How to grow rosemary in Australia 🌿

Rosemary is perennial in all Australian climates. Plant for establishment in spring or autumn.

Rosemary is grown from seedlings or cuttings — seed germination is slow and unreliable. A small cutting from an established plant placed in water roots within 2–3 weeks and can be planted.

Spacing: 60–100cm between plants. Mature rosemary plants reach 1–1.5m tall and equally wide. Don't crowd them — airflow is essential for disease prevention.

Depth: Plant at the same depth as the cutting or seedling.

Drainage is critical. Rosemary roots rot in wet soil — this is the single most common reason home-grown rosemary fails. Add coarse sand or gravel to heavy soils to improve drainage, plant on a small mound, or grow in pots.

Soil: Free-draining, slightly alkaline soil (pH 6.5–7.5). Less fertile is better — rich soil produces fast soft growth that's more prone to disease.

Rosemary suits all three options provided drainage is good.

In-ground is the standard for productive long-term plants. The unrestricted root run produces large shrubs that live for decades. Drainage is the constraint, not the position.

Raised beds suit rosemary very well — the improved drainage helps significantly. In high-rainfall climates, a raised bed may be the difference between thriving and rotting.

Pots are an excellent option, particularly in wet climates or for gardeners with heavy clay soil. A 30–40cm pot supports a productive rosemary plant for years. Use a free-draining potting mix; add coarse sand for extra drainage. The pot itself ensures roots don't sit in waterlogged ground. Smaller pots produce smaller plants — still useful, just less productive.

Full sun — 6 to 8 hours daily. Rosemary in shade is leggy, sparse, and disease-prone.

Water sparingly. Established rosemary plants are drought-tolerant — water deeply when the soil is genuinely dry, then let it dry out completely before the next watering. Daily light watering is the wrong approach — it encourages shallow roots and root rot.

Cut sprigs as needed throughout the year. Rosemary is harvested by cutting woody stems with secateurs, leaving the plant to grow new shoots from the lower stems. Take from different parts of the plant to maintain shape.

Best used fresh. Rosemary dries well — hang sprigs in a ventilated spot for 2–3 weeks. Dried rosemary keeps for over a year.

Root rot is by far the most common rosemary problem. Caused by poor drainage, overwatering, or both. There's no cure — affected plants decline and die. Prevention is good drainage from the start.

Powdery mildew in humid conditions. Improve airflow by pruning to open up the plant.

Becoming woody and unproductive is normal in older plants. Cut back hard (by half) every 2–3 years to encourage new growth, or replace with a new cutting from the same plant.

Plant near: Carrots (rosemary deters carrot fly), brassicas, beans, sage, thyme (similar growing conditions).

Keep away from: Basil (different watering needs — basil wants consistent moisture, rosemary wants to dry out).

Common Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) — Standard upright rosemary, the variety in most nurseries. Hardy across all Australian climates.

Tuscan Blue — Tall, vigorous variety with deep blue flowers. Excellent culinary variety. Suits warm temperate to subtropical climates.

Blue Lagoon — Prostrate (trailing) variety. Spreads horizontally rather than growing upright. Excellent for ledges, walls, and decorative landscaping.

Tuscan Trailing — Another prostrate type. Suits cascading positions.

Arp — Cold-hardy variety bred for cooler climates. Best choice for Hobart, Canberra, and alpine areas.

Gorizia — Italian heritage variety with broader leaves and strong flavour. Premium culinary variety.