Beginning Herb Gardener Growing Basil and Rosemary
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Peggy Burnet
Posted on: October 23, 2007

I want to start an herb garden. I have rosemary, and sweet basil. How big will the rosemary grow and will it bush out?

Rosemary will grow to be a small tree or shrub depending on how you prune it. Central Texas spans zones 7 to 8, so depending on what variety you grow and where exactly you live you may have to bring it in for the winter or grow Arp rosemary, which will survive out of doors in zone 7 as well.

The sweet basil is tall already I guess it won’t bush out, but flower?

Keep nipping out the growing tips to make it bush out and nip out any flowers, because the plant will put all its strength into the flowers and stop producing leaves. Eventually, the plant will die because it is only an annual and you will have to start a new plant from seed.

I also got some catnip for the cats. They love it. I would like to have basil and thyme also in the garden. I live in Central Texas, USA, so I’m not sure when to plant or when to bring them in or to grow inside?

Plant seed of the two plants six weeks before your last frost date. Place pots in a warm sunny window and use sterilized soil. The thyme can go out when about an inch(3cm) tall while the basil should not go out until night temperatures stay above 10 degrees Celsius (50F). Bring the basil in when night temperatures start to drop below 10C (50F) and the thyme-if you want it for fresh winter use -before the first night frost.

I don’t like to cook with oregano, so I wasn’t planning on growing any.

How do you serve Italian food? A pasta sauce without at least some oregano just does not taste Italian!

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