Harvesting rosemary: when and how?

the rosemaryHarvest provides you with aromatic clippings from the Mediterranean spice bushes. The harvesting process must be carried out correctly for optimal aroma. You can find out how to do this in this guide.

time

So that you get the full Aroma of the rosemary and not interfere with the growth of the plant, you should always harvest at the right time. The right time to cut ensures that the shoots do not lose their aromatic intensity. The time before flowering is ideal for this, because the plant now devotes all its energy to the formation of new leaves. Depending on the region blooms Salvia rosmarinus from mid-March to September. So you should know when your plant will start to flower in order to avoid a certain loss of flavor. To do this, choose a suitable day with the right characteristics as a harvest time a few days in advance. The following days are recommended:

• sunny
• dry
• warm
• no danger of night frosts

Furthermore, you need to pay attention to the time of day so that there are no problems with moisture:

• morning
• at noon
• The dew must be dry

Notice: You can cut off individual rosemary sprigs all year round if you are holding a container plant. Make sure you only harvest small quantities so as not to weaken the bushes.

Harvesting tool

You need the right tools so that you do not unnecessarily add to the Mediterranean herbs during harvest. You should only access tools that are for a clean cut without bruising. The following are excellent for this:

• Secateurs
• Rose shears
• Garden sheep shears
• Craft scissors
• knife

Notice: Always disinfect and sharpen tools before pruning. This is the only way to protect your specimens from pathogens and fungi that can easily penetrate the cuts via the blades.

Harvesting rosemary: instructions

As soon as the time is right for the rosemary harvest, you can use scissors. The following instructions explain step by step how to harvest properly:

1. Start by scanning the rosemary bush for diseased and dried up shoots. Remove them completely so that the plant does not spend unnecessary energy on them after the harvest. You can dispose of the clippings in the compost or organic waste.
2. You can remove a maximum of a third of the young, not lignified shoots. These have most of the needles and the cut does not have a negative effect on the further growth of the rosemary. This is one of the most important points in this guide.
3. It is always cut in close proximity to the woody part of a shoot. This will encourage the rosemary plants to continue sprouting. Use the scissors or knife and cut off the shoot thoroughly. This is a quick and effective way to harvest rosemary.

Rosemary harvest: care afterwards

After a successful harvest, you still have to take care of the spice bushes a little so that their vitality does not suffer as a result of the pruning measures. Check the soil for dryness using the thumb test and water if necessary. Rosemary tolerates and prefers drier soils, but a little moisture is recommended after the harvest.

If you harvest in late spring, you should now give the annual slow release fertilizer. This is simply worked into the substrate so that the herbs are effectively supplied with nutrients. The following are suitable as slow release fertilizers:

• ripe compost
• Horn shavings

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