Rosemary can be a finicky plant, and while it’s not unusual for people to kill their rosemary by over- or under-watering the plant, that doesn’t mean you should ignore it.
In this article, we will find out how often you should water rosemary, when is the best time of day to water your herb garden plants, what amount of water they need every week, and more!
How Often Should You Water Rosemary?
If your rosemary is planted in the ground, you should water it every time the top inch of the soil feels dry. This will help prevent root rot and promote healthy growth.
If your rosemary is in a container, you’ll need to check the soil more frequently because there’s less room for moisture to be retained by the soil particles. Check the soil every day or two during hot weather and once a week during cooler weather.
What Is The Best Time To Water Rosemary?
When you water your rosemary, the best time to do so is in the morning. This will allow the plant to dry out during the hot afternoon sun, and it won’t be sitting in water all night long.
The second best time to water your rosemary is in the late afternoon after it has been given a chance to dry out from being watered earlier that day.
Night is third best, but don’t water at night if you are worried about bears or other wildlife foraging around outside of your home/garden area!
Never water plants when there’s a windy storm happening outside because this causes too much stress on plant roots when they are already feeling extra pressure from having their soil saturated with extra moisture due to rain falling directly over top of them (and possibly causing some runoff into nearby gardens).
How Much Water Does Rosemary Need?
As with most herbs, the amount of water needed by rosemary will depend on the size of your plant. If you have a large rosemary bush, then you may need to water it more often than if you had a small one.
A general rule of thumb is that watering should happen at least once per week. However, if you live in a hot and dry climate—like Arizona or Texas—you might need to do so more frequently than that. Also keep in mind that over-watering can cause root rot (a condition where roots become shriveled), so be sure to only water enough for the soil surface to be damp.
When Should I Stop Watering Rosemary?
As you might imagine, the answer to this question depends on a number of factors. When rosemary is growing well, for example, it will be taking in water at a much faster rate than when it is dormant. This means that it will require more frequent watering during the growing season and less frequent watering during the rest of the year.
If you are growing rosemary in a pot or container, you can use standard soil moisture meters to determine if your plant needs watering. If your soil is dry down at least 2 inches below its surface—the point where roots would begin to dry out—then give it some water (only as much as necessary). If not, then wait until next time before adding any additional moisture.
If your rosemary is planted outside in garden beds or raised beds but not yet established (less than one year old), then follow these guidelines:
- Water only when needed and only 1-2 times per month or less during hot summer months due to increased evaporation rates from soils exposed at ground level compared with those protected by mulch coverings such as straws or hay bales placed around individual plants; also remember that temperatures tend to rise higher inside confined spaces like pots so keep an eye out for wilting branches which could indicate over-watering issues too!
- Once established after 1 year old (ie., 2nd year onwards), most herbs including roses should be watered regularly throughout spring/summer months due to increasing demand especially after flowering occurs which causes plants’ root systems to become more active once again since they’ve had sufficient time recover from winter dormancy periods.
How To Tell When Your Rosemary Needs Water
Rosemary is a perennial herb that grows well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10, and it’s easy to grow indoors as well. This herb does best when it gets at least 1 inch of water per week, but if you’re not sure when you should be watering your rosemary plant, here are some tips:
1. The leaves will turn brown if they’re not getting enough water. If this happens, check the soil around the base of your rosemary plant—there should be at least 1 inch of water sitting in the soil to keep it moist. If there’s not enough water, add more.
2. The stems will start curling over if they’re getting too much water (or if they’ve been watered too often). If this happens, drain some of the excess water out of your rosemary plant’s pot for about 12 hours before watering again—you may even want to move it outside during this time period so it can get some fresh air and sunlight.
How to Water Rosemary
Water until water runs out of bottom of pot (for indoor plants). If you’re using a pot that drains through its base—like many terra cotta pots do—then make sure that the soil has been thoroughly soaked until water comes out of its drainage holes before you stop watering.
If you’re using a container without drainage holes (such as an indoor planter or one made from plastic), then simply let some excess moisture drain from your plant’s surface by placing it somewhere where there’s good air circulation for an hour or two after watering it so that any excess water can evaporate naturally before nightfall.
The best place for this would be outside on a porch or patio where there are no obstructions blocking airflow (such as trees). In other words: don’t put anything else over top of your plant while waiting for any extra moisture to evaporate off!
How Long Can Rosemary Go Without Being Watered?
Rosemary is a hardy herb and will make it through most situations, but there’s a point of no return. If you don’t water rosemary for too long, the leaves will turn brown and fall off. You can still use the herb if this happens—it’ll just be less potent.
Rosemary will survive for about two weeks without water before wilting and dying.
Conclusion
Rosemary is a very easy plant to take care of, and it’s important for you to know how often to water rosemary so that you can keep your plants healthy. Water them once a week during the summer and once every two weeks during the fall and winter.
