How to grow Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs, I love the smell and make use of it often in my cooking and aromatherapy projects. Many budding herb growers agree that they love the plant, but can't grow it and find it difficult. Rosemary is a difficult plant to grow from seed, the germination rate is fairly low and it needs warmth. I would recommend buying seedlings or taking a cutting or layering for best results, and quicker harvesting.


Because it is a perennial plant one plant can give you supplies for many years, and it makes a beautiful herb hedge. Rosemary needs to be kept warm and dry and thrives on neglect. I live in a tropical area and find that the full sun here is too much for it so I have to keep it shaded. In cold areas it needs to be in a container so it can be brought in to the warmth over winter, but in Mediterranean type areas it can get very large if not viciously pruned.

Cut your rosemary back often as it grows to keep young shoots coming, although slightly older sprigs make lovely barbecue skewers if soaked.

Harvest rosemary before it flowers, (the flowers may be blue or pink). You can use the sprigs fresh in cooking or dry them before removing the leaves and storing them.

To use Rosemary take a few sprigs and stick them into a lamb leg whilst it roasts, or add with olive oil to your roasting vegetables for a delicious flavour. I make herb butter for use on baked potatoes with young leaves.

Rosemary makes an excellent insect repellent and it is one of the herbs you can plant by your door to keep flies out of the house,or throw a few sprigs on the barbecue in summer to act as an insect repellent. Mixing the leaves into hamburger meat before going out on a picnic can help keep the meat from spoiling before you cook it as rosemary has excellent antiseptic properties.

The antiseptic properties make it an excellent herb to crush and place on small wounds in the garden. It has a long history of being used in sick rooms.

Rosemary relaxes the smooth muscles of the gut making it an excellent digestive tonic. It should be avoided in medicinal amounts in pregnant women as it can stimulate the muscles of the womb (culinary amounts are not likely to be harmful), a property that means it can bring on menstruation.

Rosemary is for remembrance, and it does help study when used in aromatherapy oils and candles.