HI all...

I have a perplexing question regarding rosemary. I'm in Nebraska and
I've got some rosemary growing in pots that I took in from this
summer's growth outdoors. The pots sit in a southern exposure window
and they get as much sun as is possible this time of year. One of the
plants seems to be growing exceptionally well, but it has developed an
odd white powder on many of its leaves in the last day or two. This
powder just appeared out of the blue. It seems to me that I've sen
this before but I can't remember exactly what this means. Does anyone
have any ideas?
Thanks...

Dan
Dan Charette }
Remove the "FUZZ"
from my e-mail address
to contact me.

"I may not always be right, but I'm never wrong."

I have yet to see a Rosemary of any kind, brought inside for winter, go without powdery
mildew. It is simply too humid in most homes for Rosemary. A sunny window, even southern
exposure, is still less sun than if you had it outside in the shade. They do not thrive
indoors.


On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 08:54:10 -0600, Dan Charette opined:

HI all...

I have a perplexing question regarding rosemary. I'm in Nebraska and
I've got some rosemary growing in pots that I took in from this
summer's growth outdoors. The pots sit in a southern exposure window
and they get as much sun as is possible this time of year. One of the
plants seems to be growing exceptionally well, but it has developed an
odd white powder on many of its leaves in the last day or two. This
powder just appeared out of the blue. It seems to me that I've sen
this before but I can't remember exactly what this means. Does anyone
have any ideas?
Thanks...

Dan
Dan Charette }
Remove the "FUZZ"
from my e-mail address
to contact me.

"I may not always be right, but I'm never wrong."

From: Dan Charette
Date: Thu, Dec 11, 2003 9:54 AM
Message-id:

HI all...

I have a perplexing question regarding rosemary. I'm in Nebraska and
I've got some rosemary growing in pots that I took in from this
summer's growth outdoors. The pots sit in a southern exposure window
and they get as much sun as is possible this time of year. One of the
plants seems to be growing exceptionally well, but it has developed an
odd white powder on many of its leaves in the last day or two. This
powder just appeared out of the blue. It seems to me that I've sen
this before but I can't remember exactly what this means. Does anyone
have any ideas?
Thanks...

Dan


The tricky thing with rosemary indoors in wintertime is to make sure it doesn't
get too dry or hot. The dry air and the sunny window can contribute to powdery
mildew, which sounds like what you're seeing. Make very sure that the
(well-drained) potting soil absolutely never ever dries out completely and that
there isn't an extreme heat build up that remains around the plants overnight.
The powdery mildew won't necessarily cause the death of the plants but the
environmental factors that cause it may do just that. I occasionally see a
touch of PM on my overwintering pots of rosemary, but I keep them going
strongly anyway.

I haven't tried it but some recommend a dilute spray of baking soda (one-half
teaspoon to one gallon water) to be used at the first sign of powdery mildew.


Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7ish

"animaux" wrote in message
...
I have yet to see a Rosemary of any kind, brought inside for winter, go
without powdery
mildew. It is simply too humid in most homes for Rosemary. A sunny
window, even southern
exposure, is still less sun than if you had it outside in the shade. They
do not thrive
indoors.


I live in Alberta and I have a thriving 15 yr old rosemary plant in my
kitchen, in a south-facing bay window. It spends only 3 months of the year
outside. I've never had mildew on it, but then, I might be lucky. It grows
like the clappers and I have to crop it frequently. The main stem is now
about 1.5" in diameter.

Graham

"Tyra Trevellyn" wrote in message
...





The tricky thing with rosemary indoors in wintertime is to make sure it
doesn't
get too dry or hot. The dry air and the sunny window can contribute to
powdery
mildew, which sounds like what you're seeing. Make very sure that the
(well-drained) potting soil absolutely never ever dries out completely and
that
there isn't an extreme heat build up that remains around the plants
overnight.
The powdery mildew won't necessarily cause the death of the plants but
the
environmental factors that cause it may do just that. I occasionally see
a
touch of PM on my overwintering pots of rosemary, but I keep them going
strongly anyway.

I haven't tried it but some recommend a dilute spray of baking soda
(one-half
teaspoon to one gallon water) to be used at the first sign of powdery
mildew.


Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7ish

rosemary is adapted to cool wet (well drained) winters.
sf bay, z 15

"Dan Charette" wrote in message
...
HI all...

I have a perplexing question regarding rosemary. I'm in Nebraska and
I've got some rosemary growing in pots that I took in from this
summer's growth outdoors. The pots sit in a southern exposure window
and they get as much sun as is possible this time of year. One of the
plants seems to be growing exceptionally well, but it has developed an
odd white powder on many of its leaves in the last day or two. This
powder just appeared out of the blue. It seems to me that I've sen
this before but I can't remember exactly what this means. Does anyone
have any ideas?
Thanks...

Man, are you one lucky dude! Paghat would kill to have a plant that
produces that magical white powder that she sniffs up her nose.

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 19:26:35 GMT, "Graham" opined:

I live in Alberta and I have a thriving 15 yr old rosemary plant in my
kitchen, in a south-facing bay window. It spends only 3 months of the year
outside. I've never had mildew on it, but then, I might be lucky. It grows
like the clappers and I have to crop it frequently. The main stem is now
about 1.5" in diameter.

Graham


That is quite rare. I wonder if it's the bay window part? If you bay window sticks out,
the plant may be receiving more light than if you had a flat window. You've mastered it,
that's for sure. Many people water their plants to death. Me included!

Victoria

"animaux" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 19:26:35 GMT, "Graham" opined:

I live in Alberta and I have a thriving 15 yr old rosemary plant in my
kitchen, in a south-facing bay window. It spends only 3 months of the
year
outside. I've never had mildew on it, but then, I might be lucky. It
grows
like the clappers and I have to crop it frequently. The main stem is now
about 1.5" in diameter.

Graham


That is quite rare. I wonder if it's the bay window part? If you bay
window sticks out,
the plant may be receiving more light than if you had a flat window.
You've mastered it,
that's for sure. Many people water their plants to death. Me included!

Victoria

Because it is vigorous, it's a heavy drinker. An early sign that it needs
water (+ a small amount of Schultz) is a slight twist in the leaves that
becomes more pronounced if you ignore it. During the summer, I have to
water it nearly every day.
I now have some French lavenders in pots that are even more vigorous. The
Spanish is very delicate and vulnerable to aphids and the English lavender
seems to be more susceptible to spider mites.
Graham

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 15:07:38 GMT, "Graham" opined:


Because it is vigorous, it's a heavy drinker. An early sign that it needs
water (+ a small amount of Schultz) is a slight twist in the leaves that
becomes more pronounced if you ignore it. During the summer, I have to
water it nearly every day.

That's interesting. I have Rosemary 'Tuscany Blue' and have had it for about 6 years,
moved it 200 miles from Dallas to Austin and our median temperatures here in summer are
95-100 degrees for about 4 months, and I never watered it yet. Maybe once when it was
first planted.


I now have some French lavenders in pots that are even more vigorous. The
Spanish is very delicate and vulnerable to aphids and the English lavender
seems to be more susceptible to spider mites.
Graham


Eh, lavender. I have some. It's always a mess. I give up on it.

In article says...
I have yet to see a Rosemary of any kind, brought inside for winter, go without powdery
mildew. It is simply too humid in most homes for Rosemary. A sunny window, even southern
exposure, is still less sun than if you had it outside in the shade. They do not thrive
indoors.

I brought two inside for the winter and one looks like it's dead. Will
it come back next Spring? It seems had I left it outside in the cold it
would have fared a lot worse. I thought Rosemary was perennial. How do
you keep it going year after year if you don't bring it inside?

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 06:39:32 -0600, Mark Anderson
wrote:

In article says...
I have yet to see a Rosemary of any kind, brought inside for winter, go without powdery
mildew. It is simply too humid in most homes for Rosemary. A sunny window, even southern
exposure, is still less sun than if you had it outside in the shade. They do not thrive
indoors.

I brought two inside for the winter and one looks like it's dead. Will
it come back next Spring? It seems had I left it outside in the cold it
would have fared a lot worse. I thought Rosemary was perennial. How do
you keep it going year after year if you don't bring it inside?



I keep mine outdoors and they are growing well. They keep their
leaves during the winter and don't mind freezing temperatures.
Indoors, you need to provide as much sunlight as possible and be
careful about overwatering. No fertilizer.

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 06:39:32 -0600, Mark Anderson
wrote:

In article says...
I have yet to see a Rosemary of any kind, brought inside for winter, go
without powdery
mildew. It is simply too humid in most homes for Rosemary. A sunny
window, even southern
exposure, is still less sun than if you had it outside in the shade.
They do not thrive
indoors.

I brought two inside for the winter and one looks like it's dead. Will
it come back next Spring? It seems had I left it outside in the cold it
would have fared a lot worse. I thought Rosemary was perennial. How do
you keep it going year after year if you don't bring it inside?



I keep mine outdoors and they are growing well. They keep their
leaves during the winter and don't mind freezing temperatures.
Indoors, you need to provide as much sunlight as possible and be
careful about overwatering. No fertilizer.

But there's freezing and freezing! Rosemary won't survive a prairie winter
outside!!
I have mine in a south facing bay window. It drinks like a fish and I
fertilize it. It has been rootbound for years but according to some
authorities, this is the way to treat it.
Graham

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 16:07:13 GMT, "Graham" wrote:


"Phisherman" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 06:39:32 -0600, Mark Anderson
wrote:

In article says...
I have yet to see a Rosemary of any kind, brought inside for winter, go
without powdery
mildew. It is simply too humid in most homes for Rosemary. A sunny
window, even southern
exposure, is still less sun than if you had it outside in the shade.
They do not thrive
indoors.

I brought two inside for the winter and one looks like it's dead. Will
it come back next Spring? It seems had I left it outside in the cold it
would have fared a lot worse. I thought Rosemary was perennial. How do
you keep it going year after year if you don't bring it inside?



I keep mine outdoors and they are growing well. They keep their
leaves during the winter and don't mind freezing temperatures.
Indoors, you need to provide as much sunlight as possible and be
careful about overwatering. No fertilizer.

But there's freezing and freezing! Rosemary won't survive a prairie winter
outside!!
I have mine in a south facing bay window. It drinks like a fish and I
fertilize it. It has been rootbound for years but according to some
authorities, this is the way to treat it.
Graham


There are many varieties of Rosemary. Like many herbs it seems to
grow well without special attention. I've read that it doesn't like
strong winter winds, though there is little wind here between two
mountain ranges. The cutting I rooted last spring are growing well
and I'll need to start trimmimg it to the shape I want (Christmas
tree) else it will eventually look straggly like its mama. Nice dark
green color and bushy herb.

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 18:03:19 GMT, Phisherman opined:


There are many varieties of Rosemary. Like many herbs it seems to
grow well without special attention. I've read that it doesn't like
strong winter winds, though there is little wind here between two
mountain ranges. The cutting I rooted last spring are growing well
and I'll need to start trimmimg it to the shape I want (Christmas
tree) else it will eventually look straggly like its mama. Nice dark
green color and bushy herb.

There is a variety which will tolerate, oh, USDA Zone 6b in a protected situation.
Against a southern side of the house, but dry. Rosemary 'ARP' is one of the more hardy
types. Another was developed by Madelaine Hill, it may be called 'Hill' for all I know.
I don't recall. Does anyone remember the one she found which is hardy?

V

"animaux" wrote in message
There is a variety which will tolerate, oh, USDA Zone 6b in a protected
situation.
Against a southern side of the house, but dry. Rosemary 'ARP' is one of
the more hardy
types. Another was developed by Madelaine Hill, it may be called 'Hill'
for all I know.
I don't recall. Does anyone remember the one she found which is hardy?

V

I have a variety that has survived in Zone 6b for the past four years
without any particular winter protection. Last fall I over wintered a
cutting that rooted after being used as a county fair exhibit in my sun
room. This spring I discarded the old plant that had become overgrown and
woody and planted the cutting. in its place. It's doing fine. I find
rosemary far easier to grow in 6b than lavender, which will not tolerate wet
feet during the winter. Rosemary is far more forgiving and seems to thrive
on a bit of water and fertilization during hot weather. BTW, the original
rosemary had grown to 2 1/2' X 2 1/2' when discarded.

John