Merry Christmas and Happy New Rosemary

Today, you have or will receive a rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) plant with three rooting (hopefully) stems in a small terracotta pot.

This is thank you for allowing us to work on your property, its landscape and/or its plants.

If you have read any of my writings you know how much I love rosemary and all you can use it for when cooking.

If you feel you won't take the time to care for your new plant or doing so is just not your thing, then please give it to a family member or friend who will do so.

The mother of these cuttings is over five years old and has never been covered or protected any time during the colder winter months.

She is an in-ground plant, but these little girls and guys are trying to start their own shrub in a pot and need a little different care for a while.

These should be kept indoors for the winter, preferably near a window exposed to sunlight for a few hours of the day and not near any heat producing device such as fireplace or space heater, nor near anything moving the air such as a fan or cooling/heating register or vent.

Rooting hormone was applied to the ends of the cuttings so do not rearrange where they are in the soil. Let them be, even if their orientation seems less than appealing - they will figure out what they need to do and will probably follow (lean toward) the strongest source of light.

Rosemary is fairly drought tolerant, but these are trying to establish roots so water them when the upper one or two inches of soil feel dry. For the first few weeks ensure you water at the base of the stems as this will direct the moisture to the newly forming roots.

Later, in the spring or toward summer, you can plant these in the ground or a larger pot.

After roughly four weeks, turn over the pot, holding the stems, allowing the soil to come loose from the pot. Allow or slightly pull the plant from the base to view how the root system is developing. You may need to move it to a larger pot. If uncertain, simply give me a call at 803-553-5757.

Depending on how well the root system and plant are progressing, and the weather, you may need to harden off the plant for a few days before fully committing it to the outdoors, potted or in-ground.

Some people appreciate rosemary for its aesthetics and plant them in with other plants, not just other herbs.

Again, thank you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!