After posting a Tuesday Trivia about Rosemary on the Penn State Extension Master Gardener Facebook page, member Jai Cee asked about overwintering Rosemary in Centre Co., PA. Here's some information I copied from a previous Master Gardener post.
Overwintering Rosemary Outside
Currently there are five rosemary varieties that are likely to survive our most severe winters: 'Arp,' ' Hill Hardy,' 'Salem', 'Nancy Howard,' and 'Dutch Mill’. Not all plants listed as hardy will be so for every gardener in the same area. While the rosemary variety 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' has been sold as winter hardy up into south central Pennsylvania, it is inconsistent in its hardiness, dying off in areas as far south as Virginia and yet overwintering in some lower Pennsylvania counties.
Some Winterizing Tips
Even for winter hardy plants, gardeners
can protect against the cold.
In addition to cutting weak, dead and
damaged branches, trim any branches that are too low. Fall is not the time to
do pruning on rosemary as it will promote new growth that is highly susceptible
to frost. Give the plant a deep watering and mulch around the bottom of the
plant.
Depending on your site, a small wind break
made with tomato stakes and cloth or burlap stapled to them can help.
This is not rosemary but an example of protection. |
In our area, rosemary plants need
protection from frost, snow and ice as well as wind during the winter. A good
way to provide this is to cover or wrap the plants. To provide plant and branch
support from heavy snow and ice, wrap the plant with burlap.
Start at the bottom and gently pull the
branches loosely together. Overlap the burlap as you wrap to the top, leaving
enough burlap to fold over and clip. This will give keep the branches from
extending out and collecting the weight of snow and ice on them. Wrap twine
loosely around the burlap to secure it. This also reduces light to the plant.
You may also be interested in the eBlog post Rosemary Spending the Winter Inside
~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener
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