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The rosemary harvest provides you with aromatic cuttings from the Mediterranean spice bushes. For the best aroma, the harvesting process must be carried out correctly. You can find out how to do this in this guide.

In a nutshell

  • best time to harvest just before flowering
  • in the morning
  • harvest a maximum of one third
  • cut thoroughly
  • use clean and sharp cutting tools

time

You should always harvest at the right time so that you get the full aroma of the rosemary and do not interfere with the growth of the plant. Just the right time to cut ensures that the shoots do not lose their aroma intensity. The time before flowering is ideal for this, because the plant now puts all its energy into developing new leaves. Depending on the region, Salvia rosmarinus flowers from mid-March to September. So you should know when your plant will start flowering to avoid some loss of aroma. To do this, choose a suitable day with the right properties as a harvest time a few days in advance. The following days are recommended:

  • sunny
  • dry
  • warm
  • no danger of night frosts
Choose a dry and sunny day for the rosemary harvest.

You also have to pay attention to the time of day so that there are no problems with moisture:

  • morning
  • at noon
  • Dew must have dried

Notice: You can always cut off individual rosemary sprigs throughout the year if you keep a container plant. Make sure you only harvest small amounts at a time so as not to weaken the shrubs.

harvesting tool

You need the right tools so that you don't unnecessarily stress the Mediterranean herb during the harvest. You should only access tools that provide a clean, pinch-free cut. The following are excellent for this:

  • secateurs
  • Rose Scissors
  • garden sheep shears
  • craft scissors
  • knife
Secateurs with whetstone

Notice: Always sanitize and sharpen tools prior to crop pruning. This is the only way to protect your specimens from pathogens and fungi, which can easily penetrate the cuts via the blades.

Harvesting rosemary: instructions

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

  1. Start by checking the rosemary bush for diseased and dead shoots. Remove these completely so that the plant does not use up energy unnecessarily on them after pruning. You can dispose of the clippings in the compost or organic waste.
  2. You can remove a maximum of one third of the young, non-lignified shoots. These have the most 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. Always cut in the immediate vicinity of the woody part of a shoot. This encourages the rosemary plants to sprout further. Use the scissors or the knife and cut the shoot off thoroughly. In this way you can harvest rosemary quickly and effectively.

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 from the pruning measures. Check the soil for dryness by thumb test and water if necessary. Although rosemary tolerates and prefers drier soils, a little moisture after pruning is recommended.

If you are harvesting in late spring, you should now apply 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 long-term fertilizers:

  • mature compost
  • horn shavings
horn shavings

frequently asked Questions

Is a pruning necessary next to the harvest?

Yes. With an annual care cut in the spring, you protect the plant from senescence and thus a loss of new shoots that you could use. Wait with the maintenance cut until there is no longer any danger of frost at night. Light the plant well and shorten it by a third. At the same time, you can give the spice bushes a shape.

How can rosemary be preserved in the long term?

Rosemary sprouts can be preserved in many ways. Drying and freezing are particularly popular because they do not destroy the essential oils. This means that the preserved shoots remain aromatic, which has a positive effect on their use.

How is rosemary dried?

To dry rosemary, you must either hang the harvested shoots upside down in a warm place or place them in the oven at 50°C for 4 hours. It is important that the harvested crops are not washed, otherwise important aromatic substances are lost. You must also discard any wilted or diseased shoots as they are not suitable for drying.

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Vegetable garden