Rainline Garden
When to plant rosemary in Oregon and Washington
In Portland: Plant young rosemary plants Mar 15 – May 3. In Bend: May 12 – Jun 30. Find your city below.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 24 to 36 inches apart
- Planting depth
- Plant at the depth it grew in the nursery pot
- Frost
- Handles light frost; wet winter soil is the bigger risk
- First harvest
- Pick sprigs a few weeks after planting, once new growth appears
Needs sharp drainage. It survives many west-side winters in a well-drained, sheltered spot; in colder eastern areas, grow it in a pot and bring it in for winter.
Rosemary planting dates by city
| City | Plant in the garden |
|---|---|
| Astoria, OR | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Baker City, OR | Apr 27 – Jun 15 |
| Bend and Redmond, OR | May 12 – Jun 30 |
| Burns, OR | May 14 – Jul 2 |
| Coos Bay and North Bend, OR | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Eugene, OR | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Gresham, OR | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Klamath Falls, OR | May 12 – Jun 30 |
| Medford, OR | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Pendleton, OR | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Portland, OR | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Roseburg, OR | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Salem, OR | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| The Dalles, OR | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Wilsonville and Canby, OR | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Bellingham, WA | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Ellensburg, WA | Apr 15 – Jun 3 |
| Everett, WA | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Forks, WA | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Moses Lake, WA | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Olympia, WA | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Omak and Okanogan, WA | Apr 15 – Jun 3 |
| Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 15 – Jun 3 |
| Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Vancouver, WA | Mar 15 – May 3 |
| Walla Walla, WA | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Wenatchee, WA | Apr 1 – May 20 |
| Yakima, WA | Apr 10 – May 29 |
How to grow rosemary
- Pick a sunny spot with soil that drains well, and mix in an inch or two of compost.
- Plant young rosemary plants on your city's dates, 24 to 36 inches apart. Plant at the depth it grew in the nursery pot.
- Water until established, then only in dry spells. In cold eastern areas, grow it in a pot and move it to a cool, bright spot for winter.
- Harvest: Snip sprig tips as needed. Don't cut back into bare wood; it won't regrow.
Varieties that do well in the Northwest
- Arp (selected for cold hardiness)
- Hill Hardy
- Tuscan Blue
Watch out for
Wet winter soil kills more rosemary than cold does. Plant in fast-draining soil or a raised bed.
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