How to grow rosemary from seeds at home
Content:
Rosemary is grown in most countries in the European and American continents. Although large manufacturers are engaged in its production, many are trying to grow it on their site or in an apartment. In Russia, the plant is only gaining popularity. Knowing how to grow rosemary from seeds at home can be a great decoration for your interior or garden.
Choosing a rosemary variety
Before planting rosemary at home from seeds, you need to choose the right variety. It is customary to use two types of plants:
- Ordinary, it is also called medicinal.
- Spread rosemary.
Rosemary bloom
Popular varieties of common rosemary:
- Dewdrop is a shrub up to 60 cm high. It is well leafy. Rosinka's flowers are bluish-lilac. The plant has a spicy rich aroma. Dewdrop is known for its beneficial properties.
- Tuskan Blue - can grow up to 180 cm. The bush has dense foliage. It needs regular formative pruning.
- Tenderness - reaches a height of 70-100 cm, prefers abundant lighting and does not tolerate cold well. The leaves resemble bluish needles. The flowers are blue.
A well-known variety of open rosemary is Lavender. It has a pleasant pine scent. This variety blooms in May.
Sowing dates
Growing this plant from seed takes a significant amount of time. It is necessary to start sowing no later than a month and a half before stable warm weather sets in. As a rule, in temperate climates, this period falls on the end of February or the beginning of March. The exact time depends on the region of cultivation.
Selecting a container for sowing
For sowing, it is necessary to prepare a glass with slightly warm settled water. Rosemary seeds are placed there and kept for 5-6 hours. As a result, they will absorb some water, and this will increase their germination.
It is convenient to use plastic containers for germination. These can be rectangular containers. Their height cannot be less than 15 cm. At the bottom, a drainage layer is made of small pebbles or expanded clay. Prepared soil is poured on top of the drainage.
Rosemary seeds
Soil preparation
Rosmarinus does not like acidic soil. To prepare the substrate, mix 1 part of rotted compost, 1 - clean sand and 2 - garden soil. It is not necessary to prepare the soil yourself. You can purchase potting soil from your local grower.
Sowing seeds
For cultivation, seeds are placed on the ground and sprinkled with earth about 4 mm. After planting, light moistening is performed using a spray bottle.
From above, the container must be closed with glass or plastic wrap. An empty, inverted plastic container can be used for this purpose. To germinate the seeds, the container is placed in a relatively warm place. For example, it can be placed next to a radiator.
Sowing in peat tablets
You can use peat tablets instead of a sprout growing container. They put seeds in them and provide watering.Growing is done in the same way as when using containers.
When a flower sprout appears
With regular watering and heating the seeds, you can see how rosemary sprout in about a month. The seedlings will become full-fledged in 2-4 weeks after that.
When the sprouts reach 3-4 cm in height, you need to start their daily hardening. To do this, in calm warm weather, open a window and put a container with sprouts on the windowsill. At first, quenching is sufficient for just a few minutes. This period should gradually increase.
When conducting airing, it is necessary to exclude drafts, rain on the sprouts. Direct sunlight is unacceptable. In hot weather, light shade should be provided for the sprouts.
The emergence of sprouts
What affects germination
Before growing rosemary from seed, you need to consider how to maximize the germination of your seed. For this, the seeds can be kept in water for several hours, to which a stimulating solution has been added.
Transfer to a permanent place
You can transplant seedlings, the height of which has reached 7-8 cm. Rosemary is grown both in the open field and in a container in an apartment.
In the first case, it is important to find the right site for growing rosemary. The soil should be well-drained and lightweight. It is good if a light admixture of limestone is present in it. The site must be well lit. Shading will not allow the plant to fully develop. Avoid low-lying areas where moisture tends to accumulate. Rosemary does not need to be planted where there are drafts and strong winds.
Transplant procedure:
- When planted in a permanent place, the plants are fed with organic fertilizer. It is enough to take no more than a handful of rotted manure.
- Seedlings are removed from the previous container along with a clod of earth. Such a transplant will avoid trauma to the roots.
- The sprout is carefully placed in the hole and held by hand. Then carefully throw the required amount of soil onto the roots.
- After sprinkling the sprout from all sides, watering is carried out.
- Then add soil again and lightly compact the earth by slapping it with your hands.
When planting in open ground, the minimum distance between shoots should be at least 10 cm if the purpose of cultivation is decorative use. If harvesting is planned, then the distance should be at least half a meter.
For growing in an apartment, you need to use a pot that has one or more holes in the bottom. This is important to ensure good drainage. When the transplant is done, the rosemary is placed in the shade for two days to make it easier for it to adapt to the new conditions.
Growing in a pot
What to do if rosemary seeds won't sprout
Usually the cause of such a problem is the insufficient quality of the seed or the violation of the rules of care. If problems arise with germination, it is important to correct the deficiencies in the grooming procedures as soon as possible.
Basic rules for watering
When watering the sprouts, they should not be overmoistened. This will cause the roots to rot and the plants may die. It is important not to allow the topsoil to dry out completely. Once the soil is barely damp, water the sprouts again.
Growing on a windowsill
If the seeds are germinated correctly, then rosemary can not only provide the family with a tasty and healthy seasoning, but also become a decoration at home. To do this, it is enough to properly care for the plant.
