For many people, rosemary is one of the must-haves in the herb garden; the herb with its characteristic aroma can be used in many different ways in the kitchen. At the same time, however, rosemary is not easy to care for; it especially doesn't like too much moisture.
What to do if the rosemary turns yellow?
When rosemary turns yellow, it usually indicates too much water. To remedy this, you should stop watering for a few days, then only water moderately and make sure that the substrate in the pot is superficially dry before watering again.
Yellow needles usually indicate too much water
If the needles of the rosemary turn yellow, this is usually a clear indication of irrigation errors - in this case the rosemary is too wet. Rosemary, which comes from the Mediterranean region, thrives in its homeland on sunny rocky slopes where there is naturally little water. Instead, the plant gets most of its water needs from the air, as even in the south it primarily “drinks” the morning dew. The very widely branched and deep roots take care of the rest. As soon as you notice yellow leaves, you should first stop watering for a few days and then only water very moderately - if at all. Planted rosemary, for example, doesn't actually need any additional watering.
Water rosemary properly
Rosemary plants should always be watered from above - never pour water into a saucer so that the roots can get soaked. A large part of the water is absorbed through the leaves, while the roots should be kept as dry as possible. Too much moisture quickly leads to root rot, and fungi also quickly settle on wet roots. Always water the rosemary only when the substrate in the pot has already dried out. Even if the plant dries out for a short time, it won't harm it - after all, it is used to drought. Only on very hot summer days it may be necessary to water the plant more frequently.
Tips & Tricks
If your rosemary is thirsty, you will notice this by the hanging needles. The plant droops its leaves, indicating that it needs water. However, as soon as it gets yellow needles, the opposite is the case - it needs less water. Now you have to act quickly to prevent root rot and the rosemary from drying out.
