Plant This Easy To Grow Herb For Flavorful Seasoning All Year Round
On the list of perennial herbs that you can plant just once for a year-round harvest, rosemary is always popular not just with gardeners but with home cooks as well. Rosemary gives that certain "something" to dishes in need of herbal flair, making it a versatile kitchen regular that plays well with many other flavors in soups, teas, and marinades for meats. Those who despair of lacking a green thumb will also be heartened to know that it's pretty hard to mess up growing rosemary at any time, as long as you have a little helpful information on your side.
The key to keeping rosemary happy all year long is twofold: don't overwater it and don't let it get too cold. Rosemary is native to Mediterranean climes, meaning that it likes hot, dry conditions. Check out the USDA's zone hardiness map and familiarize yourself with your particular growing conditions. If your zone number is below 7, you will want to make sure you have a cozy indoor growing spot for your potted rosemary when the chill gets too cold in the winter.
If you live in a warmer environment, you may be able to keep your herbs in the ground year-round and perhaps throw a blanket over them if the night gets particularly frigid. We've discussed the best areas in your garden to plant herbs; go ahead and stick your rosemary in full sun. It's very drought-tolerant and almost thrives on a little benign neglect in the scorching sun. Left to its own devices, it will get big and bushy, with a fragrant, almost minty perfume that makes your home all the more attractive.
Rosemary is easy for beginners who want delicious flavor in their food
Just how tough is this plant? "My dad has a rosemary bush that has thrived in their California backyard when everything else has died for want of water," one Redditor reported. A new homeowner in the Nevada desert chimed in, saying, "I can only assume our [r]osemary went without water here in the desert for the hottest months of the year (100-110° was the daily norm), for at least 3 or 4 months! Its [sic] one of the happiest things in our yard, I can't believe how drought tolerant that thing is." On another Reddit thread, a seasoned rosemary enthusiast doubled down on how easy rosemary is to keep happy: "The good news is that once established, [r]osemary is extremely easy to take care of [...] Just remember, use loose, fast draining soil, let it dry out between watering, and give it a good drink when you water."
Once you grow a vast amount of rosemary, what should you do with it? Well, learning the right way to harvest rosemary is essential: never trim more than ⅓ of the plant at a time, and prioritize the green, fresh growth over the woody parts below. Your fresh rosemary makes an exquisitely-flavored salt, and you can also use it to infuse oil, honey, or simple syrup for subtle, delicious flavor. Weary of basil pesto from your other garden heavyweights? Don't sleep on rosemary pesto, which is equally delicious! We also love rosemary in our fruit jams as we roll into harvest season — rosemary-raspberry is a special treat.