Eating Garden

How to Grow Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

A woody evergreen herb that likes strong sun, sharp drainage and less water than most kitchen herbs.

By · Updated · How we source and review advice

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At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Takes some care

    3 of 5 · More shovels, more care

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

    6 hours a day

  • Water

    Not thirsty

  • Growing in a pot

    Suitable for pots

More about this plant

Start with a young plant or rooted cutting, give rosemary full sun and let the soil dry between waterings. In cold winters, keep it in a pot and bring it inside before frost.

  • Comes back each year.
  • Can grow in raised beds, indoors, the open ground.
  • Fine in a small space.

Make it your plan

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What are you starting with?
Where will it grow?

For a plant staying inside, see the indoor-growing advice below. Local dates describe outdoor seasons.

Your plan, starting Nov 10, 2026

A harvest date cannot be estimated from this starting point. Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

When to expect a harvest

There is no reliable day count for this starting point. Use the crop’s season and readiness signs below.

Harvest once the plant has several healthy green branches and enough growth to leave most of the plant intact.

A sunny, dry climate with mild winters. Rosemary is reliably perennial mainly in zone 8 and warmer; cultivar and shelter still matter.

First, gather a few things

  • A young rosemary plant
  • A draining pot with room for the roots
  • Potting mix that drains well
  • A watering can or hose

Get ready

Do these before you put the plant or seeds in place.

  1. Start here

    1. Begin with a young plant

    Rosemary seed is slow. A nursery plant or rooted cutting gives a faster, more reliable start.

  2. 2. Choose the sunniest place

    Give at least six hours of direct sun and shelter from cold winter wind.

  3. 3. Make drainage the priority

    Use a pot with a hole, a raised bed or light soil that never stays soggy.

Water

Check the soil first. Heat, rain, and pots can change how often this plant needs water.

  1. 1. Check before you water

    Push a finger about 2 inches into the soil. Water when it feels dry there.

  2. 2. Water the roots

    Water slowly at the base until the soil feels moist a few inches down. For a pot, water until a little runs out of the drainage holes.

    Water deeply, then let the soil dry well before watering again. Established plants tolerate drought better than wet roots.

Need help judging moisture? Read how to check the soil and water the roots.

If the plant looks unhappy

  • Too dry

    Needles turn dry and brittle and tips die back.

    If the soil is dry, water deeply and check it again tomorrow.

  • Too wet

    Yellowing, brown tips, weak growth and root rot are common when soil stays wet.

    If the soil is wet, wait before watering again and check that excess water can drain away.

While it grows

Check on your plant and do these jobs as they come up.

  1. 1. Shelter before frostOptional

    In cold regions, bring a potted plant into a cool, sunny place before frost.

Looking after it

  • FeedingRarely needs feedingFeed only if growth is pale or weak and a soil or potting-mix check shows a need. A light spring feeding is enough for most plants.
  • PruningNeeds pruningClip sprigs through the growing season. Light pruning keeps the woody plant dense, but avoid cutting all green growth away at once.
  • MulchKeep the crown open and dry. Use gravel or a very thin dry mulch instead of a deep wet layer.

Pick and store it

Use the plant's signs of readiness, then harvest gently.

  1. 1. Check if it is ready

    Harvest once the plant has several healthy green branches and enough growth to leave most of the plant intact.

  2. 2. Pick it

    Clip tender green sprigs as needed. Cut above a leafy joint so the branch can make new side growth.

  3. 3. Keep it fresh

    Use fresh sprigs soon, or dry the leaves and store them in a sealed container away from heat and light.

More picking tips

  1. 1. Clip green sprigs

    Harvest small amounts through the season and use the cuts to keep the plant compact.

Common problems

    Common mistakes

    • Watering on a fixed schedule

      Rosemary needs the soil to dry between drinks. Check the soil instead of the calendar.

    • Planting in heavy wet ground

      Poor drainage causes root rot. Use a pot, raised bed or mounded site if water lingers.

    • Digging up a large plant each fall

      Rosemary can resent transplanting. In a cold climate, keep it in a pot from the start.

    Questions about rosemary

    Tap a question to see the answer.

    Will rosemary grow where I live?

    A sunny, dry climate with mild winters. Rosemary is reliably perennial mainly in zone 8 and warmer; cultivar and shelter still matter.

    • LightFull sunAbout 6 hours of direct sun a day.
    • ShadeCopes with a little shade
    • SeasonA warm season cropUsually grown in spring or summer.
    • FrostSurvives a light frost
    • HeatLoves heat
    • Hardiness zonesZones 8a to 10bZones describe winter cold only. They do not say when to plant.

    What soil is best for rosemary?

    • Soil pH6.0 to 7.0A cheap test kit from a garden centre will tell you yours.
    • Soil it likesSandy, Loam, Chalky
    • DrainageNeeds fast drainage
    • RichnessHappy in poor ground

    Use light soil or potting mix that drains quickly. A raised or slightly mounded bed helps where the ground stays wet.

    Test the soil before adding lime or fertilizer. Rosemary seldom needs feeding when growth is healthy.

    Before changing your soil, learn how to test soil acidity and understand the result.

    When and how deep do I plant rosemary?

    When to plant

    Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

    • Plant out 0 to 2 weeks after your last spring frostMove a young plant outside after frost danger has passed. In cold regions, keep it in a pot for easy winter shelter.

    What you need

    • How to start itFrom a young plantYou can start it indoors first.

    What happens to rosemary through the year?

    Measured from your last spring frost, because seasons differ from garden to garden. In frost-free climates, use trusted local seasonal guidance alongside these relative steps.

    1. Plant out

      0 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost

    How do I give rosemary a better start?

    Simple ways to help your rosemary grow, from the soil up.

    • Start with good soil

      Use light soil or potting mix that drains quickly. A raised or slightly mounded bed helps where the ground stays wet.

    • Give the soil a cover

      Keep the crown open and dry. Use gravel or a very thin dry mulch instead of a deep wet layer.

    • Feed with care

      Feed only if growth is pale or weak and a soil or potting-mix check shows a need. A light spring feeding is enough for most plants.

    Test the soil before adding lime or fertilizer. Rosemary seldom needs feeding when growth is healthy.

    Can rosemary survive winter outside?

    It is most reliable in zone 8 and warmer. In colder places, grow it in a pot and shelter it before frost.

    Why is my rosemary turning brown?

    Check drainage first. Wet roots cause many indoor and outdoor rosemary problems, even when the tips look dry.

    Can rosemary grow indoors?

    Yes, if it has very bright light, cool air and soil that dries well between waterings.

    When can I harvest rosemary?

    Clip green sprigs whenever the plant is large enough that most healthy growth remains.

    Helpful gardening guides

    Dig into the next thing you need, from starting a garden to getting watering right.

    Starting your first garden? Choose your space and get it ready, then plan local planting times.

    Browse all gardening guides

    Also filed under: Herbs

    Where this came from

    Advice varies with your climate and variety. Check the sources behind each section.

    Sources & review dates
    Planting
    University of Illinois Extension, Rosemary · checked 2026-09-15
    Timing
    University of Illinois Extension, Rosemary · checked 2026-09-15
    University of Minnesota Extension, Growing peppers · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, warm-season crops are timed to months whose nights usually stay above 50°F.
    UC Master Gardeners of Placer County, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tomato blossom drop · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, warm-season crops avoid months whose nights usually stay above 75°F.
    University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Master Gardener Program, Time of planting · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, warm-season crops are timed to months with days between 65°F and 95°F.
    Looking after it
    University of Illinois Extension, Rosemary · checked 2026-09-15
    Harvest
    University of Illinois Extension, Rosemary · checked 2026-09-15
    Step by step
    University of Florida IFAS Extension, Rosemary · checked 2026-09-15
    Questions people ask
    University of Illinois Extension, Rosemary · checked 2026-09-15
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