A spice that needs protection: the characteristics of rosemary

Greens and herbs

Rosemary is a perennial plant. It shouldn't be planted outdoors if the average daily temperature is consistently below -10°C; even with protection, it won't survive the frost. However, in warmer regions with mild winters, with proper care, the plant doesn't need to be brought into a greenhouse or veranda, provided it's insulated beforehand.

How to cover rosemary

To ensure the beautiful shrub, whose leaves are used as a spice, survives the winter well, it needs to be prepared. Avoid scheduled pruning, which weakens the plant, and loosen the soil in the bed to ensure good drainage and air flow to the roots.

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The covering material is prepared in advance. Dry sawdust, straw, dried leaves, and spruce branches are all suitable. 60% non-woven fabric or agrofibre can also be used. The shrub branches are bent to the ground, being careful not to break them, and secured with wooden staples or pins. A shelter can be made from trellises or boards, or specially made arches can be installed (at a height of no more than 10 cm). The entire space between the "roof" and the ground on which the plant is placed is filled with loose insulation, and a fabric cover or spruce branches is stretched over it.

Attention!

If the temperature drops below -15°C, you should add a warm blanket on top.

Heavy snowfalls are ideal. A snowdrift is piled onto the rosemary, creating an additional protective layer. Spruce branches have excellent insulating properties. If the temperature rises above 0°C for two days, the plant will need to be ventilated, otherwise it will begin to rot.

Preparing rosemary for cold weather

If you don't plan to dig up the shrub for the winter, you should begin preparing for frost in the spring. Growing recommendations:

Choose a planting site with a low water table. Otherwise, a sudden thaw will cause the water to rise to the roots, and they will freeze during the next cold snap.
Improve soil drainage by adding sawdust or sand to the soil layer. Loosen the soil periodically.
During the growing season, rosemary is fertilized 2-3 times. Humus or compost is added at a rate of 2 kg per 1 m. After applying the fertilizer, the soil is loosened.
In mid-to-late September, add a mineral complex with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

All these measures will help a perennial at least three years old survive the winter. Young bushes will die in frost; it's best to dig them up and place them in a cool room—a greenhouse or a glazed balcony (+10°C). Indoors, water the plant as the soil dries out, and apply fertilizer at least once a season—organic or mineral, depending on your preference. Avoid temperatures above 12°C and humidity above 75%. Even short-term drafts can damage the bushes, so it's best to cover the containers when ventilating.

Winter-hardy varieties

Gardeners most often grow two types of rosemary—prostrate and medicinal—but breeders have already developed several varieties that can survive the mild southern winters outdoors. The prostrate variety is the most popular, used not only for food but also for ornamental purposes. It is planted near fences or rock gardens. Creeping lavender rosemary, with small, fragrant blue flowers, was developed from this variety. Its aroma repels cabbage butterflies and fruit moths.

Using common or medicinal rosemary as a base, the varieties "Tenderness" and "Rosinka" were developed. They are distinguished by increased frost resistance. The bushes grow up to 1 m tall, with white or purple flowers. Despite their adaptability to variable climates, they are rarely planted outdoors. "Prostratus" and "Severn Sea" are suitable for mild winters and cultivation in central Russia. The former has creeping stems that never reach a height of 15 cm, while the latter's bushes grow up to 50 cm.