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Spice Up Your Lamb with Home-Rosemary Plant Care

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Rosemary
rosemary plant care

rosemary plant care

Growing your own rosemary can be very rewarding, as not only is it easy to care for, but the aromatic foliage can add flavor to a variety of dishes. It is equally at home in the garden or a container and provides a full year-round harvest. There are many different varieties, but the most commonly grown is Rosmarinus Officinalis, known as “Miss Jessop’s Upright”.

Follow this easy guide to growing your own rosemary.

  • Soil, Planting and Care
  • Troubleshooting
  • Harvest and Storage

Planting

Rosemary is particularly easy to grow, but it is recommended you start with some small cuttings, as the success rate of using seeds is very low. It can be planted as early as January or February if put undercover in seed trays. Rosemary plant care, As rosemary is a Mediterranean herb, it prefers dry weather and warm sunshine, in light, sandy soil.

In the garden, plants should be spaced approximately 40 inches apart to accommodate growth, with the bushes capable of growing up to three feet wide. It should be ready to harvest in roughly a year’s time.

how to plant rosemary

how to plant rosemary

Soil

Rosemary thrives in light, well-drained soil and should be planted when the soil temperature is between 59 ºF and 68 ºF. If your soil is heavy or clay based, you should dig in some well-composted organic material and sand. Rosemary plants have extensive roots, so ensure that you dig it in deeply, in a position that has full sun for most of the day.

Care

Once your rosemary is established, it requires very little care and attention, just keep the area around it free from weeds. If your soil is average, it should not need any feeding. In poor soil conditions, rosemary can be fed twice a year with an organic, balanced fertilizer, such as a liquid fish fertilizer.

An annual prune in late winter will ensure you get the best out of your rosemary, just requiring you to cut back the top third of the plant and shape if necessary.

Troubleshooting

Rosemary can suffer from the attention of whiteflies, spittle bugs, spider mites and mealybugs. These can be blasted from the plant by using your watering hose. Chemical insecticides should not be used, as not only are the pests likely to be resistant, but you will, of course, be using the rosemary for culinary purposes.

how to plant rosemary

how to plant rosemary

It is believed that carrots, potatoes and pumpkins make poor companion plants, therefore, rosemary should not be planted near them.

Harvest and Storage

Once your rosemary is established, you can harvest it year round, cutting the stems as required. It can be successfully dried, using a rack or tied up in bunches. Once the stems are dry, just strip the leaves from them and store in an air-tight container. The sprigs can also be frozen or preserved in vinegar or oil.

One of the most productive and easy herbs to grow, rosemary can be harvested year round and is an excellent addition to the garden releasing its aromatic fragrance as you brush past or touch it.

How to Plant Rosemary?

Know about how to plant rosemary? Plant rosemary are so easy to propagate that a novice will love the results from taking cuttings, dipping the ends in a hormone liquid and just planting in a pot. Keep cuttings in a warm conservatory, with a moist mix until they shoot.

Why not your own rosemary plant care and add its delicious flavor to your lamb, chicken and pork dishes?

How to Grow Mint

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Mint
How to Grow Mint

How to Grow Mint

There are endless varieties of mint, each having their own particular fragrance and texture. Some of the more exotic varieties include pineapple mint and grapefruit mint. Extremely easy to grow, the classic mint flavor has been used for thousands of years and matches perfectly with lamb, peas and potatoes.

This hardy perennial herb is native to Mediterranean countries, and the following advice will help you get the best from your plant.

  • Soil, Planting and Care
  • Troubleshooting
  • Harvest and Storage

Planting

Mint grows successfully from seeds and cuttings and is best planted outdoor in April or can be planted indoors year round in a container. In the garden, it should be planted approximately 12 inches apart, when the soil temperature is between 69 ºF and 75 ºF. Mint prefers partly shaded, damp areas and will grow for many years.

How to Grow Mint

How to Grow Mint

Soil

growing mint

growing mint

The soil should be moist and preferably a rich loam with a mixture of sand, silt and clay. You can mix your own in a 40-40-20 concentration, or purchase a premixed garden soil such as a Compressed Organic Potting Soil. The porous texture will allow water to follow through slowly enough for the mint plant to be able to access it. The soil can be dressed liberally with manure or compost for the best results.

Care

Mint needs to be watered regularly, particularly if in a container, but will not suffer from lack of attention and doesn’t require constant sunlight. A good feed of blood, fish and bone should be given twice a year. Mint will die down in the winter, but the roots will remain to provide fresh foliage in the spring.

Troubleshooting

The main problem with mint is that it is likely to take over vast areas of the garden, by sending out roots that are just below the surface. If left unchecked, it can be difficult to remove as it is quicker growing and stronger than all other herbs and can even smother weeds.

For this reason, many people prefer to grow their mint in containers, which can be sunk into the ground for a more natural look. The roots rarely grow below a depth of four inches, so a shallow bowl will be enough for your plant.

Harvest and Storage

Mint establishes itself quite quickly and can be harvested from approximately eight weeks. The fragrant leaves should be cut from the top of the plant, using scissors, to encourage further growth. If you intend drying the mint, the stems should be trimmed once any morning dew has evaporated.

It’s good practice not to cut mint in damp weather, as the leaves often turn black and are inedible. If you intend to dry your mint, it is best to remove any moisture as quickly as possible, preferably by leaving it in a slow oven for several hours, before crumbling the leaves into an air-tight container.

Placed in the right spot in your garden, it makes a pretty, seasonal ground cover, where your feet could brush against it to release the fragrance.

Why not consider growing your own mint to use fresh or dried, adding its distinctive flavor to any dish?