Rosemary: outdoor cultivation in the Moscow region

Rosemary is valued by many gardeners not only for its spicy aroma, but also for its aesthetic properties. Plant bushes are often grown in suburban areas as decoration. In regions with frosty winters, including the Moscow region, rosemary is best grown outdoors. Landing on the ground promotes accelerated and proper growth, the absence of diseases.

Rosemary, the specifics of cultivation in the suburbs

When planting rosemary bushes in the Moscow region, it is worth considering the climatic conditions and the specifics of the soil in the region. In summer, the plant can be immediately planted in open soil, and in winter the bushes will take root only in pots.Soil with low acidity is suitable for planting perennials.

Date of planting

The plant should be planted in late spring to avoid possible frosts or in early summer. It is allowed to propagate the shrub at any time, with the exception of winter. In temperate climates, it is better to take shoots for seedlings in the spring before the grass begins to bloom and plant them in the soil in May - June. Autumn perennials are suitable for indoor growing.

Choosing a landing site

When grown outdoors for rosemary, it is better to choose well-lit places. In practice, the plant shows active growth when placed on southern slopes. If the bushes were planted at home and transplantation into the soil is required, then they are taken out into the open air after all frosts and transplanted after a few days of acclimatization.For a perennial plant, moderately moist soil with a high content of foliar-grain composition, sand and humus is best suited.

Planting a plant in open ground

Planting rosemary in the soil is carried out using cuttings, seeds or cuttings. About 50 cm should remain between the bushes so that the root systems do not intertwine with each other. Before planting, moderately moisten the soil and remove the remnants of previously planted crops. Plants should be placed at a depth of no more than 4 cm for cuttings and layering and 0.4 cm for seeds. Landing sites are sprinkled with loosened earth.

Crop care

Perennial does not require special care conditions and is able to grow for many years, subject to the basic rules. It is enough to water rosemary periodically, visually monitor damage to the leaves and maintain the soil in a favorable condition.To ensure active growth, you should pay attention to the following points:

If the foliage of the plant turns yellow, then more frequent watering is required. When the leaves fall, an excess of moisture is likely.
Like other plants, rosemary needs constant weeding and loosening of the ground.
Once every 6-7 years, the plant must be cut to the ground level to form new shoots. It is recommended to rejuvenate the bushes in March - April. After the flowering of new bushes, you need to cut the shoots to 3 cm to strengthen them.

Irrigation

Rosemary is drought tolerant, but requires abundant and regular watering for stable growth. In spring and summer, you can water the plant every other day, and in dry weather - daily. If the bushes are planted not in open ground, but in separate containers with earth, then it is important not to flood the plants, since rosemary is susceptible to waterlogged soil.

Feeding

The use of rosemary fertilizers is not a requirement for proper growth, but the use of specialized products helps to strengthen the root system and positively affect the appearance of the plant.

Once a month, you can use complex mineral and organic top dressing, which includes nitrogen and phosphorus.

In spring, nitrogen fertilizers are useful for perennials, and phosphorus fertilizers in autumn. When overwintering the plant in containers or a greenhouse and then transplanting into open soil, fertilizers are not required if fertile soil is used in the planting site. Outdoor cultivation requires periodic top dressing with complex fertilizer.

Diseases and pests

Despite the high resistance of rosemary to diseases, under adverse conditions there is a risk of perennial damage.A common pest is the spider mite, which leaves an inconspicuous web on the leaves, leading to wilting. To combat insects and the consequences of its appearance, you need to wash the foliage with soapy water.

In case of severe damage to the bushes, it is worth using insecticidal fertilizers.

Powdery mildew is considered the most dangerous for rosemary. The cause of the disease is a sharp change in temperature conditions. Signs of damage to the culture is the formation of a white coating on the leaves and stems. A solution of potassium permanganate or a mixture of baking soda and soap helps to eliminate the disease. As an additional measure, you can replace the top layer of soil in which infectious agents accumulate.

How to cover rosemary for the winter?

When the air temperature drops below 10 degrees, overwintering rosemary in open space can negatively affect the plant.Even covering the bushes for the winter and protecting them from blowing and low temperatures, the soil can freeze. So that the cold does not destroy the root system, it is better to cover rosemary for the winter in a separate room.

Before the start of frost, the plant must be carefully dug up and placed in a pot or barrel. An important condition for the room where rosemary will winter is good lighting. The ideal option is a greenhouse or country veranda.

Harvest and storage of crops

Useful properties have leaves, shoots and inflorescences of rosemary. The greatest value in terms of practical application is the foliage. It is necessary to collect the shoots before flowering, since during this period the leaves contain the most useful components. Having chosen the youngest shoots, you need to cut branches of bushes 15-20 cm long.

The collected green mass should be laid out on paper sheets and left to dry for 2 weeks, periodically turning over.You can dry the plant with individual leaves or branches. To speed up the process, you can dry rosemary in the oven or electric dryer. You can store the plant in a cool dark room, hanging bunches of 5-7 branches. If you need to use the perennial in cooking, you can leave the dried herbs in cloth bags or containers for seasonings.