Rosemary trees starts appearing in grocers and garden centers right about now. If you live near a Trader Joe’s they sell adorable $10 ones. We’ve seen them advertised at Home Depot and even Walmart in the $20 range. Expect to pay more if you go mail order.
For many years, we gleefully brought our rosemary tree home right before Thanksgiving and enjoyed Sprigs in our stuffing and cocktails, but by New Year’s it was brittle and dry as a bone.
If you want to reverse the annual tradition of killing your rosemary tree…. We have some tips for you.
Most importantly pick a sunny window- 6-8 hours of sunlight a day are a must. Avoid placement near heating vents or on radiators. Rotate it every few days.
Secondly, don’t over water. Only water every two weeks (if the soil is dry on the top), but always keep water in the drainage pan with the rocks in it under your pot. We use a clear ice bucket.
Because the plant likes to absorb moisture from the air, it will enjoy the water as it evaporates from the pan. Don’t forget its natural habitat is the Mediterranean, where it benefits from heavy dew.
Lastly, fill a spray bottle with water and mist the foliage once or twice a week. This works wonders and you get to enjoy the aroma as a bonus. There are some reports out there that inhaling rosemary scent improves memory.
Indoor air is dry and rosemary likes dry roots moist leaves, so spraying and a pan of water does the trick. We hope it works for you.