rosemary

When to plant rosemary?

Botanical name
Salvia rosmarinus
Family
Lamiaceae

Rosemary is planted from April to May. It is harvested all year. It is cut back from May to June.

Rosemary is a woody perennial. The edible parts are the leaves and flowers.

rosemary
Photo: Margalob · CC BY-SA 4.0

Rosemary through the year

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Planting
Harvest
Cutting back
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  • planting
  • harvest
  • cutting back

In short

Planting
from April to May
weeks 15 to 20
the window opens three weeks before the last frost
Spacing between plants
45 to 180 cm
Harvest
all year
Cutting back
from May to June
weeks 22 to 26
Renewal
every seven years
Propagation
division, layering and cuttings

The last frost is not on the same day everywhere, so the recorded weeks are a guide and not a date.

Growing conditions

🪨
Soil
light and loamy
🧪
pH
6.5 to 7
☀️
Sun
full sun
💧
Water
little water
❄️
Frost
tolerates light frost
🧣
Overwintering
brought under cover
🌱
Nutrients
a light feeder
📏
Height
60 to 180 cm

Pests and diseases

Listed here is every problem for which the sources name this plant as a host. The problems are not listed in order of how common they are.

Rosemary beetle

pest
Signs
Eaten leaves left as short stubs with a grey brown edge where the tissue has dried. The metallic green and purple beetles are on the plant all year round.
Prevention
Action is usually not needed, because a healthy plant takes the beetle. Encourage birds and ground beetles.
What to do
Pick them off by hand or shake the branches over a sheet of paper laid underneath, easiest in the morning, when the beetles are slow.

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Related plants

The plants below are in the same botanical family (Lamiaceae).

Sources about the plant: GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Penn State Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Wikidata. Checked between 14 and 17 August 2026. The problem descriptions also draw on: EPPO Global Database.