Got a question about rosemary. I found a package of rosemary seeds a couple of months ago, and planted about 24 in pots. 4 or 5 came up, 1 has survived, and it looks pretty good.
I'm keeping it outside in a 3" pot, and we've had one frost so far, it survived it well, but the thing isn't even an inch tall.
What in the wide, wide world of sports do I do with it over the winter? Bring it in? Replant it in a larger pot and leave it in a protected spot?
I've had bad luck with rosemary on this property, neighbor's is doing great.
/johnny
I don’t think it will survive indoors. It is too dry. I have had no success over several years indoors.
I am not sure what zone you are in. I am in zone 5-6. Mine is planted out doors in a sheltered spot behind the house to see if that will work.
I have a cement retaining wall in back of the bed, and Milk Jugs of water on the sides(works better if painted black). It faces south west. I covered it with a row cover which is good down to 28 degrees. This lets in a good deal of sun and moisture, so I don’t have to adjust it on a daily basis.
As the weather gets colder, I put a second layer of row cover on it, and cover it with straw as needed. Sometimes I cover it with a thin, old styrofoam matteress about 3/4 inch thick. If I have an unusually nice day, I roll the cover back and let the full sun in, water etc.
This has worked well for my winter garden in the past. I have grown lettuce and a few other crops year round this way. I am hoping it will work for the rosemary.
I have also been giving some thought as to how to rig up a light bulb in case we ever get a colder than usual winter. Course, I would really like a green house, but no way to afford it, so I just improvise with what I have.
If you get sunny days, and have a bunch of rocks, these can be stacked around it with some sort of cover that lets in the sun. Plastic might have to be adjusted to avoid too much heat. The rocks will absorb the heat in the daytime, and release it at night.
Ask your neighbor what he does with his! I’ve never had luck keeping Rosemary over the winter, except when I lived in CA where it grows like a shrub and you have to prune it to keep it from taking over! LOL. I’ve never had luck bringing it in (indoor climate is too dry, I think). Perhaps if you had a guest bathroom where it could live and you could keep the temperature down, it might survive. Otherwise, a sheltered area in the yard would be best.
Where are you in TX? In some parts of TX, it might survive in a rock garden where the heat of the stones kept it warmer and the overall climate is not too harsh. (I’m thinking Houston.)