Content
Growing rosemary in the open field in the Moscow region is possible only in the summer. A spicy evergreen native to the Mediterranean, where it grows in warm, humid climates. In regions with frosty winters, the cultivation of an annual or perennial crop is possible, but with the transfer of bushes in cold weather, indoors.
Where can rosemary be grown?
The root system of a heat-loving plant dies already at a temperature of -5 ... -7 ° C. Therefore, wintering rosemary in the open field in the Moscow region and the Leningrad region is impossible.
In Krasnodar, when growing rosemary in the open field, you need to protect the fragrant leaves from exposure to bright sunlight. Cultivation of crops in this region is most favorable in greenhouses.
The evergreen shrub does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature, therefore, in order to grow rosemary in the Urals and Siberia, you need to build temporary shelters for it. For the convenience of transferring plants indoors, in the cold season or in case of sudden frosts, it is best to grow rosemary in Siberia in planting containers.
Recommended landing dates
In open ground, the culture is planted by direct sowing, cuttings or seedlings. Cultivation in any way involves warming up the soil and establishing positive daytime and nighttime air temperatures. In Krasnodar, the spice begins to grow from the end of April. In the Moscow region and the Leningrad region, the threat of recurrent frosts disappears from mid-late May. In Siberia and the Urals, rosemary begins to grow from the beginning of June.
Planting rosemary in open ground is not carried out in the fall. At this time, cuttings are rooted, which are then kept in cool rooms until spring planting.
How to plant rosemary correctly
Planting rosemary seedlings begins in late February - early March. The seeds of the plant are small, dark and light brown in color. They differ in low germination - about 15%, as well as a long germination period - 6-8 weeks after sowing. In some cases, it is necessary to grow seeds up to 3 months after sowing.
Choosing the right place
It is best to grow rosemary in a high, sunny location. In areas with good lighting, the culture shows its best qualities, acquires an intense color and aroma. It is impossible to grow spice in lowlands, where moisture stays for a long time after precipitation falls or ground waters are located nearby. In such conditions, its root system quickly decays and the bushes die.
During the hottest sunny days, the plant should be able to shade. The foliage is easily sunburned. Growing in the open field on overheated soils, as well as a sharp change in day and night temperatures, are not good for rosemary.
Soil preparation for rosemary
Growing rosemary is necessary on light, loose soil. And also soils with good moisture and air permeability. Sandy and gravel areas, slopes are also suitable. To loosen heavy soils, vermiculite and sand are added to the garden soil. Lime is added to acidic soils.
How to plant rosemary seedlings
Crop seeds can be grown dry or pre-soaked. To accelerate germination, they are kept in a damp cloth for 1-2 days. While in the water, mucus forms around the seeds, which is their botanical feature.
To increase the percentage of germination, the seeds are soaked in hot water for 4 hours or sown in the soil spilled with boiling water. And also use various accelerators of root growth.
For planting, drainage layers are poured into the container: expanded clay, then river, fine sand. Before placing in a container, the components must be disinfected by pouring hot water. For sowing, take a light, fertile soil: a universal substrate or a mixture of sand and peat in a 1: 2 ratio. The soil is thoroughly mixed and moistened before planting the seeds.
Landing features:
- Seeds can be grown in separate cells or in a common planting tank.
- Seeds are planted scattered over the common soil surface or in rows.
- Pre-soaked seeds are easier to spread in the soil with tweezers.
- The seeds are laid out without deepening more than 3-4 mm, then covered with a small layer of soil.
- Plantings are sprayed from a fine sprayer so as not to wash off small seeds from the soil surface.
- The planting containers are covered with a film, in which several holes are made for the passage of air.
- The covered containers are placed in a lighted, warm place.
- It is necessary to grow seeds at a temperature of + 28 ° C.
- In anticipation of the emergence of sprouts, the film is periodically opened for airing, the soil is sprayed.
After the first shoots appear, the shelter is removed. You can grow rosemary in a common container until 3-4 true leaves appear, and then transplant into separate ones. Growing rosemary is more favorable in clay pots due to its good air permeability. The root system of the spice grows rapidly, so the planting containers should not be less than 10 cm in diameter. But you shouldn't grow it in disproportionately large pots either.
Growing seedlings in a room requires constant unfolding of the pots in different directions to the light so that the leafiness of the stems is formed evenly. During strong spring sunshine, seedlings should be grown shaded so that the plant does not get burned.
How to plant rosemary outdoors
Before taking the seedlings out of room conditions into open ground, they should be hardened. Hardening will help the plant grow safely in conditions of more air and sun. To do this, the landing boxes are taken out into the street, exposing them to a warm and windless place. Each day, the duration of stay in the open air is increased by several hours.
Growing and caring for rosemary outdoors or planting it in a greenhouse depends on the weather conditions of the current season. A heat-loving plant can only be grown at freezing temperatures.
It is necessary to grow a bush in open ground taking into account its growth, leaving a space of about 50 cm on each side.To transplant, prepare holes with a volume slightly larger than the earthen lump in which the plant was grown before. They are transplanted by the transshipment method. In order to less traumatize the root system, the earthen lump is preliminarily well moistened.
For planting cuttings, make a small narrow hole, lowering the planting material at a slight angle 5-7 cm down. To plant a cutting, several lower leaves are cut off from him.After transplanting seedlings and cuttings, the soil around them is lightly pressed so that air voids do not form, and the plants take root faster. The cuttings take root after 1 month.
The flowering of rosemary can be seen from the second year of the life of the bush, subject to a cool winter. During flowering, the spice has the highest percentage of nutrients.
How to grow rosemary in a greenhouse or outdoors
Agrotechnics for growing rosemary is simple and consists in systematic moderate watering, loosening and sufficient illumination of the crop. Proper cultivation of the spice contributes to the formation of a dense leafy crown with bright green leaves. And rosemary reacts to violations in leaving by throwing off the leaves, changing their color.
Watering schedule
For growing rosemary, both drying out of the soil and its waterlogging are unfavorable. In the summer, the bushes should be watered once every few days. Each time, you should wait for the topsoil to dry by 2-3 cm. Do not use cold water for irrigation. The bushes are additionally moistened by spraying the leaves.
Top dressing rosemary
On highly fertile soils, rosemary can be grown without top dressing. In other cases, mineral fertilizers are applied once a month.
The ratio of components for feeding:
- 10 g of ammonium nitrate;
- 10 g of potassium sulfate;
- 15 g superphosphate;
- 5 liters of water.
Nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied to the root zone in spring, phosphorus-containing ones - in autumn. For dressing, a mullein solution is also used in a ratio of 1: 5.
Weeding and loosening the soil
The place where rosemary is grown in the country should be clean from weeds... Loosening the soil under the plant and between the rows promotes better air circulation. It is especially important to loosen the soil after watering and precipitation in order to destroy the crust formed on its surface.
Pruning rosemary
Pruning is carried out for bushes over 2 years old. Pruning shoots provokes the appearance of new shoots, allows you to form the crown in different ways. Bare stems, from which the greens were removed during the season, are also removed. Pruning is carried out in winter or early spring, excluding flowering time.
Growing a plant over 7 years old requires renewal pruning. At this time, the shoots are cut to the ground.
How rosemary winters
It is necessary to grow rosemary in winter at a temperature of + 12 ... + 14 ° С. At high room temperatures, the plant will overwinter, but will not bloom next season. In winter, it is not recommended to grow it next to radiators.
Growing rosemary in winter is necessary in bright rooms. In the absence of natural 7-8 hour lighting, the plants are supplemented with phytolamps. Lamps, in this case, are placed at a distance of 15 cm above the crown.
Rosemary diseases
The appearance of a white coating on rosemary can mean a fungal infection - powdery mildew. Pathogenic microorganisms appear when cultivation takes place in a waterlogged environment, with a lack of ventilation and stagnation of moisture in the soil. Infection can also spread to rosemary from other plants.
For the treatment of fungal diseases, various fungicides are used, including those with a biological basis. But it should be borne in mind that powdery mildew is difficult to treat and it is best to prevent its appearance. For the prevention of fungal diseases, you should not grow the spice in thickened plantings, but choose dry, warm and ventilated areas.
Why do rosemary leaves dry?
One of the main reasons is growing in a lack of moisture and light. The leaves dry out when the earthen ball is not watered completely or too often.Watering should be streamlined: soak the earthen lump completely and wait for its top layer to dry before the next watering.
A light-loving culture needs to be grown under 8 hours of light from the south side during the day.
Why do rosemary leaf tips turn black?
Improper watering. Watering must be carried out with complete moistening of the entire volume of the soil so that the water appears in the pan. But you cannot leave water in the pan, it is better to raise the pot on a stand after watering, without closing the drainage holes.
Growing in a small pot results in root germination below the soil. Where, getting into the drainage layer, they receive excess moisture.
Growing at high air temperature and low humidity. Growing rosemary in summer at a temperature of + 22 ... + 25 ° C is favorable. In winter - from October to February, at a temperature of + 10 ... + 12 ° С. To increase moisture, rosemary bushes are watered with a warm shower, covering the soil with foil.
A sharp drop in temperature. When transferring a plant to a room for wintering, the temperature change should be smooth, with a difference of several degrees.
Rosemary pests
Thanks to its pungent scent, rosemary is easy to grow without fear of pests. But, if the air humidity is disturbed, a spider mite may appear on the bushes. Plants, the cultivation of which is used only for decorative purposes, are treated with insecticides. When using rosemary for food, all the leaves and stems are washed with laundry soap.
Conclusion
Growing rosemary in the open field in the Moscow region is possible if you create conditions for the culture in which it grows in its usual climate. With sufficient light, on light soils and with moderate watering, the shrub will show its best decorative and taste qualities.
