Rosemary plants don't take too kindly to be grown inside, unless you have ideal conditions: as close to full sun as you can provide, high humidity, cool temperatures. Ample water is not something this plant ever needs, and not when trying to survive inside. That may have been the straw....

They don't need to be misted, but anything else you can do to raise the relative humidity would be a good thing.

Oops....just saw the date on this post. I guess it's all moot by now, right?

I realize this is a late post also; however, I read that rosemary plants should be allowed to completely dry out before watering. In the past, I have killed quite a few rosemary plants but since trying this technique, mine has done fabulous. I have not misted it and I wonder about that approach as rosemary naturally grows in some pretty arid areas of Italy and Greece.

Teresa

Hi Teresa, it depends on the microclimate. It's far too dry indoors during winter. Even in seemingly arid places,dews collect during evenings. It's not as arid as it seems.

In indoor environment, misting is necessary to prevent spider mites & mildew which are prevalent here.

By the way, the above described ailment sounds more like an attack of powdery mildew.

Ianna

Last September, I had two small rosemaries. One 18 months old and stayed outside all winter, but it taste lousy, oddly enough. The newer one was just a few months old so I brought it in for the winter. The former one has survived another winter, and the later, didn't survive my make-shift indoor garden. (Fluorescent light over two chairs, turned on every morning and off every evening with the humidifier two feet away from it, and the rosemary was only watered when the soil was dry.) I know rosemary is only supposed to stay out in zone 7 and higher numbers, but, well, thankfully no one has told it that one! ;) (It still smells nice.)

Wouldn't be upset, if anyone gave us more lessons in the care of indoor rosemary. I know I'm going to buy at least one more, and I really feel guilty killing plants.

I'm in the beginning stages of growing my rosemary topiary. I began with a 4-pack of plants from the local grocery store's annual selection, planted 3 of them in large containers along with other annual flowers, and planted the straightest stemmed one in a 4 inch pot. I stripped off all the lower leaves and tiny branches and am presently waiting for it to grow to the point where I can start shaping it.

I'm really glad I stumbled onto this post as it has given me a lot of good advice on how to care for the plant. It is presently outside and receives morning sun, then a bit of shade as the sun passes its highest point.

I'm hopeful that I can successfully bring it indoors without too much of a shock. I was hoping to keep it going over winter in an east window. I suppose time will tell. I'd hate to kill it...

I would be very grateful to anyone who would like to give step by step instructions as to how to start a Rsemary topiary. Please be very descriptive and from the begnning.
Thank you
Kari

What kind of topiary are you thinking of? A single trunk, one ball, two ball or a shape of an animal? I have made a single ball and a small duck topiary from rosemary cuttings. If you can be more specific I might be able to help.