Why does rosemary die

Plant rosemary in loamy, sandy or rocky dry soil where it will get full bright sun. Six hours a day of direct sun is minimum and more is better. Avoid placing in low spots where water collects or in areas with heavy clay soil. A rock garden makes an ideal spot for rosemary. If you're not sure about the drainage in an area, try this test: Dig a hole 12 inches deep and wide and fill it up with water.

Wait for the water to drain completely, and then refill the hole with water. If, after the second filling, the water drains away in 12 hours or less, rosemary should grow well there. Eulalia Palomo has been a professional writer since Prior to taking up writing full time she has worked as a landscape artist and organic gardener. Palomo holds a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from Boston University.

She travels widely and has spent over six years living abroad. By Eulalia Palomo Updated December 15, Rosemary plants can also die if they are underwatered and can die off turning the leaves brown. The signs that a rosemary plant is dying of too much water is the leaves will start to turn black on the ends, whereas if the leaves turn brown it is due to not enough water. Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant that likes free draining soil.

They have evolved growing on rocky outcrops in bright sunny positions. Rosemary can easily get too much water in tropical and sub tropical areas. I am living on the Eastern side of Australia and we are getting far more rain than the Mediterranean. My soil does not dry out as quickly and I have to find the sunniest position for my rosemary in my garden.

If you live in a sub-tropical area like me that gets lots of rain and humidity it is best to plant your rosemary in a pot to allow it to drain freely and dry out between watering. Root rot in rosemary is caused when the roots are sitting in water or wet soil for too long.

Stop watering your rosemary and let the soil dry out. Only water your rosemary if you feel the soil is dry inches below the soil. If your rosemary is planted in the ground, watch it over the next weeks and if the problem gets worse and the leaves turn even darker, then it is best to dig out your rosemary and place it in a pot. You may get it out of the ground before it ends up dying. Plant it in free draining potting mix and add some river sand if you have some to increase the drainage.

Rosemary grown in shade is more likely to spend longer in damp soil than those planted in full sun. Shade can increase the water that says around the roots of the plant leading to root rot. Choosing a sunny spot to plant your rosemary in will help to prevent root rot as the soil will dry out quicker. Rosemary plants like a sunny spot that dries out between watering so avoid shade if you can.

Rosemary plants can die quickly if the soil is too dense, contains too much clay and is not free draining. The main problem with this type of soil is that it stays wet, holds less oxygen and the rosemary will struggle to survive. Before planting rosemary dig organic matter into heavy clay soil. This will help the soil to drain for your rosemary. If you already have your rosemary planted in heavy soil, the only solution may be to dig it out and move it into a pot.

Powdery mildew looks like a white powder on your rosemary leaves. It is hardy in U. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7a through 10b. Although some of your garden plants can withstand a light frost, the tender tips of the rosemary plant die back any time the temperature falls below freezing. Unless the temperature falls below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, the center of the plant should survive. Rosemary tolerates pruning well. The dead tips can be pruned back to live tissue in the spring, and the plant will begin growing again.

Rosemary is native to the rocky hillsides of the Mediterranean region, where the sandy soil drains quickly and there is a winter rainy season and dry summer.

The rosemary plant can survive on as little as 12 inches of rain a year but does need occasional water. If it is watered too much or too little, the leaves die and turn brown.