I read the prevous rosemary threads--have also never had much luck with them inside, whether digging up from the garden or buying plants, but this year have a plant growing in the garden in a large pot. I'm thinking of bringing it to our "outdoor room" this winter--enclosed completely by roof and glass walls, and has a heater in it to keep the temp over 40--I'm in Colorado, so it will be dry and fairly cool most of the time. Does anyone think this could work better? Should I try to keep it in or out of direct sunlight (it's a northern/western exposure)? Thanks for any advice!
more on rosemary inside for the winter
I am not an expert but I did by one of those little rosemary Christmas trees last year and still have it. It is outdoors now. Up until now, I had never succeeded in keeping a rosemary plant through the winter. I gave it a good bit of sun -- west window, but the thing that I was better about this year was water. One thinks of rosemary liking dry climates and it does. But somehow, the ones I kept indoors all seemed to dry out. So I watered this one frequently and that seems to have done the trick. I have now repotted it and put it outside in my garden and it is growing like crazy. Hope to winter it again. The only thing I did differently was water it a lot more than in the past.
It will work.I have wintered rosemary over for years.I have a closed in porch with a southern exposure.Here is the deal.Pajar is correct,it loves water.I dig it up,pot it up.Set the pot in a bowl of water.It gets misted at least daily.Rosemary misses the sun,like no other plant.You got to bring it in early september.It is hardening off in reverse,wean it from the sun.It will take a beating,it will loose needles,part of it will turn yellow or black.Any bad stems,prune them off.I take cuttings in the winter for insurance.By spring the plant looks bad.prune it up,fertilize keep it moist and put in te sun.It makes a remarkable recovery.The only other thing you could do is put it under flourescent bulbs with a timer.My porch has hit 32* a few times during the winter.I winter over lots of tender perenials and herbs.
This message was edited Jul 8, 2007 5:54 PM
Most houseplants will tolerate a little underwatering from time to time, but not rosemary, at least indoors. It just dries right up and dies. We don't get a lot of rainfall, but I don't seem to have to water it as much outdoors. I agree with edge. It just loves the sun.
Thank you! I hope to have a happy tree next spring!