Why does rosemary dry?

This is one of the main reasons why rosemary dries out. To understand why rosemary tends to dry out indoors, you have to look at its natural environment. This plant has its origin in Mediterranean climates, so it is used to relatively arid environments, with a lot of sun and little water. In fact, it can withstand temperatures of up to 40ºC in full sun, and even -20ºC occasionally and depending on the variety.

However, if it can handle all that range of temperatures, you may be wondering something like: how is it possible for the rosemary on my window to dry out? It’s simple, rosemary is an outdoor plant. It is possible to grow it in a pot, but it always needs outdoor locations, with a lot of sunstroke. Placing it indoors, next to a window or near a light source, is probably not enough, no matter how much you try to open the window for a while every day.

If you like plants of this type, suitable for being outdoors and in an area with plenty of sun, we encourage you to read these guides on Garden plants with sun-resistant flowers and Potted outdoor plants.

Although it is not at all a demanding plant, having well-drained soil is one of the best guarantees of not encountering a sick rosemary. In its natural environment, this plant is never subject to waterlogging, so you should do everything possible to avoid puddles also in your rosemary cultivation at home. Some tips for this are:

• If you plant rosemary in the garden and your soil is clay, you probably often have drainage problems. Water heavily around the area where you plan to plant and note where the water collects over the next several hours to get a better idea of ​​where the water collects and where it doesn’t. You can also choose to plant it in an elevated area, since water tends not to accumulate in them due to the simple action of gravity.
• Another way to improve the drainage of the soil is to add a lot of organic matter in the form of compost, worm castings or bokashi.
• In a pot, make sure the container has drainage holes and prepare a light, drained mix. You can use the universal recipe with coconut fiber, earthworm humus and peat in equal parts, with a good handful of perlite and vermiculite.
• If you have a saucer under the pot, make sure to empty it ten minutes after watering, although it is best not to put a saucer on it.

Even if your rosemary is in well-draining soil, overwatering will also cause moisture stress. Yes rosemary dries underneathit is probably due to excessive watering that has led to rotting of the roots or attack by fungi.

In this case, let the soil dry out completely before watering again, especially if it happens during the cold months.

Are you wondering how to rescue a plant that is drying out? the main thing will be identify the cause, among those described above, which is causing your rosemary to not be in good condition. However, there are some universal steps to take if you’re not sure what’s going on.

• The first thing is, if it is potted rosemary, move it to a location as bright as possiblepreferably outdoors. The incidence of light must be direct, without filtering through curtains or other obstacles.
• next thing will be stop watering. Rosemary tolerates drought very well and excess moisture very poorly, so it is much more likely that the problem will be the last and not the first. Stick a finger or a toothpick into the substrate: if you see that the soil is moist beyond the first layer, you should not water it again yet.
• It can also be very helpful to make the plant a sanitation pruning. Normally, rosemary does not necessarily need pruning, but if it is growing too thickly or densely, it favors a humid or closed environment that gives rise to fungal attack. Keep it airy and clear and take the opportunity to give it the way you prefer it to grow. Here you can read more about when to prune rosemary and how to do it.
• Finally, it is possible that your rosemary belongs to one of the varieties that do not tolerate intense cold or frost. If this is the case and the climate in your area is cold in winter, you will have no choice but to move or transplant it indoors in those months, always trying to give it as much light and ventilation as possible and returning it outside as soon as the frosts pass. Here you can find out what the different types of rosemary are.

Now that you know the reasons why rosemary is dry and how to help it, we encourage you to read these other guides on this plant: How to plant rosemary and How to care for a potted rosemary plant.

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