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Rosemary going brown.

ChriscoreChriscore Posts: 155
in Fruit & veg
Hi, I have some rosemary in a pot that i got a couple of months ago but recently i noticed some browning happening. Most the the plant looks ok but there are some areas that are going brown. When i potted this plant i made sure it had good drainage (a mix of compost and grit) plus it's in a terracotta pot. I read they don't like to be sitting in the wet for too long. The reason why i'm a bit dubious is that a couple of years ago i got some rosemary plants, put them in the ground and then over the following winter they slowly died (gradual browing) dispite my attempts to save them.
I'm hoping whatever killed them off isn't happening to my new one. That's why i decided to put them in pots this time as i thought this would give me greater control over any issues. Any ideas what's going on?

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    The soil I can see through the hole in the side looks bone dry. How often and how much do you water it?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You can snip off the dead bits, but yes- a lot of dry soil in that strange hole. It's quite a sizeable plant too. 
    There is a tendency to assume that because rosemary is a Mediterranean plant and likes sun and dry conditions, once you put it in a pot, it's totally dependent on you.
    They need watering well in pots - especially terracotta ones.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ChriscoreChriscore Posts: 155
    B3 said:
    The soil I can see through the hole in the side looks bone dry. How often and how much do you water it?
    I water it 2-3 times a week usually.
  • ChriscoreChriscore Posts: 155
    Fairygirl said:
    You can snip off the dead bits, but yes- a lot of dry soil in that strange hole. It's quite a sizeable plant too. 
    There is a tendency to assume that because rosemary is a Mediterranean plant and likes sun and dry conditions, once you put it in a pot, it's totally dependent on you.
    They need watering well in pots - especially terracotta ones.  :)
    Thank you, noted :)
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I'd  stand the pot in a bucket of water until the bubbles stop. Then you can be sure that the compost is  soaked  
    The water you're giving the plant might be running off without  soaking in.
    If the pot is too big for a bucket, stand it in something as deep as you can until the top feels damp.
    Then let it drain and water when the top couple of centimettes feel dry.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • ChriscoreChriscore Posts: 155
    B3 said:
    I'd  stand the pot in a bucket of water until the bubbles stop. Then you can be sure that the compost is  soaked  
    The water you're giving the plant might be running off without  soaking in.
    If the pot is too big for a bucket, stand it in something as deep as you can until the top feels damp.
    Then let it drain and water when the top couple of centimettes feel dry.
    Thanks i will try this.
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