Rosemary
 

is anyone else growing this?

For the past several years on one of my monthly routes, I kept running over this huge bush that is literally sticking two feet into the road. For the next ten minutes, the car was full of aroma. A few months back, I snapped a sprig off and compared it to the spices in my kitchen. It was rosemary.

I figured as long as I had a sprig, I'd use it fresh for cooking. What a difference between the dried crap in my shaker and this stuff!

It seems to be a common mailbox plant here in NC for some reason. Anyway, I bought a cold hardy variety called "Arp," and repotted for the winter. I will plant it this spring.

Is anyone else growing this and using it for cooking? I'm also considering sage and lavender. Any thoughts?

Re: Rosemary
 

I have some rosemary here in Florida and grew it and dried it in the fall back in Illinois. I strongly encourage you to look into getting Thai basil. Look at bonnie's plants to find it. It has purplish fringes and tastes & smells wonderful. Here in Florida it's a perennial. Pull it up by the roots in fall before frost and hang it in a shed or garage upside down like you would pot to dry then strip it off the stems into a ziploc bag. Greek oregano is good, too. Fresh sage is fantastic in chicken and noodles. All are pretty easy to grow and can easily be container plants for fresh spices all year long.

Also, get some spearmint or peppermint, whichever you prefer, and grow it, too. Fresh mint tea made from fresh mint leaves is great. Simmer the leaves until the water turns nice n green. Keep it in a contained space unless you have a lotta room as it can tend to be invasive.

Re: Rosemary
 

I know my herbs. Go easy with it . It's very potent. You can use the branches to make chicken brochettes. Great with pork too.

Re: Rosemary
 

I started like you, finding a neighbor's rosemary, now grow my own. Best use if I have lots is meatloaf, which I wrap up in banana leaves to cook. Between the banana leaves and the loaf are 6" sprigs of rosemary. When done, the twigs come off, along with most of the leaves. People started liking the leaves, then eating the straight rosemary leaves off the twigs. Somehow cooking it (or boiling in grease and salt ...) mellows it out. I used to hate rosemary after somebody put too much in something, but now like it.

Re: Rosemary
 

I have wild peppermint up at my cabin. I can smell it as soon as I step on it, but never think to dig any up, and it's so sporadic I can't ID it in the weeds by sight alone.

Re: Rosemary
 

Thanks JP. I've started using it a lot since I found what it was and just ran out of the jar. I think it has a much more robust flavor when you pick it fresh and cook with it, but that could just be me. :ha:

Next time I'm by that house, I'm going to knock on the door and ask if I can take some cuttings. The plant is huge; it literally sticks out a couple of feet into the road. When I pull up to the box, I run it over. I left the sprig I took in the car for a couple of days, and it made an awesome air freshener! :08:

I've tried it with pork as well, and you are correct; it gives really good flavor. I think this is my new favorite herb!

Re: Rosemary
 

Now that sounds interesting! Do the banana leaves add flavor as well?

Also, do you know if the wild rosemary that grows in the Great Basin Desert in eastern Washington state is edible or related?

Re: Rosemary
 

You can always buy a plant at your local nursery. It grows fast. And it's usually very cheap. Buy a few if you like it that much.

Re: Rosemary
 

Banana leaf flavor - yes, but it is subtle and I don't notice it in the meat loaf. Luau imu bundles of course, same thing, too many other flavors. Where it is a great flavor is in the steamed ~rice / polenta masa something loaf things I find in Chinatown Vietnamese markets. But these could have some other seasoning that I think is banana leaf flavor. The good things about banana leaves for sure are free and good wrapping / heat durability / peeling off cleanly.

Wild rosemary - no clue.

Re: Rosemary
 

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Chinatown bundles - not always there - 9AM and noon are good times. Top is sort of masa polenta around a sausage middle. Bottom is for dessert - coconut mochi around some kind of sweet noodle.

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Re: Rosemary
 

Since you know that variety is hardy in your area, I'd encouraage you to ask for some sprigs rather than buying plants. Here in FL the big box stores sell plants that don't grow well here and at the wrong season. I prefer to purchase garden transplants from the feed store which buys their stock from local growers.

Rosemary is relatively easy to root; strip the lower leaves (cook with them), dip stems in rooting hormone (not necessary but helps), stick in a pot of dirt, keep moist (you can tent it with a clear plastic bag) and, other than checking for moisture, leave them alone for a month or so. Don't tug! If they don't take, try again; I find the season can make a difference when I'm propagating plants. I pick up free pineapple tops at the Flea Market in Daytona. Sometimes they all root and sometimes none do.

Why not ask your local extension service about the wild "rosemary"?

Re: Rosemary
 

That's what I did, but I'd also like to get a few sprigs from a mostly wasted specimen, to get a jump on additional plants.

Re: Rosemary
 

The variety I purchased is called "Arp." It is the most cold hardy strain, so I know it will grow. There are also some cold hardy varieties that are more flavorful and grow much taller, which is what I was really looking for at the nursery, namely Miss Jessup." I settled on Arp for now, but can always switch later on.

Yes, it is easy to root. I have hormone powder, and as soon as I get some sprigs, they'll be going into wet sand to root.

Local extension service here in NC would be clueless about desert plants growing in WA and OR. I was hoping Ray could help, LOL.

Re: Rosemary
 

I'm not a huge fan of Arp but it is very cold tolerant. I lost the best unknown variety rosemary ever when I moved to my house; it seemed to appreciate FL weather and was very pungent. I'm waiting to get cuttings from another mystery with decent flavor; it grows very well here (as in huge!) but has to be babied in WV. Before you purchase more plants, taste a needle; the plant won't miss it.

Re: Rosemary
 

Maby this can help you Doug


' Albiflorus ' with white flowers ' Arp ' Hardy to −20 ° c
' Blauer Toskaner ' with deep blue flowers
' Benenden Blue ' with deep blue flowers
' Hill Hardy ' (synonym: Madelyn Hill) with blue flowers Hardy to −20 ° c
' Majorcan Pink ' with pink flowers, frost-free ' Roseus ' with pink flowers
' Rex ' with blue flowers, very lush, Hardy to −10 ° c
' Prostratus ' is a creeping form ' Severn Sea ' with overhanging branches.
' Upright white ' with white flowers, very lush, frost-free
' Veitshöchheim ' strong, Hardy to −10 ° c

Re: Rosemary
 

WOW I've never seen rosemary flower and there's hardy ones I had no idea!
Thanks for that list!! I am stuck with Tuscan Blue which is doing just fine. It's a great feeling being able to say let me go pick some from out back.

Just curious when their bloom period is ? I have never noticed anything from may to sept which is our growing season.

Re: Rosemary
 

Thank you. The pungent one I keep running over has blue flowers, yet it is hardy here. I really need cuttings from it!

Re: Rosemary
 

Matt, I was looking for Tuscan Blue when I bought the Arp. Your variety is one of 3 chef faves for volume of flavor and savoriness. What zone are you in?

Re: Rosemary
 

It was probably either Tuscan Blue or Spice island, but I'm leaning toward the latter as it is used commercially.

This link may help ID; don't order!

The right rosemary for you - Sunset

Re: Rosemary
 

I'm in 5b but it lives in the GH
Monrovia has it listed as zone 8-11
top 3! ohh then I should dry some and jar it.

Re: Rosemary
 

I never succeded in keeping it alive outside. It always dies during winter. I've tried 3-4 varieties but no luck. I'm in zone 4 though...

Re: Rosemary
 

The soil in which Rosemary best comes into its own is a dry and sandy ground. Make sure that the soil is well-drained soil. On land which contains a lot of lime is smaller, but on the other hand, geurt Rosemary more. Rosemary has no additional nutrients. because the plant Frost tender Rosemary by growers especially grown under glass, because the plant is sensitive to frost. The best place in the garden to Rosemary to grow against a wall in full sun, which gives the plant the shelter that he needs. Rosemary has but occasionally need water. Keep dry in the Winter

I think that the Rosmarinus Offcinalis "Salem" (USA looks like Arp (-20C) will work for you

Re: Rosemary
 

It looks like I'm just going to have to knock on the door of the homeowner and ask if they know what variety it is, and if I can have some to root from.

Re: Rosemary
 

Propagation: the seed of Rosemary is yellow brown, greasy and small. Sow in spring in a greenhouse or outdoors in the summer. The germination is occasional. The seed has at least 21 ° C needed to germinate.

The best way to is to multiply by cuttings or layered branches Rosemary. By topstekken in August to take cuttings and with or without rooting powder in soil.

Re: Rosemary
 

Yeah, I was planning on rooting cuttings using powder, if they'll let me have some.

Re: Rosemary
 

Well, as I was stuffing a paper in the tube today, I snapped a sprig off and brought it home. Even if I don't know what variety it is, I at least will have a nice bush of it in a few years. It is just SO pungent!

I went with the rooting powder in loose soil method, as opposed to water.

Any ideas how long it will take before it actually begins growing?

Re: Rosemary
 

I have a some sprigs that have been resting in water for the past 10 days so they may not take. But I plan to plant them tomorrow; I'll put the pot in a plastic bag after I've watered it well. It's been a while since I've done any propagating intentionally but I believe 4 to 6 weeks is a good time frame. If plants root sooner, you lose nothing by waiting to check; if death happens, get your clippers and try again. Get more than 1! (I happened to be mulching Mr. Geo Metro's huge plants so I tucked quite a few stems under that which means I'll have more babies one way or the other very soon. Since his goal is to hedge 28', I won't get all of them.)

Re: Rosemary
 

Oh, I put it directly into a loose mix. I won't be checking. if it lives, it's staying in that pot until it's big enough to either re pot, or plant.

Re: Rosemary
 

I'd try some in coarse sand...

Re: Rosemary
 

Yeah, I only got the one, JP. I may try and get more later on and try it a few ways. I used 50% pumice sand, and 50% dirt, sawdust and soil salvaged from some dawn redwood seedlings that didn't make it through the winter. It should be coarse enough to drain well, yet have some nutrients and retain some moisture in the sawdust. :D

Re: Rosemary
 

Nutrients are not needed when rooting most herbs; rosemary is pretty easy usually. (I really do believe that when the cutting is made makes a huge difference but only have experience and no hard proof.) Patience is the biggest factor or has been for me. Tugging too soon at your stick can make it stop trying. Which you know.

Personally, I would knock on the door and talk to the owners of this wonderful shrub/bush. Perhaps they'd allow you to layer a few branches? (Who knows? Maybe they have family or friends who'd appreciate a start and their rooting efforts have failed?) I used to collect wonderful cuttings and such by being bold; I returned the favor to fellow gardeners who wanted "a bit of this and that" in my beds.

Re: Rosemary
 

The reason the nutrients are in the rooting medium, is because it's going to stay there. I'm not going to tug it, or otherwise check the roots. That pot will be its home until it either gets re-potted or put directly into the ground, depending on how big it gets over the summer.

I was going to knock on the door today, but there was a car halfway up the driveway, which indicated visitors. I'll see what it looks like next month. If I can talk to someone, I'm sure it won't be a problem, as it's growing at least 18" into the road. I run it over every time I pull up to the tube. For now, I just wanted to get at least a sprig going, as it's the most aromatic cultivar I've come across so far (not that I've had extensive experience with this herb) and the flavor from the sprig I snapped off a few months back was beyond intense in the spaghetti sauce I put it in.

Re: Rosemary
 

I'm pushing you for selfish reason. If you get a few of those puppies going, I'm quite happy to trade some of my starts. What I have are not as spicy as I want but they're very dependable here and I suspect would do fine in your area. No guarantee but why not try? (And if you happen to lose yours, you know where to find a start which is why I share. That reminds me that I need to contact a former coworker who is growing an amazing Italian paste tomato I found. My seeds, after years of moving, are probably no longer viable but Kat (yes, same name) has some to share back I'm sure.)
,
,

Re: Rosemary
 

If they'll allow me to take what's growing into the road, I'll have more than I need. I was planning on rooting them just to have and trade with heirloom stuff, so you're on the right track.

This thing has gotten so big because there is little traffic to destroy it. The house has to be $1 mil+, so I have to be VERY careful how I approach the owner, or this :rollerbananadone: is what will happen to my chances.

Re: Rosemary
 

You can continue to 'swipe' some of the plant on the roadside. Knock off a large branch ... but what is the law in NC about this? ... In Georgia (pecans for example) states one can not pickup nuts or fruit on public right-of-ways without the tree owner's permission; otherwise he would be guilty of theft. I suspect it is the same in NC.

Re: Rosemary
 

Technically, the homeowner doesn't own it, as it's on the right of way, but it is still considered vandalism without permission. The part that is actually growing into the road is a gray area, and by the time I get that answered by the AG's office, I'll have figured out the proper approach to ask the owner, LOL.

Re: Rosemary
 

If it is growing on the R/W, then the adjacent property owner has no legal claim to the plant. But, it might now be considered 'public property'. ... However, I think you can remove the plant as it is a 'road hazard' to your vehicle. It scratches the paint every time you pull-up the the tube.

I understand the need to speak to the owner. Just tell him you would be glad to remove the plant for him to prevent damage to passing vehicles.

Re: Rosemary
 

Ed, it's huge; about six feet in diameter and three feet tall. I'm going to use the part about sticking into the road as part of my visit, but I'm debating if I should do it as a conservation officer or a plant lover, or a combination of both. Some of these people are really friendly, and others are just plain arrogant.

Re: Rosemary
 

Haha ... combination of both ... and send me a chunk of it.

Re: Rosemary
 

Update:

The sprig I snapped off last month... well I just had to check the roots and they are over 4" long! Wow!

I never expected this during the winter. I'm going to re-pot it into a gallon container. I snapped off another sprig last week and broke it in half, so I have two more. I'll get those coated and potted tomorrow. Whatever this variety is, it seems to be warmer weather but hardy.

Re: Rosemary
 

We love the Tuscan Blue variety. It is a tall plant with slightly larger leaves than the Spice Island. Very fragrant plant with upright sprigs that can be used as skewers for kabobs or just place a sprig on a BBQ steak, pork chop, yummy.
Never tried to dry any, because our plant is huge in a corner of the yard.

Re: Rosemary
 

How long does it take to grow to a decent size?

Re: Rosemary
 

In Southern California probably about 2 years, meaning 3' to 4'. We use it a lot for cooking and BBQ. The more sprigs you harvest, the more the plant fills in and gets bushier, but still upright.

Re: Rosemary
 

Awesome sauce!

Once my sprigs get going, I'll probably give my Arp away.

Re: Rosemary
 

Wow, in less than ten days, one of the broken sprigs has rooted in water! 1/4" long is pretty awesome for less than two weeks. I dipped both in rooting hormone and have now put in pots.

So now, this mystery rosemary is not only an amazingly fragrant plant, it also roots like an octopus.

Does this help?

Re: Rosemary
 

I started some rosemary seeds this past week. Now I find rosemary seeds tend to be hard to germinate and really need to have been soaked in water for 24 to 48 hour before planting. Even then not all will germinate.

While at the grocery store this morning. I bought a packet of rosemary sprigs (pine scented type). This gave me 9 sprigs in rooting soil/pots now in the greenhouse.

Re: Rosemary
 

Update on the rosemary. Of the 9 sprigs from the grocery store , 7 have rooted and I expect the other 2 will root too (just slower). .... Of the seeds only one have sprouted to date. This has been 3 weeks since starting the seeds & sprigs.

Re: Rosemary
 

Another rooting update:

Of the 9 sprigs, 8 have rooted. One turned a little brown this past week. Only 2 seeds have sprouted to date. ... I re-potted the sprigs today. The roots were filling the small cup/pot. There has been a small amount of growth on some of the sprigs. Pictures below.

Re: Rosemary
 

So now to see how soon the little plant will start growing and filling out. This is the way to propagate rosemary. Seeds take too long.

Re: Rosemary
 

@Snarkie

How is your rosemary doing?