A gardener’s resolutions, as the new year begins and the ground is cold and dormant, are modest ones. Nevertheless, a promise to do better by a plant is an act of optimism, focus and clarity. If, for you, 2016 was a year of loss, this is one loss that you can do something about.
In 2017, I pledge that I will do everything necessary to grow a healthy, productive rosemary plant. The one that went to herb heaven at the end of 2016 will be avenged.
If you are a gardener-cook, fresh herbs are among life’s essentials. But come winter, when even the sage and thyme go dormant, rosemary is treasured. Sometimes it’s the only fresh herb I have at hand, and it’s versatile, too. I tuck sprigs of it under the skin of a chicken before roasting, sprinkle it over baking winter squash, pair it with nutmeg in creamy soups and purees.
Rosemary is not only perennial but also evergreen. Where temperatures don’t drop below 20 degrees, it can stay outdoors, in the ground or in a pot. Otherwise, it must come inside for the months of serious cold.
Many gardeners, myself included, have kept a single pot of rosemary alive for many years this way, but I am also not alone in having such a stalwart specimen suddenly die a brown and shriveled death. This may just be a sign that it has grown too large and woody to be a good potted plant, but if it happens to a younger one, it’s good to figure out why.
Rosemary is fussy and will continually remind you of how much the ideal winter conditions of the Mediterranean region differ from those of your apartment or house. Winter air in our homes tends to be warm, dry and still.
So here’s a strategy to moving a plant in for the winter. Look for a cool spot that gets as much sun as possible. Use a light, well-draining soil mix.
Feed it every few weeks with some well-diluted liquid seaweed fertilizer or fish emulsion. This will generate long, somewhat spindly new growth, which is soft and tender enough to eat raw in salads. Keep picking it and more will grow, a bit more thickly.
Mist the leaves from time to time with water in a spray bottle. If the plant is small enough, water it in a sink, spritzing or dousing the leaves at the same time. Doing so will also help to control powdery mildew, as well as aphids and other pests.
I’d say the most important thing about rosemary care is the Zen of watering. The standard advice is to water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out. This could easily be misinterpreted. It doesn’t mean letting the pot sit in a saucer full of water. If watering floods any plant’s saucer, it’s best to pour out the excess. Overwatering rosemary can lead to root rot and sudden death.
Letting the soil get too dry can also kill the plant quickly. The balance between too much water and too little is the discipline you must master.
Be mindful in 2017, take courage and hope for the best.
