Rosemary Spotlight

Rosemary is a very sturdy, earthy, herb. The stems are woody and extremely fragrant. Just watering it makes the aroma drift around the area. I love it! I use rosemary primarily for cooking, but I use the essential oil form of it as well. It also makes a great addition to bouquets and is said to be a potential bug deterrent. I have grown rosemary for several years but continue to learn more and more about it. When using it in it's essential oil form it can be used both internally (with caution and instruction) and for aroma therapy. In aroma its energizing and said to help with focus. I enjoy mixing lavender and rosemary oils together in my diffuser. Topically it's good for massaging into your scalp for tension relief and possible hair growth stimulation. Try adding a few drops to your shampoo. I use both the oil as well as the fresh herb in the skin salves I make and sell.

In addition, I make good use of my rosemary plants in many recipes I serve at home and post here. It's great on poultry, lamb, focaccia bread, rosemary pesto, and many Italian dishes. I read in an article how there's a small village in Italy where they boast of many people who live into their 90's and 100's. In this village there is also a lower rate of Alzheimer's disease, less cataracts, and less heart issues. One of the common factors the study concluded in was the consistent use of rosemary in all of their foods and lifestyles (besides an active outdoor routine and healthier diet). I have the articles posted on the bottom of the page. Hopefully, as you follow me with my blogging and Instagram journey you'll find lots of amazing recipes containing my favorite herb. It's a huge factor in the naming of my blog and title if you haven't noticed (wink wink).

Below I have more about the actual plant and growing tips.

-Rosemary is an evergreen perennial in the mint family, there are both trailing and upright varieties. The plant typically grows up to 4’ tall and 4’ wide. It makes a great ornamental shrub and can even be trained into shapes.

-It is heat and drought tolerant. Which makes it a superb choice for a Florida/southern garden.

-Best planted in zones 8 (I'm in 9a) and up but can make a great container herb for colder regions. It doesn’t do well in the cold and will show signs of damage at 20° and below.

-Needs to be planted in full sun in a well drained soil.

-The first year of growth will be slow going, but after it is established it begins to speed up. This was something I learned later on and helped with my patience on the herb.

-Keeping it trimmed and not allowing it to get to lanky helps to maintain a healthier plant. -When trimming, only trim up to 1/3 of the plant at a time. Also, it needs to be trimmed after flowering. The flowers are typically a pretty purplish-Blue color, but with other varieties they can be white, purple, and pink.

-It doesn’t have many pests and is known to actually detour certain bugs.

-You do need to be careful not to over water the plant because it doesn’t like soggy roots and it can cause rot. It likes to dry out between watering.

-The plants should be planted at least 2’ apart.

Starting plants from seeds is a longer process than most want to wait. I’d recommend buying a young healthy plant from a local hardware store or nursery. It's usually about 3-5 dollars and will last approx. 10-15 years maybe longer depending on care. So basically it's well worth it!

Drying out the plant is fairly easy. I tie mine upside down with some twine in a window and it dries out completely in a few days to a week. Then I crush it with my hands and store in a glass jar.

 

It can be propagated from cuttings, but I'll save that for another post. I pray this was helpful! These are all of my own plants in the pictures, I have 6 rosemary plants each planted 1 year ago. I plan for them to grow up the wall I have and stay safely nestled for years of special harvests! (PS I know it looks like a hair in the top picture, but it was from a cute little spider I didn't want to move)



1. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/scientists-key-to-longevity-italy-acciaroli-centenarian-mediterranean-diet-a7230956.html

2.https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/study-pungent-type-of-rosemary-may-be-secret-to-longevity-in-italian-village/