Content
- Is rosemary hardy?
- Winterfest or hardy?
- Only a few hardy varieties
- Winterize rosemary properly
- Tips & Tricks
Is rosemary hardy?
The aromatic and very versatile rosemary must not be missing in any herb garden. The rather easy-care shrub has only one problem: it is not at home in the typical German climate and freezes quickly unless it is wintered properly. In its Mediterranean home, it is occasionally sometimes cold, but freezing cold and double-digit degrees below the Mediterranean are rather rare. Nevertheless, hardy rosemary can be found in many well-stocked garden centers. These are special breeds.
Winterfest or hardy?
Many garden owners can easily be led astray by designations such as "winter hardy" and "winter hardy". Especially the term "winter proof" suggests a great insensitivity to winter cold; exactly the opposite is the case. Most rosemary varieties are winter hardy, but not hardy. This means that they are able to tolerate very low temperatures around the freezing point, but low degrees in the low single-digit range only with the corresponding protection. Hardy varieties, on the other hand, withstand cold periods with lower temperatures, depending on the variety, minus 15 or even minus 22 ° C. Wintery rosemary varieties may only stay out in the German wine-growing regions in the cold season, hardy in the rest of the republic.
Only a few hardy varieties
Unfortunately, there are very few really hardy rosemary species, most are either winter proof or tolerate lower temperatures only for a short period of time. If you are looking for hardy rosemary, you should stick to the following varieties:
Other varieties are only partially hardy or winterproof. The popular varieties "Salem" and "Pine Rosemary", on the other hand, are among the most sensitive rosemary and are not even winter-proof.
Winterize rosemary properly
Whether rosemary can overwinter in the garden or not depends not only on the variety, but also on other factors such as age, climate and location. Younger rosemary plants are much more sensitive to cold and frost than rosemary from the third year, which are already well and deeply rooted in the soil. The location is important in that neither the roots nor the branches can freeze - d. H. The plant must be protected by the wise choice of location. Therefore, especially south-facing, south-facing layers, which are surrounded by walls or heat, are suitable for planting. Young plants and only winter-proof rosemary are best potted over the winter in a cool, but frost-free room with temperatures around 10 ° C. Hardy and older plants, however, can stay in the garden, but should be protected from the cold with a thick layer of brushwood and foliage.
Tips & Tricks
Like other Mediterranean plants, rosemary should be cut at the latest from the beginning to the middle of August, but not in the fall. Such a cut would make it difficult for the plant to survive the winter.
IJA