How to plant rosemary?
Set out rosemary in spring, planting seedlings 2 to 3 feet apart; you can also plant in fall in zone 8 and south. Plants are slow growing at first, but pick up speed in their second year. While rosemary tolerates partial shade, it prefers full sun and light, well-drained soil with a pH between 6 and 7. More can be found on the amazing Bonnie Plants website. Be sure to check it out. I’ll be adding more tips soon as well.
Rosemary is an evergreen perennial with gray-green needlelike leaves, and pale or dark blue, purple, pink or white flowers. It has a distinctive aroma. Most forms are bushy and rosemary can be used for formal hedging and even topiary in some clients. In zones 6 and lower rosemary will not survive the harsh winters and must be brought inside for the winter.
How to grow
Rosemary can be raised from seed but it will take a long time and the chanced for success are low. Ready grown plants or transplanting cuttings is the most efficient way. Provide it with plenty of warmth and sunshine and do not overwater. Prune in spring.
What do I do with all that rosemary?
First, you have to remove the leaves from the woody stems. Hold a sprig upright with one hand, then pull the leaves downward against the direction of growth. Pull away the remaining top leaves separately. Put the leaves in a pile, rock your knife across them, and occasionally bring them back into a pile.
Rosemary can be used in a variety different ways. I use it to cook meat and poultry and to make soups and stews. And what can be better than rosemary infused oil with baked garlic and parmesan cheese for dipping a piece of freshly-baked ciabatta?