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How to Grow Rosemaries UK | Regional Planting Calendar

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How to Grow Rosemaries UK | Regional Planting Calendar guide thumbnail

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

A bee visiting rosemary's small purple-blue flowers — “Rosmarin Promenade Bahnstadt (DSC00262)” by Polibil is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

10 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Plant
Early March to early April
Site
soil pH 6–7.5
Biggest risk
Powdery mildew

In the UK, rosemaries go in the ground early March to early April.

Rosemaries (Salvia rosmarinus) — perennial.

Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional sowing windows, ranging from early March in Southern England to early March in Scotland.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Regional Planting Calendar

Fresh green rosemary growth — “Rosmarinus officinalis-Romarin-Pousse-20150904” by Daniel VILLAFRUELA. is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Rosmarinus officinalis-Romarin-Pousse-20150904” by Daniel VILLAFRUELA. is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Region Sow
Southern England early March to early April
Midlands early March to early April
Northern England early March to early April
Scotland early March to early April
Southern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends seed sowing in a cold frame in spring, or semi-ripe cuttings in summer; a single spring propagation window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Midlands - detail & sources

RHS recommends seed sowing in a cold frame in spring, or semi-ripe cuttings in summer; a single spring propagation window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Northern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends seed sowing in a cold frame in spring, or semi-ripe cuttings in summer; a single spring propagation window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Scotland - detail & sources

RHS recommends seed sowing in a cold frame in spring, or semi-ripe cuttings in summer; a single spring propagation window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Quick Facts

A bee visiting rosemary's small purple-blue flowers — “Rosmarin Promenade Bahnstadt (DSC00262)” by Polibil is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Rosmarin Promenade Bahnstadt (DSC00262)” by Polibil is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7.5
Germination temp 21C
Optimal growing temp 18-30C
Drainage Well-drained
Lifecycle perennial
Edible parts leaves

At a Glance

A rosemary shrub growing among woodland leaf litter — “331.4.24madaya” by Mabdmtmm is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“331.4.24madaya” by Mabdmtmm is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Salvia rosmarinus Rosemary Powdery mildew Honey fungus Verticillium wilt Foot and root rot (gene… Aphids Glasshouse whitefly Glasshouse red spider m… Rosemary beetle Sage leafhopper (leafho… Spittlebug (cuckoo spit) Scale insects Tortrix moth caterpilla… DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

Rosemary growing in its native Mediterranean habitat in Crete — “Rosemary-Sitia-Crete” by Petro Stelte is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Rosemary-Sitia-Crete” by Petro Stelte is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

6 7.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Close-up of dense rosemary foliage — “Close Up of Rosemary Bush” by Ole Husby from Melhus, Norway is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Close Up of Rosemary Bush” by Ole Husby from Melhus, Norway is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Propagation 0 Propagate by seed in a cold frame in spring, or semi-ripe cuttings in summer (RHS).
Establishment 3 Establishes as a bushy evergreen shrub in full sun on well-drained soil, sheltered from excess winter wet (RHS).
Flowering 6 Produces attractive small flowers along woody stems, typical of the Lamiaceae family (RHS).
Mature shrub 9 Reaches full maturity over 5-10 years, 1.5-2.5m in height and spread (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

Close-up of dense rosemary foliage — “Close Up of Rosemary Bush” by Ole Husby from Melhus, Norway is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Close Up of Rosemary Bush” by Ole Husby from Melhus, Norway is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Penn State Extension: "Cut leaves at any time during the growing season to use fresh. Prior to blossoming, harvest leaves for drying."

Storage

Best used fresh; can be dried before flowering

Diseases

A rosemary shrub growing among woodland leaf litter — “331.4.24madaya” by Mabdmtmm is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“331.4.24madaya” by Mabdmtmm is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Honey fungus

Armillaria spp.

Verticillium wilt
low

Verticillium dahliae

RHS names this directly.

Foot and root rot (general)
low

RHS names this directly.

Pests

A bee visiting rosemary's small purple-blue flowers — “Rosmarin Promenade Bahnstadt (DSC00262)” by Polibil is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Rosmarin Promenade Bahnstadt (DSC00262)” by Polibil is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Aphididae (various spp.)

Glasshouse whitefly adult on a leaf — Sanja565658, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sanja565658, CC BY-SA 3.0
Glasshouse whitefly

Trialeurodes vaporariorum

Two-spotted red spider mite with silk threads, magnified — Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Glasshouse red spider mite (two-spotted spider mite)

Tetranychus urticae

Rosemary beetle
low

Chrysolina americana

RHS names this directly.

Sage leafhopper (leafhoppers)
low

Eupteryx spp.

RHS names this directly.

Spittlebug (cuckoo spit)
low

Philaenus spumarius

RHS names this directly.

Scale insects
low

Diaspididae / Coccidae

RHS names this directly.

Tortrix moth caterpillars
low

Tortricidae

RHS names this directly.

References

  1. country=INTL

  2. country=INTL

  3. country=USA

  4. country=UK

  5. An easy to grow, aromatic, evergreen shrub with attractive foliage and flowers, bushy habit ranging from prostrate to upright, used as hedging or ground cover depending on variety. Native to the Mediterranean, not native to GB/Ireland. Hardiness H4 (hardy through most of the UK, -10 to -5C), needing protection from excess winter wet and hard frosts in colder locations. Full sun, south- or west-facing, sheltered. Soil: chalk, loam or sand; well-drained; neutral, acidic or alkaline pH, not too acidic. Height and spread 1.5-2.5m. Time to maturity 5-10 years. Propagated by seed in a cold frame in spring or semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Pests: rosemary beetle, cuckoo spit, sage leafhopper, tortrix moth caterpillars, scale insects. Diseases: honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt, foot and root rots. Aromatic foliage used for culinary purposes. Skin allergen -- wear gloves when handling.

  6. Tier 1. RHS factsheet on glasshouse red spider mite (two-spotted spider mite), naming tomato and strawberry among the host plants affected under glass or in a polytunnel.

  7. country=UK

  8. country=UK

  9. Directly fetched and verified. RHS explicitly does not recommend pesticide use against aphids; recommends tolerance, manual squashing, and encouraging/purchasing natural predators (ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings, parasitoid wasps, earwigs) as biological control, especially under glass.

  10. Directly fetched and verified. RHS explicitly distinguishes yellow sticky traps as a monitoring tool rather than a standalone control method, and notes traps also catch non-target parasitoid wasps -- a genuine trade-off between two control methods, preserved rather than simplified. No specific pesticide/insecticidal soap product is named on this page (RHS links out to a general pesticides statement instead), so none is recorded here.

10 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I sow rosemaries in the UK?

In Southern England, from early March. In Scotland, wait until early March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow rosemaries?

Sow early March to early April, at around 21°C for germination.

What soil pH do rosemaries need?

A pH of about 6–7.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect rosemaries?

Our data links 4 diseases and 8 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

Last verified 2026-08-29

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