Rosemary is a powerful, easy-to-grow herb packed with antioxidants and is also known for protecting from free radicals. There are dozens of ways to experience the benefits of rosemary, including using it for cooking, cleaning, and even as a natural insect repellant.
Benefits of Rosemary
Rosemary is a fragrant, beautiful herb with dozens of uses and perhaps even more benefits! Also called “Dew of the Sea,” it blooms lovely and defining dew drop-like blue flowers.
Rosemary is part of the mint family, and like its cousins lavender and oregano, rosemary’s uses go far beyond simply smelling amazing.
One of the amazing benefits of rosemary is that it’s been known for centuries for its ability to improve memory. This is due to the chemical carnosic acid in its leaves. Research has shown that carnosic acid protects the brain from free radicals, which therefore aids in memory.
In addition, rosemary is anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and a powerful pain reliever. Therefore, rosemary is excellent for sore muscles and headaches due to migraines.
In addition, rosemary is a fragrant, flavorful herb that’s delicious when added to all sorts of dishes in the kitchen. (Keep reading or scroll down for some of my favorite uses for rosemary!)
Tips for Growing Rosemary
Rosemary is an easy and prolific herb to grow in pots, small garden plots, or even large hedges. It boasts not only its full branches of green leaves but also its pretty blue flowers. In addition, its flowers are attractive to bees, making it an excellent addition to a healthy, pollinated garden area.
For best results, plant rosemary in full sun and well-draining soil that isn’t too acidic. Consider growing your rosemary in pots if your soil is heavy, clay-filled, or acidic.
How and When to Harvest Rosemary
Because rosemary is a perennial, you can harvest your rosemary year-round in some climates. However, rosemary is most active in the spring and summer, making these the best seasons for harvest.
To harvest your rosemary, snip off the healthy sprigs and run your fingers along them to strip off the leaves. In active seasons, if you are just snipping a few leaves at a time, your rosemary plant will continue quickly growing even as it is harvested, leaving you with a seemingly endless supply of this fragrant power herb!
How to Dry Rosemary
There are various popular methods for drying herbs such as rosemary, including air drying, paper bag drying, oven drying, and drying in a dehydrator.
I love the slow, natural method of air drying when possible. Though it takes more time than other methods, it requires no special equipment, is beautiful to watch, and is the most gentle method because it requires no heat.
Here’s how to air-dry your rosemary:
- Firstly, wash your herbs and dry them completely.
- Next, tie together the stems of 5-10 rosemary plants. Be sure to tie them tightly because the stems will shrink as they dry.
- Hang your herbs in an area with good air circulation and out of direct sunlight using twine, fishing line, or string. Turn them occasionally to facilitate proper drying.
- In 2-3 weeks, your rosemary plants will be stiff, dry, and ready for harvest! At this point, remove the leaves from the stems and store them in an airtight container.
Favorite Ways to Enjoy the Benefits of Rosemary
There are endless ways to enjoy the benefits of rosemary. One of my favorite, fun ways to use rosemary in the summer is to muddle a fresh spring and add it to infused lemonade.
Here are some more beautiful ways to reap the benefits of this powerful herb:
- Use it to season meat
- Add to soups and stews
- Sprinkle on salads
- Use to add extra flavor to sauces
- Cook with Potatoes
- Add to homemade bread
- Infuse into oils for cooking
- Make herb-infused oils for natural remedies
- Infuse into homemade cleaners
- Boil leaves and adds to water for a natural insect repellant
How to Dry Rosemary
Air-drying rosemary is a wonderful way to preserve it and take advantage of its many uses and health benefits. It's easy, and there's no special equipment required.
Materials
- Fresh rosemary
- Twine, fishing line, or string
Instructions
- Wash your herbs and dry them completely.
- Tie together the stems of 5-10 rosemary plants. Be sure to tie them tightly, because the stems will shrink as they dry.
- Hang your herbs in an area with good air circulation and out of direct sunlight using twine, fishing line, or string. Turn them occasionally to facilitate proper drying.
- In 2-3 weeks, your rosemary plants will be stiff, dry, and ready for harvest! At this point, remove the leaves from the stems and store in an airtight container.
Julia
Julia Linsteadt lives in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California on a small homestead named Little Hilltop Farm with her husband and two children. She is an art and creativity educator, budding herbalist, and mindfulness and yoga teacher in training. She enjoys helping families embrace and learn about seasonal living
I love Rosemary! I will definitely have to look into drying it like this next summer!
Great post! I love to grow and use rosemary.
I knew exactly 0% of all of that…especially effects on insects! I’ll be trying that next spring as my wife already has her crop of rosemary in amongst the gardens
I love this! We have so much rosemary in our garden and we love to use it fresh but thank you for your tips on how to dry it!
Rosemary is the best! I especially like to add it to white bean soup and to roasted sweet potatoes. We’re lucky to be able to harvest it year-round where I live, but I love the idea of hanging sprigs of rosemary around to air dry.