Every housewife knows about such a spicy seasoning as rosemary. In addition, such a fragrant bush can be grown without problems on its own window sill, without much bothering to care for it. This is exactly what will be discussed in this article.
Methods of growing rosemary at home
Of course, you can buy an already planted plant in a specialized store or even in ordinary supermarkets, where they sell various spicy herbs in pots. But believe me, growing a rosemary yourself at home is quite possible and will not give you much trouble.
So, the first method of reproduction that can be applied at home is the cultivation of rosemary from seeds. However, it should be noted that this is quite a busy occupation and therefore is suitable only for particularly patient flower growers. First of all, the seeds purchased must be germinated, thereby increasing the likelihood that something will come of it. Seeds soaked in a damp cloth and left until the moment they do not proklyutsya. However, it should be noted that a painful month of expectations can pass before you can notice any changes. As soon as the seeds proklyutsya, they need to be sowed on the surface of well-moistened soil, but do not sprinkle with earth. Pot with seeds should be covered with a plastic film or glass and sent for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, and then put on a sunny window sill for germination.
The second, more simple way, is the cultivation of rosemary from the cuttings. For planting, the shoots of an adult plant are used, while it is better that they are brown, lignified. Sliced cuttings are placed in water or in a special solution, and as the roots appear, they are planted in a pot with good drainage into a mixture of sand and peat.
Care for rosemary at home
Rosemary is one of those plants that equally loves both the bright sun and fresh air. The more a flower receives sunlight, the more essential oil accumulates in its leaves, and the more its flavor becomes. Therefore, it is very important in winter to maximally extend for him a light day, using additional illumination. In addition, rosemary also needs constant airing. An excellent place for its cultivation in the summer time will be a brightly lit balcony, but in winter it is better to bring a flower into the house, in a not heated room, and do not forget to give it a light airing occasionally.
As for irrigation, in this case it is very important to find a "golden mean". It should be noted that rosemary is quite powerful and sufficient development of the root system, so that the flower can tolerate a slight drying of the soil. But one should not subject it to such tests, because insufficient watering can lead to the fact that the plants will turn yellow leaves. Overmoistening of the soil is also dangerous for rosemary and will definitely lead to the death of the flower.
Transplant rosemary is best in the spring. However, this may only need adult plants, whose roots are already visible through the drainage hole. In order for rosemary to grow actively, it must be transplanted into a larger pot with fresh substrate, and in order for the flower to recover normally, young shoots should be cut off.
In addition, this plant does not need a lot of fertilizers. Therefore, it is enough to feed it with mineral or organic fertilizers once every two weeks. And in winter, the amount of fertilizing can be reduced to one time in 1-1.5 months.
Possible problems in the cultivation of rosemary
When growing a house, rosemary is quite resistant to diseases and pests. In rare cases, the plant can attack a spider mite , scab, aphid, or whitefly. In order to save the flower, it is enough to rinse its leaves with soapy water, covering the soil in a pot, and if there is a strong infection, spray it with insecticides.