. You can mix the universal substrate with sand and vermiculite. The following mixture is suitable: 2 parts of leaf, sod land, humus with the addition of 1 part of sand. Moisten the soil, make a hole in it the size of the seedling's root system, place it in a pot, add soil, compact a little.
Where to put
The best place for the plant will be the southern windowsill. Rotate the rosemary pot 180º weekly to ensure even light.
Air temperature and watering
Ventilate the room regularly, but protect from drafts.
In spring and summer, place on the balcony, terrace, in the garden. Return to the room with a decrease in air temperature to -1 ºC. IN winter time keep the air temperature below 16 ºC.
Maintain constant soil moisture, but without stagnant water. The yellowing of the leaves along the lower part of the plant indicates a lack of water, and the leaves are shed from excess moisture. Water with settled water at room temperature. water should not fall on the leaves - they can become moldy.
What and how to feed
During active growth(March-September) apply with mineral fertilizers, focusing on calcium. Feed every 2 weeks. You can make top dressing in winter, but 1 time in 1-1.5 months.
How to form a rosemary bonsai
The plant perfectly tolerates formative pruning and can be reshaped, which is actively used by bonsai lovers. Therefore, you can also create an unusual tree that attracts attention with a special charm.
- Take a thick wire and wind around the central shoot of the plant, creating bends and slopes.
- Form the plant into one shoot to make a mini-tree.
- As you grow, cut and bend as you wish.
- When the trunk reaches the desired height, the tops are cut off, stimulating the forcing of side shoots. So it turns out a dense crown at the side branches of the central shoot.
- When the branches become woody, the wires can be removed and maintenance can be continued only with pruning, giving the plant a compact appearance.
Planting and caring for rosemary in the open field
When and how to plant
- Landing in open ground is carried out in the second half of May.
- Choose a site with bright sunlight and protection from strong winds.
- The soil needs loose, light, well-drained.
Dig holes according to the size of the root system, place the seedlings, add soil, tamp a little. The seedling should be at the same depth as before. Keep a distance of 10 cm between plants, for large bushes - about 50 cm. A week after planting, pinch the tops of the shoots to stimulate tillering.
Watering and loosening the soil
Water sparingly, avoiding getting water on the leaves. The lack or excess of moisture manifests itself in the same way as at home.
After watering, loosen the soil. Remove weeds.
top dressing
The plant needs food. Apply nitrogen fertilizer in the spring. During the growing season, monthly apply complex mineral fertilizers. In autumn, eliminate the nitrogen component by increasing the dose of phosphorus.
pruning
How to prune rosemary photo
Pruning starts at the age of 2 years.
- In April, cut straight-growing bushes at a height of 3-4 internodes of last year's growth.
- Rosemary prostrate is not pruned.
- Every 7 years, rejuvenation should be carried out: cut off all the shoots, leaving a low stump.
- Formative pruning is carried out in the spring. Can be given to a bush various forms: cube, ball, broomstick, mini-tree.
Wintering in the Moscow region and the middle lane
In the northern regions and areas with a temperate climate, transplant into a container for wintering and keep indoors with an air temperature not higher than 16 ºC. If the climate is mild or a warm winter is expected (frost resistance of rosemary is up to -15 ° C), cut the bush at the level of the soil surface, cover it with leaves, dry sawdust, cover it with spruce branches, building a semblance of a tent.
If you decide to free the area from rosemary, onions, garlic, and carrots will grow in this place instead.
Diseases and pests
The plant is extremely resistant to diseases and pests, both in room conditions, and the garden.
From high humidity air may be affected by downy mildew - remove the affected areas, treat with a fungicide.
Possible damage to aphids, spider mites, white-winged - treat with an insecticide.
Types and varieties of rosemary with photos and names
In the natural environment, there are only 3-4 types of rosemary. Cultivated two with several varieties.
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis or rosemary officinalis
The height of the bush is 0.5-2 m. The root system is powerful, it penetrates 3-4 m deep. The shoots are tetrahedral, pubescent at a young age, light gray in color, and over time become woody, acquire a dark gray hue, peeling bark. Leaf blades are leathery, sessile, linear, the edges are bent down. The length of the leaf is 3.5 cm, width - about 4 mm. Rosemary blooms in summer. Flowers of light purple, dark purple, white color are collected in dense paniculate inflorescences.
Varieties:
Miss Jessopp's Upright (Fastiguatus) - flowers have a pale blue color;
Benenden Blue - rosemary with arched shoots, flowers of a bluish tint;
Albiflorus - has white flowers;
Pink rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Roseus’
Roseus - pink flowers;
Severn Sea and Tuscan Blue - the height of the plants is about 50 cm.
Rosemary prostratus Rosmarinus prostratus
An evergreen shrub up to 0.5 m tall, grows 1.5 m wide. The leaves look like needles. Flowers blue or purple. Grown as a groundcover.
Medicinal properties
Rosemary oil is a valuable drug used to treat skin diseases (furunculosis and acne, eczema), wound healing.
Infusions, tinctures, decoctions of rosemary are taken as an antioxidant, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, tonic. Rosemary treats some heart diseases, colds, obesity. Taking rosemary preparations helps to strengthen and rejuvenate the body.
Contraindications: pregnancy, children under 9 years of age, epilepsy, hypertension, tendency to convulsions, hypersensitivity of the skin.
Every 2 years Summer 20-25, winter 8-10 When upper layer the soil dried out by 3-4 cm, during the dormant period no more than once a week Does not need Bright sunlight at least 4 hours a day
Lighting
Consider how to grow rosemary at home.
The plant is very demanding on lighting. For its active growth and flowering, direct sunlight is required for at least 4 hours a day. The rest of the time, intense diffused light is suitable.
Lighting for rosemary should be intense both during the growing season and flowering, and during cold wintering.
With insufficient winter lighting, the shoots of the plant stretch out, the density of its leaves decreases, and in spring it does not lay buds. You can read about the use of artificial lighting.
Temperature
In summer, the plant is kept at 20-25ºС. It is advisable to avoid sudden changes in temperature. In the warm season, rosemary can withstand temperatures down to 15ºС without harm to itself. Therefore, as soon as warm weather sets in, it can be taken out into the air or planted in open ground.
With the onset of autumn, you need to monitor the temperature regime of rosemary content.
If nighttime cooling becomes more and more significant, and the temperature often drops below 5ºС, the plant must be brought indoors. Rosemary does not like frost; at -5ºС it freezes. In winter, it is kept at a low temperature of 8-10ºС.
Watering
This plant likes moderate but regular watering. The earthen ball must not be allowed to dry out completely. Between waterings, only its upper part should dry by 3-4 cm.
Excess moisture should not stagnate in the soil This requires good drainage. Usually, in the summer, in the heat, rosemary is watered 2 times a week, and in spring and autumn - 1 time per week.
In the winter dormant period, plants are watered much less frequently. At low air temperatures, moisture stagnation in a pot is very dangerous. The earth must be kept moist. Water the bush no more than 1 time in 2 weeks, and sometimes less often.
The soil for growing rosemary should be rich in humus and minerals, but very loose.
For rosemary, choose a soil that is slightly acidic or neutral.. The plant does not tolerate very acidic soils with a high content of peat.
It is best to mix the soil for the plant yourself. To do this, peat, sand, humus, leaf and sod land are mixed in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 2: 2.
Fertilizer
Feed the plant from the beginning of March to the end of September. During this period, the soil is fertilized 2 times a month.
To feed rosemary at home, liquid complex fertilizers are used. In winter, during the dormant period, top dressing is not carried out.
Using liquid fertilizer for indoor plants, they must be diluted with water according to the instructions on the package.
The solution is applied only to moist soil a few hours after watering. Once a season, the plant can be fed with organic fertilizers - a solution of mullein.
Humidity
The shrub tolerates the lack of moisture in the soil and in the air. It is not necessary to specially humidify the air when growing it in room conditions.
There is no need for procedures such as spraying or washing the plant in the shower. This can be done very rarely to remove dust from the leaves of the plant.
The flower grows well low humidity. Spraying for him can only be a hygienic procedure. The plant does not need to humidify the air in this way.
Sometimes in very hot summers, rosemary is sprayed, which has a beneficial effect on its appearance.. To do this, take settled water for irrigation, it should be 2-3 degrees warmer than the surrounding air.
Trimming / Support / Garter
When growing rosemary indoors, it is important to prune the plant.
For the formation beautiful plant a bush of rosemary is needed annually. Pruning is done in February or early March.
All branches that grew last year are cut by 2/3 so that they begin to actively grow on them. side shoots. It is advisable to thin out very overgrown dense bushes by cutting out branches that greatly thicken the crown.
In addition to formative pruning, old bushes are rejuvenated by cutting out all the old branches, leaving only the young ones growing from the bottom of the trunk. Such pruning is carried out if there are a lot of old branches on the bush that lose their leaves and become bare.
Anti-aging pruning of rosemary is carried out no more than 1 time in 7 years in early spring.
Large dense bushes are pruned during flowering to obtain medicinal raw materials. At the same time, young flowering shoots with leaves are cut off, which are then dried and used for medicinal purposes.
Diseases
Consider rosemary diseases at room conditions and how to care for a diseased plant.
The most common rosemary is false powdery mildew. This fungus covers the leaves and shoots of the plant with a white coating. The disease develops only with high humidity.
To cure it, it is enough to observe the correct watering regimen, keep the plant in a dry atmosphere and periodically ventilate the room.
Of all the indoor pests and garden plants only spider mites and scale insects can live on rosemary. These insects enter the bush in summer and winter indoors. They feed on the sap, weakening the plant and spoiling its appearance. Timely treatment with insecticides will help to completely destroy pests.
Problems
Growing rosemary at home in a pot can be problematic. When caring for rosemary indoors, problems rarely arise. Sometimes there is yellowing and falling of the lower leaves. Also, in some cases, the leaves of the plant lose color.
reproduction
Rosemary in apartment conditions can be sowed seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush. Reproduction by seeds is the most difficult and long way. Therefore, in room culture, vegetative propagation methods are used.
Let's study the reproduction of rosemary cuttings at home.
Rosemary cuttings are cut in April-May from the youngest shoots. Their length should be at least 5 cm. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings and their moistened lower part is dipped in a root formation stimulator. Then they are planted in a container with moistened soil.
Cuttings are periodically sprayed and moisten the ground in a container. After 2-3 weeks, they appear roots.
After that, young plants are transplanted into separate pots with a diameter of not more than 9 cm.
Divide very large rosemary bushes during transplantation. Their root system is divided so that several growth points remain on each part. Delenki are planted in separate pots and cared for as usual.
Growing from seed at home
At home, rosemary can be grown from seeds quite easily. The seeds of this plant are often sold in specialized flower shops. It is necessary to buy them with a margin, since a significant part of them may not germinate at all. Sowing is carried out in early spring end of March or beginning of April.
Before sowing, the seeds must be soaked for 1-2 days in a warm, but not hot water . While they absorb water, you can start acquiring a soil mixture and a container for growing seedlings.
Usually rosemary seeds are sown in a container about 15 cm high.
It is desirable that it has drainage holes, as the seedlings do not tolerate stagnant water.
Before planting rosemary in a pot, you need to prepare the container and the soil.
You can also sow the seeds in small flower pots. A drainage layer of pieces of foam is laid on their bottom.
The soil for sowing should be very loose and light. A mixture of peat with leafy soil in equal parts or coniferous soil is suitable.
The container is filled with the substrate and moistened with a sprayer. Seeds are laid on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of earth or coarse sand. Then the container is covered with a film or glass and placed in a warm place with an air temperature of 25-30°C.
Rosemary seeds germinate within a few weeks. Before the emergence of shoots, the sowing is aired daily for 10-15 minutes. With the advent of sprouts, the film is removed for more long time. 2-3 weeks after germination, the container can already be opened completely.
Rosemary sprouts require good diffused lighting and regular, moderate watering. It is recommended to transplant them into separate pots only in the second year of life.
Transfer
Indoor rosemary every 2 years. This plant has a powerful root system that grows rapidly. In order for the plant to look compact and not need a very large pot, it is recommended to prune its root system when transplanting.
For rosemary, the best is a ceramic pot in which the soil dries evenly. Its depth and width should be the same.
A drainage layer 3-4 cm thick is laid on the bottom from broken shards. The size of the pot is chosen 1-2 cm wider than the previous one.
The plant is removed from the old pot and part of the earth is shaken off the roots so that the length of the root system becomes visible. After that, the roots are cut so that they fit freely in the new pot.
The plant is installed in a new pot and the roots are sprinkled with new soil, and then it is slightly crushed. After transplantation, the plant is not watered for 2 days.
Now you know everything about planting, caring for and growing rosemary from seeds at home.
Lovers of pharmaceutical gardens and natural spices in cooking should pay attention to rosemary. Growing a house in a pot will require knowledge of the characteristics of this plant, but as a result, you will be provided with valuable spicy greens all year round. The leaves, shoots and flowers of rosemary contain an essential oil that has unique useful properties. Infusion and decoction of rosemary are used for headaches, stomach problems, colds, female diseases as a tonic for depression.
Fresh and dried leaves are widely used to flavor confectionery, olive oil, vinegar, alcoholic beverages. The unique coniferous aroma of rosemary with bitter citrus notes will turn any vegetable, meat or fish dish into a culinary masterpiece. And all this can be easily provided by one bush of rosemary in a pot on your windowsill. It remains to learn more about this ancient culture.
plant description
Rosemary is native to the dry highlands of North Africa and southern Europe. It is not found in the wild in Russia, it is massively cultivated in the Crimea to obtain valuable essential oil. belongs to the long-lived shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. Narrow evergreen leaves, similar to coniferous needles, are located on tetrahedral branches, the ends of which are crowned with blue-violet flowers.
This plant does not belong to indoor plants, therefore, to grow rosemary at home in a pot, it is better to purchase a young seedling in a specialized store.
What conditions do rosemary need
For the successful cultivation of this culture, you need to know the conditions for its growth and try to recreate them at home. This:
- strong lighting;
- low temperature without sudden changes;
- fresh air;
- lack of drafts;
- moderate humidity.
In conditions central heating the plant needs regular spraying, as in dry air it begins to shed its leaves.
Planting rosemary
Rosemary has an extensive root system. A large clay pot is suitable for him. Ceramics do not heat up in the sun and retain optimum temperature root system. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot from small fractions of expanded clay, broken shards, pebbles. The height of the drainage can reach up to a quarter of the height of the pot. On top of it, a small layer of vermiculite will be useful, which perfectly regulates the moisture content of the earthy coma.
The soil for growing rosemary in a pot should be light, well structured and contain a large number of coarse sand, fine gravel; neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. It is prepared from the following components:
- 1 part of sod land;
- 1 part ;
- 1 part coarse sand or vermiculite.
Since peat is acidic, ash is added to alkalinize the soil.
A little soil is poured over the drainage so that the root collar is just below the sides. The plant is placed on the ground, the roots are straightened and gently sprinkled with earth along the edges of the container. The soil is lightly compacted and watered to settle.
A few days after planting, add a little more earth so that the roots do not become bare.
Young plants are transplanted annually in early spring, then once every two years.
Care for rosemary in a pot
In order for rosemary to bloom at home in a pot in the spring, it is important to provide it with a dormant period. In winter, the most suitable temperature for it is 10-13°C. The bush is moderately watered with settled water, do not forget to spray and keep on a sunny windowsill. In the spring, after transplantation, when the seedling begins to grow, the watering rate is increased and they begin to be fed once every two weeks with complex mineral fertilizers.
During the growing season, a pot of rosemary is taken out to the balcony, loggia, or transported to the dacha. On cold nights, it is advisable to bring it into the house, as rosemary does not like sudden changes in temperature.
Pests and diseases of rosemary
This plant is quite resistant to various diseases and pests. However, with high dryness of the air, subtle cobwebs may appear on the stems and leaves - this is a spider mite. With a small lesion, soapy water will help, which is moistened with the entire aerial part of the bush. If the tick has managed to multiply strongly, any insecticide will help - "Fitoverm" or "Aktellik".
With insufficient watering, the lower leaves of rosemary begin to turn yellow, and with excessive watering, they fall off. Adjusting your watering schedule will eliminate these symptoms.
Subject to these simple rules growing rosemary at home in a pot will turn into an exciting activity, and a caring owner will be rewarded with a large number of fragrant spicy leaves for cooking delicious meals and maintaining health without pills.
We grow rosemary - video
Even our ancestors grew rosemary in a pot in houses or on household plots. It belongs to the evergreens. Previously, it was used as a spice and for the treatment of many diseases.
Nowadays, rosemary is not as popular as it used to be. It is rare for anyone to find this plant at home. Perhaps because it is not as beautiful as other indoor flowers, or because it is difficult to grow it. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to solve the question, how to grow rosemary yourself?
homemade rosemary
Only 1 species of this plant reproduces at home, which is called fragrant rosemary. But even in this case, it will take time and some effort to grow it.
If you have enough willpower and desire, then you should get down to business. This is a very spoiled flower, it requires constant attention and careful care. If you deviate even a little from the rules, then the plant will disappear, or its branches will stretch ugly. Professional gardeners advise growing rosemary in conditions winter gardens. But if you really want to grow it at home, then you can proceed.
Growing features
Start by studying the characteristics of this culture. Thus, it will be easier to find out what has a beneficial effect on the plant, and what can harm it. Homemade rosemary develops quickly, as does its root system. Therefore, when planting a small plant, take a large pot. In this case, the soil is either updated or completely replaced. A new drainage is laid out at the bottom of the pot.
The next step is to establish correct mode temperature. You may have to constantly move the rosemary pot from one place to another. For example, in winter, the culture is best moved to a cool place, such as a balcony, where there is no central heating. In this case, rosemary will need additional artificial light.
In summer, the plant is also better to keep on the balcony. It is there that the flower will receive a sufficient amount of sunlight and air currents. It is recommended, if possible, to take rosemary to country cottage area.
At home, the plant must be systematically watered. In winter, soil moisture is carried out only when necessary.
Take care of the neighbors of rosemary, remove from its environment those that do not tolerate a strong smell.
Rosemary itself can get along with any indoor flower. Tomatoes planted nearby, sage and even any greens will be an excellent addition to it. Caring for rosemary is a painstaking task.
Planting rosemary in a pot
At home, rosemary can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. Doing so better in spring, in April or May. In winter, the likelihood that the plant will take root is extremely small. It is worth considering each method of planting rosemary.
Growing rosemary at home from seeds.
This process is laborious, but you can try, the more joy there will be when the plant takes root. You can buy seeds in specialized stores. Due to their small size, you must first prepare them for planting:
- 3-4 days before planting the seeds, lay them out in wet gauze, which you fold several times beforehand. Moisten the gauze daily with a spray bottle.
- The seeds are then sown in the ground for uniform distance. A thin layer of earth is sprinkled on top.
- Watering is not desirable, so as not to wash off the top layer of soil. Use the same sprayer. After that, the soil is covered with a film in which small holes have been previously made for air ventilation.
- Pots are placed in warm room, where the temperature is +16-20°C. The soil is moistened moderately daily.
- After a month, you will notice sprouts, now you can remove the film and rearrange the pots to a lighted place.
After the sprouts get stronger, transplant them into separate pots. Do not plant more than 2 seedlings in 1 pot, otherwise, as the rosemary grows, they will suffocate each other with their root system.
Growing a crop with seeds is a very laborious task and does not always give a positive result. Sometimes there are too few shoots. This happens for several reasons:
- due to poor soil;
- due to excessive watering or, conversely, lack of moisture;
- at room temperature air above +20ºС;
- if poor quality seeds.
Do not worry about this, you have several attempts to grow rosemary. Otherwise, you can use another method of plant propagation.
Rosemary: propagation by cuttings.
They are also purchased at the store, or harvested independently. Propagation of rosemary cuttings is carried out as follows:
- To do this, stiff branches are cut from an adult plant, up to 10 cm in size.
- Landing is carried out in the spring, and in a warm climate, you can do this in the fall.
- Remove the leaves from the cutting and place it in soil that has been previously moistened.
This method of planting has a major drawback: the cutting may die before roots appear in it. Most often this happens if you overdo it with watering.
The advantage of this method is that several cuttings can be planted at a time and, perhaps, at least 1 of them will take root.
Diseases and pests
Usually the plant is almost not exposed to diseases and pests. This is due to the fact that rosemary can germinate both indoors and outdoors. But in unprotected soil, the culture may die. The exception is warm countries where rosemary can grow without any additional conditions.
If you find a thin cobweb on the leaves of a plant, you should know that it has been attacked spider mite. In this case, all the leaves of the plant are washed soapy water and then dried. For severe infections, apply chemicals.
If powdery mildew attacked the plant, then at first glance it is not so easy to detect it, this is due to the fact that rosemary leaves are covered with small hairs. For this reason, culture often dies. look around indoor plant if you notice darkened or dried leaves, then powdery mildew is most likely the cause.
Thus, rosemary can be both a house flower and it is suitable for planting in open areas. Despite the cost and effort spent, you will eventually be able to enjoy the sight of this plant. In addition, rosemary is used as a spice, and in some cases it will help to cope with a number of diseases. But remember that in order for the plant to serve you for a long time, you need to constantly care for rosemary.
Rosemary is a houseplant especially for lovers of home-grown live medicines. What is so famous for this modest appearance plant and why is it necessary to grow rosemary at home in a pot? Probably, the synonyms of its name will slightly open the veil of mystery of this plant.
This shrub has been known since biblical times and is popularly called:
- pharmaceutical rosemary;
- rosemary officinalis;
- wedding color;
- frankincense herb.
The last name of rosemary is associated with a very pleasant aroma that comes from the bush, greatly intensifying during the flowering period. The smell of rosemary not only flavors the air with a mixture of its essential oils, but is also an excellent medicine used in the state pharmacopoeia, the cosmetic industry and in everyday life as a medicinal and culinary one.
Rosemary - home psychotherapist
Aromatherapists believe that rosemary essential oils have unique properties of influence on the human psyche:
- help people with loss of smell;
- improve / sharpen / restore memory (in order to better remember the oral lectures of mentors, students of Ancient Greece wore rosemary wreaths);
- affect the improvement of concentration, sharpness of thinking;
- balance the nervous system;
- relieve psychological problems.
According to folk beliefs, rosemary essential oils:
- protected from the plague;
- drove away evil spirits;
- protected from infectious epidemics (always had a bunch of rosemary with them);
- returned youth;
- developed psychic abilities.
Rosemary in medical practice
rosemary oil
Healing dried rosemary
rosemary leaves by chemical composition contain 2.5% essential oils, 7% camphor, flavonoids, tannins (8%), alkaloids (0.5%), choline, betulin, verbenone, nicotinamide and whole line organic acids, including:
- ursolic;
- glycolic;
- nicotine;
- coffee;
- caprylic;
- myristic;
- palmitic
- rosemary.
A significant part of these acids has antifungal and antibacterial activity.
The useful components of rosemary include more than 9 vitamins and about 11 micro and macro elements.
Of particular value to doctors are essential oils, which include:
- camphor component is part of drugs that relieve muscle pain and muscle tension during enhanced sports training. Helps eliminate seizures. Used as a rub for rheumatism. A good choleretic agent.
- Cineol component is an integral part of many inhalation preparations for inhalation in catarrhs. It has good antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
- Verbenone component- is part of antitussive drugs, as an expectorant. Good for thinning mucus. It is used in sluggish and insufficient digestion. Regenerates liver cells, has a positive effect on sexual problems. One of best oils in cosmetology.
Useful and medicinal properties do not count. Rosemary is used in formulations medicines in the treatment of more than 80 diseases. The above properties of rosemary should influence your decision to add this valuable plant to your indoor flower garden.
Growing rosemary at home in a pot
- At home in a pot, only one type of rosemary is successfully grown, known by the name rosemary officinalis or fragrant.
- Rosemary is not a houseplant, so initially it is better to buy a potted specimen in a specialty store, rather than asking neighbors and friends for a small cutting.
Environmental requirement
The plant belongs to the group of light-loving. For successful cultivation maximum lighting is required and the plant is best placed on the south side. The more sun, the stronger the fragrance of the flower. With a lack of lighting, rosemary stops growth, the shoots become thin, break easily, the foliage falls off.
He is not demanding high temperatures, therefore, it can be placed on window sills, special stands near windows, on a balcony, in winter garden. Painlessly continues its development, and flowering when the temperature drops to + 12 ° C. Does not tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations.
Rosemary is a big fan of clean air. He needs frequent ventilation of the room, but without drafts
To get abundant flowering the next, rosemary should spend the winter in a cool, but very bright (if necessary, backlit) room.
In natural conditions, rosemary is a coastal plant, so at home it reacts sharply to the level of humidity in the room. To preserve the decorativeness of the plant when located near hot batteries, you need a flower spray systematically, sometimes 2-3 times a day. Constantly refresh the air around the plant by spraying from a spray bottle and install air humidifiers near the batteries.
Room temperature requirements
Rosemary grows well, develops, blooms and forms fruits with seeds at moderate temperatures. In summer +12..+20°С, in winter more moderate temperature conditions.
With the onset of the cold period, the air temperature is maintained within +10 .. + 15 ° С. If the plants are illuminated during this period, they will begin to form young shoots, which will allow harvesting all year round.
Rosemary utensils
When planting a purchased rosemary bush or transplanting a grown one, it is necessary to carefully select the appropriate containers. It is best to use terracotta pots.
Rosemary feels fine in other pots from natural materials- clay, ceramic. They do not warm up in the sun and keep a cool temperature inside well.
- The pot must be tall, as rosemary develops a large root system.
- Lay drainage at the bottom (1/4 of the height of the pot) from pebbles, expanded clay, and other materials.
- It is good to add agrovermiculite to the drainage layer, which will take excess moisture and gradually give it to the plant.
Soil composition
The soil for rosemary should be light water and breathable, well structured, with a high content of sand, fine gravel, which can be replaced with perlite or agrovermiculite. Rosemary does not tolerate acidity. For him perfect option- neutral or slightly alkaline soil with pH = 6-7.5 units. The soil substrate can be bought ready-made or prepared independently from the following components:
- sod land - 1 part;
- sand or agrovermiculite - 1 part;
- peat - 1 part.
Some flower growers use 0.5 peat and 0.5 humus. Compositions can also be made from other components, if the basic requirements for their properties are observed.
Planting or transplanting is carried out according to the same rules as other indoor decorative and deciduous crops with a large root system.
Care for rosemary in a pot
When growing rosemary at home in a pot, it is necessary to follow certain rules of care, which consist of watering, fertilizing, providing conditions for flowering and winter "vacations" and other concerns.
Watering
Translated into Russian, rosemary has several names "sea dew", "freshness of the sea", "balm shrub". The largest natural plantations of rosemary grow on the seashore, constantly bathed in spray sea foam.
The names of the flower associated with the sea come from the ancient Greeks, who dedicated rosemary to the blue-eyed Aphrodite born from sea foam. And today there is a popular belief among the people that rosemary brings happiness to the house, its aroma relieves nightmares and evil dreams, preserves youth and health.
In a pot culture, rosemary needs abundant watering, but without stagnant water. It calmly tolerates some aridity of the soil, but with prolonged drought it can die irrevocably.
The main signs of violation of the irrigation regime are:
- yellowing of the leaves with a lack of moisture;
- dropping leaves with excessive watering.
The next watering is carried out if the topsoil has dried out by 2 phalanxes index finger. The soil should be normally moist (not wet or dry). Watering is best done 3-4 times a month at moderate rates in summer and once a month in winter.
top dressing
For the formation of a large sheet mass and abundant flowering there is not enough soil stock in the pot, so rosemary must be systematically fertilized using mineral and organic fertilizers. Fertilizers are applied in the form of solutions 2 times a month along with watering. After soaking up water, the soil is mulched.
For top dressing, it is best to purchase ready-made solutions in the store. complex fertilizers and use them as directed.
- Recommended doses should be halved. Rosemary does not like overfeeding.
- In winter, rosemary is not fed.
Rosemary needs a high content of calcium in the soil, so you can add to the water for irrigation once a month baking soda at the rate of 1/3 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.
Since the leaves and young twigs are used in seasonings for meat, vegetables, and added to salads, it is not necessary to fertilize with mineral fats, self-prepared mixtures. At home, it is more practical to fertilize rosemary with organic solutions, dissolving dessert spoon bird droppings without top for 1 liter of water.
The result of correct and timely feeding is the appearance in spring and summer of blue, blue, purple, lilac, pale crimson, less often white zygomorphic flowers.
- During the flowering period, rosemary becomes very beautiful, all its decorative charm is revealed, complemented by a magical aroma.
- If, with the onset of spring and after top dressing, rosemary does not form flowers, it is best to transplant it into another substrate, which will definitely include turf, leafy soil, humus and a little peat with sand.
- In order not to guess whether it will bloom or not, it is better to transplant every year in the spring into fresh, disinfected soil in compliance with all requirements for transplantation.
Rosemary propagation
rosemary at home cultivation can be propagated in a pot seeds or, more simply, vegetatively young cuttings. Cuttings are carried out at the end of June, when the shoots at the base become woody. They are ready to root.
Rules for preparing and rooting cuttings:
- cuttings are cut 8-10 cm long;
- they must have 3 internodes;
- the lower end of the cutting is cut obliquely at an angle of 45 degrees;
- the stalk is disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Placed in the solution for 10-15 minutes;
- after disinfection, the lower part, devoid of leaves, is treated with root, dipping into powder by 3-4 mm. You can use a different stimulator for the development of the root system;
- planted in a mixture of humus with perlite or agrovermiculite at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other at an angle of 10 degrees.
- cuttings are sprayed 2-3 times a day;
- soil must be constantly moist.
Rooting takes 3 weeks. A sign that rooting was successful is the formation of young leaves. To prevent rosemary from forming a single-stem shoot, pinch the top bud. This technique promotes the growth of side shoots. Over time, a decorative bush is formed. A rooted cutting is planted in a prepared container as an adult plant.
Rosemary, when grown at home, practically does not get sick.
Rosemary varieties for growing at home in a pot
For pot culture, one type is usually used - rosemary officinalis. He is called fragrant or ordinary. In the varietal section of popular domestic varieties, we can recommend:
- Tenderness;
- Veshnyakovsky Semko;
- Dewdrop;
- Lavender;
From foreign selection grow well in room conditions:
- Roseus;
- Albiflorus;
- Severn Sea.
Rosemary with white flowers
