Rosemary is grown in most countries of the European and American continents. Although large manufacturers are engaged in its production, many try to grow it in their own land or in an apartment. In Russia, the plant is only gaining popularity. Knowing how to grow rosemary from seeds at home, you can get a great decoration for the interior or garden.
The choice of rosemary
Before planting rosemary at home from seeds, you need to choose the appropriate variety. It is customary to use two varieties of plants:
- Ordinary, it is also called medicinal.
- Open rosemary.
Rosemary bloom
Popular varieties of rosemary ordinary:
- Dewdrop is a bush 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.
- Tuscan Bleu - can grow up to 180 cm. The bush has dense foliage. He needs regular shaping pruning.
- Tenderness - reaches a height of 70-100 cm, prefers plentiful lighting and does not tolerate cold. Leaves resemble bluish needles. The flowers are blue in color.
A well-known variety of open rosemary is Lavender. It has a pleasant coniferous aroma. This variety blooms in May.
Sowing dates
Growing this plant from seeds requires considerable 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 a temperate climate, this period falls at the end of February or the beginning of March. The exact time depends on the region of cultivation.
Choice of capacity 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 absorb a little water, and this will increase their germination.
For germination it is convenient to use plastic containers. It can be rectangular containers. Their height can not be less than 15 cm. At the bottom, a drainage layer is made of small stones or expanded clay. Pre-prepared soil is poured over the drainage.
Rosemary seeds
Soil preparation
Rosmarinus does not like acid soil. To prepare the substrate, 1 part of the rotted compost is mixed, 1 - of pure sand and 2 - of garden soil. It is not necessary to prepare the soil yourself. You can buy soil for growing indoor plants in a specialized store.
Sowing seeds
For cultivation, the seeds are laid on the ground and sprinkled with earth about 4 mm. After planting, using a spray gun, lightly moisturize.
On top of the container must be closed with glass or plastic film. You can use an empty upside down plastic container 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 heating battery.
On a note! Suitable temperature for seed germination is + 25 ... +30 degrees.
Sowing in peat tablets
Instead of a container for growing sprouts, you can use peat tablets. They place seeds and provide watering. Growing occurs in the same way as when using containers.
When a flower sprout appears
With regular watering and warming up the seeds, you can see how rosemary emerges, after about a month. Seedlings will become full-fledged another 2-4 weeks after this.
Important! After the appearance of the shoots, the film coating is removed.
When the height of the sprouts reaches 3-4 cm, you need to proceed to their daily hardening. To do this, in calm warm weather, open a window and put a container with sprouts on the windowsill. At first, it is enough to conduct hardening for only a few minutes. Gradually, this period should increase.
When conducting ventilation, it is necessary to exclude drafts, rain on the sprouts. Direct sunlight is unacceptable. In hot weather, light shading should be provided for the shoots.
Sprouts
What affects germination
Before growing rosemary from seeds, you need to think about how to maximize the germination of seed. To do this, the seeds can be kept for several hours in water, into which a stimulating solution is added.
Important! Before planting, it is recommended to treat the seeds with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will reduce the likelihood of illness.
Transfer to a permanent place
You can transplant seedlings, the height of which reached 7-8 cm. Rosemary is grown both in open ground and in a container in the apartment.
In the first case, it is important to choose the right site for growing rosemary. The soil should be well-drained and light. It is good if a light admixture of limestone is present in it. The site should be well lit. Shading on will allow the plant to fully develop. Avoid low areas where moisture usually accumulates. Rosemary does not need to be planted where there are drafts and there are strong winds.
Transplant procedure:
- When planting in a permanent place, plants are fed with organic fertilizer. It is enough to take no more than a handful of rotted manure.
- Seedlings taken out of the old container along with a lump of land. Such a transplant will avoid root injury.
- The sprout is carefully placed in a hole and held by hand. Then carefully pour the required amount of soil onto the roots.
- Sprinkling sprout on all sides, produce watering.
- Then again add soil and slightly compact the earth, slapping it with your hands.
When planting in open ground, the minimum distance between the 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 having one or more holes in the lower part. This is important to ensure quality drainage. When the transplant is done, rosemary is put in the shade for two days, so that it is easier to adapt to the new conditions.
Pot growing
What to do if rosemary seeds do not germinate
Usually the cause of such a problem is the insufficient quality of the seed or violation of the rules of care. If there are problems with germination, it is important to correct deficiencies in the care procedures as soon as possible.
Note! For planting, you should purchase high-quality seed from reliable manufacturers. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of problems during germination.
Basic watering rules
When watering the sprouts, their overmoistening should not be allowed. So the roots begin to rot, and the plants can die. It is important to prevent the topsoil from completely drying out. Once the soil is barely wet, you need to water the sprouts again.
Window sill cultivation
If the seeds are sprouted correctly, then rosemary can not only provide the family with a tasty and healthy seasoning, but also become a home decoration. To do this, it is enough to properly care for the plant.
