Growing Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis : Lamiaceae / the mint family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                    P P

(Best months for growing Rosemary in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Plant cuttings . Best planted at soil temperatures between 15°C and 20°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 100 - 150 cm apart
  • Harvest in approximately 1 years. In warmer areas, harvest time might be shorter.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Beans, Carrots, Cabbages, Sage
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

10 Mar 19, Mike Logan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Even a piece of harder stem growth will shoot.
22 Nov 18, (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Hi there. I have a few pieces of land in the Limpopo region of South Africa. I have noticed there to be a shortage of fresh rosemary in the grocery stores for a few months now. I am looking to start growing some. Would like to get some advise.
24 Jun 18, ... (Australia - temperate climate)
need to grow a herb outside in sydney winter - can I grow rosemary
26 Jun 18, Mike L (Australia - temperate climate)
Go to Rosemary and read up all about it.
26 Jun 18, Mark (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Yes, rosemary will go well in Sydney. I have grown rosemary in every location I have lived. western Sydney, western NSW, S/E QLD and now in the snowy mountains.
12 Nov 15, Lee (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Tip: Rosemary doesn't play well with many other herbs. I've consistently seen it's stems grow almost at right angles away from nearby parsley, for instance. To avoid this you'll need approximately a 1.5 metre radius/distance away from parsley. Oregano and thyme tend not to affect the rosemary much, but these will begin to grow around or away from rosemary - it's quite funny to watch a plant do a slow-motion about-face; and if you think that following that the idea of the old folk song sounds nice and you plant parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme in a pot, pretty much everything stunts and dies. Start cuttings in the spring thru summer (just snip off the top 30cm of a stem and plant it 15cm deep in-situ) and keep the soil damp/watered (once a day is usually enough) until you see the end of the soft tip of the cutting stand up under it's own wieght, consistently. For a few days-to-a-week after making the cutting, the soft tip will rise and fall with the heat/light of the day and then finally stand up. That's how you know it's taken. It'll shoot away pretty quickly after that.
11 Oct 15, Stella (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Howdy Is Rosemary a slow grower ?
17 Jul 15, Peter (Australia - tropical climate)
I have been a couple of rosemary bush,s for several years but recently they have been looking very jaded
11 May 15, Gwenn (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Where can I buy Rosemary seeds in NZ.
18 Jul 15, Philip (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Gwenn, Put your question in a Google search. Here are three places that came up early when I tried it: oderings.co.nz/Shop/Oderings-Plants/Herbs-Cooking-Fresh/Herbs-Cooking-Fresh-__I.84__C.24353 gstuff.co.nz/shop/garden/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=806 egmontseeds.co.nz/herbs/rosemary You will probably also find them in your local garden centre e.g. Mitre10, Bunnings, Placemakers, will have them, as do some supermarkets.
Showing 21 - 30 of 47 comments

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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