Everybody Has Trouble with Finicky RosemaryArticle

Originally published August 30 2003 in The Toronto Star

Why does my rosemary bush die after I bring it indoors for the winter?

Sandra Henry has been asked this question hundreds of times and she says there are no clear-cut answers.

"Everybody has trouble with rosemary;’ says Henry, with a rueful laugh. "People complain that ifs fine one day, then dead the next. Or that it gets mildew. Or that if s shedding leaves.

"If I had a dollar every time somebody asked me about their rosemary, I’d be rich."

Henry, of Richters Herbs in Goodwood, says the underlying problem is that rosemary is an inefficient user of light, so it doesn’t adjust well to sudden changes in lighting conditions. Even if you put the plant in a very sunny window during the winter, it may throw a hissy fit after being outside for the summer months.

You can tell it’s in trouble if its little spiky leaves start falling off the bottom of the stems.

To keep rosemary robust, Henry recommends growing it as a potted plant only and getting the plant used to a new environment early in the fall. Shear it back to a few strong stems at the beginning of September. Then move the pot to a spot outside that has less sunlight than its current location. A couple of weeks later, move it again. Finally, bring it indoors before the frost hits. (Rosemary is originally from Greece -- and it won’t survive our frigid winters outside).

If you can put the pot under indoor lights, so much the better.

"And if you don’t want the hassle of moving it, simply keep your rosemary in a pot indoors all year," adds Henry. "I do. It’s in my kitchen, which faces south, and it does just fine there."

© 2003 The Toronto Star