Herb of the Month - Rosemary

Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus

Rosemary is Christmas! Every time I smell it cooking it reminds me of my dad’s Christmas dinner when I was growing up. The smell is comforting and reminds me of home. When I brush past it in the garden and it releases its beautiful scent, it makes me smile.

I also associate rosemary with my Grandad who sadly passed away last year. There is a large rosemary bush growing at the bottom of his garden which, each spring, bursts into hundreds of beautiful, delicate purple flowers and is buzzing with bees and insects. Each time we visited my Nanny and Grandad, I would quickly run to the bottom of the garden and cut bunches of rosemary (it is a large bush!) to take home for us and our bunnies. Grandad always seemed reluctant for me to take any so I had to be quick before he could see what I was doing, though he would always know… Mainly, as I would walk into the house with my pockets bursting with rosemary and the smell may have given it away too! Grandad was always surprised at how I could possibly need so much every week. But who doesn’t need handfuls of rosemary on a weekly basis?!

I would ask my Nanny if she wanted me to collect any for her and the answer was usually no! Once she did ask for a couple of small sprigs as she was having lamb for dinner. I bought more in for her as a few sprigs is never enough, but she made me take it home with me. Surely, everyone needs more than one sprig of rosemary in their life?!

In the Kitchen

The possibilities for using rosemary extend far greater than just cooking it with lamb. There is not really much it doesn’t go with, working well with many vegetables (such as carrots, parsnips, pumpkins and celery) and fruits (such as apples, pears and lemons). It also works well with most meats, all tomato-based recipes, beans, mushrooms, nuts and, of course, garlic and onions! Try adding some to your bread dough for a wonderful fragrant loaf.

Harvesting

Cut sprigs as you need them and either strip the leaves from the stem or add the whole sprig to dishes if you intend to remove it after.

Rosemary grows slowly in winter so only harvest a little. I harvest extra during the summer, drying it out to store for use (with the occasional fresh top up) over winter.

How to Grow

Rosemary is a hardy perennial which can grow up to a metre high and wide, sometimes more (as my Grandad’s!). It is a Mediterranean plant and so needs sun, well-drained sandy soil and not too much water. It tolerates frost and snow but does not like to become waterlogged.

Rosemary is difficult to grow from seed so you are best either starting with a plant or growing from cuttings.

Softwood cuttings of the new growth can be taken in spring and semi-hardwood cuttings can be taken in summer, August is best, from non-flowering stems.

Cut lengths of approximately 15cm and remove the lower most leaves to reduce moisture loss. Cut just below a leaf node (the point where new leaves grow) and push the cutting into pots of moist compost.

Cuttings do not need high nutrient soil and seed composts work well. I have had good success with used compost too as the cuttings will be potted on into higher nutrient substrate at a later stage.

Cuttings can be potted individually, or several cuttings can be pushed around the edge of one pot which I have found more successful. Place the pots somewhere sheltered - I often keep mine in the shed. Ensure the compost is moist but not waterlogged. After a few weeks, check beneath the pot for signs of root growth.

Once they have a good root system establishing, gently tease the cuttings apart and place into individual pots of compost. Keep the plants watered and pot on again when necessary, checking the bottom of the pot for signs of roots before potting on. Once I can see roots at the drainage holes I will repot. Once big enough, plant outside.

History

Rosemary’s history is steeped in magic, myth, folklore, medicine and with religious traditions. In Christianity it is a symbol of fidelity and remembrance. The legend is also that rosemary will grow for 33 years, as Christ, before it dies.

Rosemary was burnt to purify and freshen the air in sick chambers and was worn in pouches around people’s necks during the plague.

Uses

Rosemary has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Try rosemary tea by infusing a teaspoon of chopped leaves into a cup and pouring over boiling water. Leave to stand for 5 minutes. Rosemary can be a little strong so you may want to adjust according to your taste, and the flavour will depend on which variety you have. The tea can be taken to relieve headaches and tiredness. It is also a good drink to have after a meal as it improves digestion.

Rosemary is a good hair tonic and an infusion, strained and cooled to a suitable temperature, can be used as a final rinse of a hair wash. It is particularly good for making darker hair shine (although, I cannot comment on this as my hair is blonde!). It also aids with dandruff.

Rosemary added to the bath will promote healthy skin. Place a handful of leaves into 500ml of water, steep for ten minutes, strain and add to the bath. It has a wonderful relaxing scent too.

A mix of rosemary, lavender and grated lemon peel placed in a pouch is said to be an effective insect repellent. Although, no repellents ever seem to work with me. Instead, I am the insect repellent for other people as the mosquitoes swarm to me instead!