Why Is My Rosemary Drying Out?
Rosemary is a very well-known aromatic plant throughout the world. Its properties are many, from its use in the kitchen for seasoning food to its medicinal properties. In addition, it gives a pleasant aroma to any room. Rosemary is a very hardy plant that can withstand high temperatures and cold winters. But it usually dies if not properly cared for. Therefore, you need to follow some guidelines to prevent rosemary from drying out in the pot.
The following article from thedailyECO explains why your rosemary is drying out, the most common causes, and also suggests some solutions.
Contents
Lack of sunlight
One of the most common reasons for your rosemary drying out is that you grow it indoors or in a place where it does not get enough sunlight.
To understand why rosemary tends to dry out, you need to look at its natural environment. This plant is originally from the Mediterranean climate, so it is used to a relatively dry environment with lots of sun and little water. In full sun, it can even withstand temperatures of up to 40ºC and occasionally even -20ºC, depending on the species.
You may be wondering, how can rosemary dry out on if it can withstand these temperatures? Quite simply, rosemary is an outdoor plant. Aromatic plants like rosemary can survive in very dry areas in nature because they have enormous roots with which they absorb the moisture they need.
While it is possible to grow it in a pot, it must be planted in full sun to grow well. In the shade, the soil cannot dry out sufficiently, so the problems caused by overwatering come to the fore.
Rosemary enjoys lots of sun and warmth and will produce endless little flowers in the spring and fall. It is one of the plants we recommend for balconies and patios to support bees and pollinating insects.
Lack of drainage
Even though rosemary is not a demanding plant, a well-drained soil is one of the most important conditions for a healthy plant. In its natural environment, this plant is never exposed to waterlogging. Therefore, you should do everything you can to avoid waterlogging in your rosemary at home as well. Some tips to achieve this are:
- If you are planting rosemary in your garden and your soil is clay, you will probably have drainage problems in the future. To avoid this, you will need to water the area where you plan to plant the rosemary generously. After a few hours, observe exactly where the water collects and avoid planting your rosemary in that specific area. Another option is to plant rosemary in an elevated spot in the garden so that the water does not collect so easily.
- Another way to improve soil drainage is to add lots of organic material in the form of compost, worm droppings or bokashi.
- If you are growing your rosemary in a pot, make sure the container has drainage holes and prepare a light, permeable mix. You can use the universal recipe with coconut fiber, earthworm humus and peat in equal parts, with a good handful of perlite and vermiculite.
- If you put a saucer under the pot, you should empty it ten minutes after watering. You definitely do not want water to accumulate under the pot and rot the roots.
Rosemary prefers the more barren, calcareous or stony and sandy soils of its natural habitat, but is tolerant of most soils, except heavy clay.
Overwatering
Watch for browning of the leaf tips. This is often considered to be due to lack of water, but in this case the opposite is true.
Even if your rosemary is in well-drained soil, overwatering can cause stress and disease. If the soil around the roots is persistently moist, rosemary can quickly develop root rot or fungal disease.
Rosemary with root rot tends to look somewhat wilted or drooping, with leaves that turn brown, yellow, or black, or have a dried and brittle appearance.
In this case, let the soil dry out completely before watering again, especially if this is done in the cold months. In this way, you can imitate the Mediterranean growing conditions of the plant. You can test the soil by putting a wooden dowel in the ground. When it is dry, it is time to water.
What to do if your rosemary is drying out?
If you find that your rosemary plant is drying up, the first thing you need to do is determine the cause. As mentioned earlier, most rosemary problems have to do with overwatering. Here are some things you can do to keep your rosemary from drying out.
- If it is potted rosemary, place it in as bright a location as possible, preferably outdoors. The incidence of light must be direct, without being shielded by curtains or other obstacles.
- Rosemary tolerates drought very well and excess moisture very poorly. So it is much more likely that the problem is the latter rather than the former. Stop watering the plant until the soil is completely dry again. You may need to move and change the soil to improve drainage.
- It can also be very helpful to prune the plant. Normally rosemary does not need to be pruned, but if it grows too bushy or dense, it favors a damp or closed environment that encourages fungus.
- Also, your rosemary may be one of those varieties that cannot tolerate severe cold or frost. If this is the case and the climate in your area is cold in the winter, you have no choice but to bring it indoors during these months. Make sure it gets as much light and ventilation as possible, and bring it back outside once the frost is over.
Continue reading this other article to know more about rosemary and its different types.
If you want to read similar articles to Why Is My Rosemary Drying Out?, we recommend you visit our Plant care and cultivation category.
