On the coast of such Mediterranean countries as France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, quite often you can find wild rosemary, but its garden variety was fond of flower growers and gardeners in many European and not only countries.
This plant got its name, sea dew or Rosmarinum, because, according to the ancient Romans and Greeks, its light blue flowers are like splashes of sea foam, reaching the bushes growing on the coast. Now many people are passionate about Mediterranean cooking. They buy this herb in the form of a powder or as a part of seasonings, but nothing can compare with the aroma and taste of a freshly picked leaf of greens! Today, each of us, the inhabitants of modern apartments, may well grow rosemary at home. How to do this and what is required, we will describe in more detail.
What it is
Rosemary (Rosmarinus), as well as sage, monarda, lavender and coleus, belongs to the family Yasnotkovye (Lamiaceae). In warm climates it is an evergreen shrub that grows in the garden or on the street, the height of which can reach two meters. His bark is brownish-gray, and tetrahedral branches are covered with needles, wrapped around the edges, shiny above and soft, fluffy leaves below. This plant is a good honey plant, blooming from March to May with small pale blue flowers that are collected in the upper part of the branches. His root system is well developed and can go 3-4 meters deep, which should be taken into account when transplanting.
A bit of history
Even in ancient times, the ancient Greeks and Romans knew about the beneficial properties of rosemary and used it and oil from it in cooking and perfumery. In the 13th century, this plant was used as an element of medicines, for example, “The Water of the Hungarian Queen” - The Queen of Hungary Water.
According to surviving evidence, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, who took this remedy, at 72 years old was able to capture the Polish king, who offered her a hand and a heart. Residents of medieval Europe knew how to grow rosemary, and planted it on pastures and meadows, and also cultivated it in their homes and associated with it a variety of different signs and customs. Twigs of this plant were woven into bouquets and hairstyles of brides, used in magical love rituals and to protect homes from nightmares. Rosemary branches were thrown into the grave of the deceased in memory of him. There is documentary evidence that the branches of this plant were fumigated during the plague epidemic of the 14th-15th centuries.
As a spice, rosemary began to be used in the 16th century and was added not only in the preparation of meat and game dishes, but also in wine.
Where is it used
Today rosemary is widely used in cooking, medicine and in the manufacture of cosmetics and perfumes. Many European housewives not only know how to grow rosemary at home, but also keep pots with it in their kitchen. This spice is widely used in English, French, Italian, Indian and Chinese cuisines. As an independent seasoning, rosemary is rarely used, as a rule, it is part of various flavored salts and spices, spicy mixtures. Those who grow rosemary at home, add it when cooking various vegetable and meat soups, salads, season them with fish, meat, poultry and game when frying or baking. In the food industry, Rosmarinum is used in the production of semi-finished products from fish or meat, pasta, in a variety of preservatives and marinades. In addition, this spice is used to flavor alcoholic beverages and beer.
Rosemary has long been used in folk medicine for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and urinary systems, rheumatic joint damage. The research of modern scientists has confirmed most of the beneficial properties attributed to this plant. Today, rosemary is part of drugs aimed at normalizing the functioning of the digestive system, and means to increase blood pressure and improve blood microcirculation.
How to grow rosemary
This plant, which came to us from the warm Mediterranean countries, is difficult to tolerate the conditions of our unpredictable winters. If you plant it in the garden and do not shelter it before a cold snap, it will die. Experienced gardeners recommend growing rosemary at home in the winter, in the summer, if there is such an opportunity, transplant it for a warm period in the garden or garden, and return it to a warm room with the onset of cold weather.
This spicy plant is quite unpretentious and usually difficulties are associated with germinating it from seeds. For the normal growth and development of the rosemary bush, a moisture-permeable poor soil and sun are needed. This plant tolerates drought quite persistently.
In order to grow rosemary at home, you can use one of the following methods:
- buy in specialized garden centers or shops rooted young seedlings;
- stock up on seeds and patience;
- in cold time from a young plant, take an air layer for rooting;
- take several cuttings from a strong plant.
We try to grow from seeds
Rosemary seeds are recommended to be sown in late February - early March, simply by spreading them on the surface of a well-moistened soil and slightly pressing them into the soil with a palm of your hand.
After that it is necessary to cover the landing tanks with glass or a thick film and put them in a refrigerator or any room with a constant temperature of +5
0 +7
0 for two to three weeks, and then transfer to a warm room. In about two to three weeks, seedlings should appear, if after a month this did not happen, it is better to repeat the sowing. It is important not to overmoisten the soil and try to maintain the temperature in the room around +10
0 +12
0 .
Propagated by cuttings
Someone is trying to grow rosemary at home from seeds, but the most common way is to propagate this plant using cuttings. To do this, in late autumn cut young shoots about 7-10 cm long from the old rosemary bush. The lower leaves are removed, and the cuttings are dipped with a “foot” in any powder or solution to stimulate root formation, and then they can be placed in a dark glass container filled with water and wait until young roots are formed. After this, the seedlings are planted in separate pots and grown on a warm sunny window. Some gardeners skip the stage with the formation of roots and immediately root the freshly cut cuttings into a peat-sand mixture. After 10-14 days, subject to a fairly frequent spraying of rooted cuttings from the spray gun, they are transplanted into large-sized pots with loose soil.
Home Features
In order for you to be pleased with the rosemary you have grown, home care is as follows:
1. Since the plant is thermophilic, it needs a warm and well-lit place in your home. In summer, this spice will “live” with pleasure on the south window, but in winter it is better to put it on a cool window sill, where the temperature will be in the range +10 0 + 15 0 .
2. In order for the plant not to lose leaves in the autumn-winter period, it needs to artificially extend the daylight hours to 7-8 hours, using additional lighting.
3. Watering this plant should be moderate in the summer, and in winter only as the soil dries.
4. If you grow rosemary at home, in the warm season, twice a month, you can feed it with complex fertilizers. In winter, you can fertilize the plant once every two months.