overwintering Rosemary plants

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pupil Newmarket Ontario, Canada Oct 18, 2010

Hi Folks

Every year I try to overwinter my rosemary plants. They are usually about 10 to 12 inches high and I bring them in just before first frost. I have never yet succeeded in keeping them alive for the whole winter. I put them in a south facing window but do not really know how often to water them. I have read all kinds of advice.

So, if there is anyone out there who has the knack, I would be really grateful for you advice.

Thanks Phil

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Oct 18, 2010

They don't need a lot of water, so you definitely need to be careful or it would be easy to overwater them. You'll have to figure out the proper watering frequency for yourself since it will vary depending on the temperature in your house, how big the pot is relative to the plant, etc. Best thing to do is before you were planning to water, stick your finger down a couple inches into the pot and see how wet it feels. If the soil a couple inches down is still wet then you need to wait longer before watering, but if it's dry then you can go ahead and water. I'd also make sure they're not getting a cold draft from the window, or have a heating vent blowing directly on them.

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tapla Bay City, MI(Zone 6a) Oct 18, 2010

I have several rosemary plants (4, I think) I'm growing on as potensai ..... that is, potential bonsai. They're all older than 5-7 years old, from the little started cuttings you so often see mixed with the herb bedding plants. They over-winter in the basement, under fluorescent lights at about 65*. I'm able to maintain the relative humidity at 55-60%. They do well, even though they don't start putting on much growth until after the vernal equinox.

Surprisingly, they do like a damp soil, but they don't tolerate wet feet, so a fast draining medium is best. I grow them in what has been labeled 'the gritty mix', which looks like the picture below. All of the many herbs I've grown in this soil do exceptionally well.

Al

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