When To Plant Rosemary In Texas

If you’re wondering when to plant rosemary in Texas, timing is your first key to success. Getting this right sets your fragrant herb up for a lifetime of growth in the challenging Texas climate.

Rosemary is a wonderful perennial herb for our state. It brings flavor to your kitchen and beauty to your garden with its silvery-green foliage and tiny flowers. But Texas weather, with its intense heat, occasional freezes, and varying humidity, demands a smart planting schedule. Let’s look at the best windows for planting to give your rosemary the strongest start.

The best planting times for rosemary in Texas are during the moderate seasons: early spring and early fall. This avoids the extreme stress of summer heat and winter cold, allowing the plant to establish its roots.

For most of Texas, here is your ideal schedule:

Spring Planting: Aim for March through early April. Once the threat of a hard freeze has passed, you can get your rosemary in the ground. The soil is warming up, and the plant has the entire growing season to settle in before its first winter.
Fall Planting: Target September through October. The brutal summer heat is fading, but the soil is still warm. This gives rosemary several months of mild weather to develop a strong root system before any serious cold arrives.

Planting in the peak of summer (June-August) is risky. The transplant shock combined with scorching sun can wither a young plant quickly. Planting too late in fall (November onward) doesn’t give enough time for roots to anchor before potential freezes.

Why Texas Seasons Dictate Your Planting Date

Texas isn’t one climate; it’s several. Your specific location within the state fine-tunes your calendar.

North Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock)

Winters here are colder with more frequent freezes. Spring planting is often safer. Wait until mid-March to ensure frosts are done. If you plant in fall, do it by early October so roots are secure before winter.

Central Texas (Austin, San Antonio, Hill Country)

This region has a longer growing season. You have flexibility in both spring (early March) and fall (through mid-October). Watch for late spring cold snaps in the Hill Country, though.

South Texas & Coastal Plains (Houston, Corpus Christi, Valley)

Heat and humidity are the main challenges. Fall planting is often superior here. The intense summer sun is too harsh for new transplants. Aim for October planting to leverage the milder winter months for establishment.

West Texas (El Paso, Trans-Pecos)

With low humidity and dry air, rosemary often thrives here. Avoid summer planting due to extreme heat. Spring (March) or fall (October) are you’re best bets, ensuring you provide supplemental water during establishment.

How to Plant Rosemary in Texas Soil

Texas soil can be heavy clay or rocky limestone. Rosemary despises “wet feet,” meaning soggy roots. Proper planting technique is as crucial as timing.

Choose the Right Spot: Select a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of full sun. Morning sun is especially good. Ensure the area has excellent drainage. If water pools after a rain, choose a different spot or build a raised bed.
Prepare the Soil: Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Mix the native soil with plenty of coarse sand, small gravel, or expanded shale to improve drainage. A handful of compost is good, but avoid rich organic mixes that hold too much moisture.
Plant Correctly: Gently remove the plant from its container. Loosen the roots if they are tightly wound. Place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the soil surface. Never plant rosemary deeper than it was in its pot. Backfill with your soil mixture.
Water Wisely: Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil. Then, allow the soil to dry out significantly between waterings. It’s better to underwater than overwater. Once established, rosemary is very drought-tolerant.
Skip the Mulch (Usually): In most Texas areas, avoid thick organic mulch around the base. It can trap moisture. Instead, use a thin layer of small gravel or sand to suppress weeds and allow soil to breathe.

Choosing the Best Rosemary Variety for Texas

Not all rosemary is created equal for our conditions. Some varieties handle humidity or cold better.

‘Arp’: The champion for cold tolerance. It’s the best choice for North Texas, surviving temperatures down to -10°F. It has a lighter green leaf and a strong, piney flavor.
‘Tuscan Blue’: A popular upright variety with beautiful blue flowers. It does well in Central and South Texas with good drainage and has excellent flavor for cooking.
‘Prostratus’ (Trailing Rosemary): Perfect for spilling over walls or as a groundcover. It thrives in well-drained spots and is great for hot, rocky areas.
‘Barbecue’: A very sturdy, upright grower with thick stems ideal for using as skewers. It’s robust and handles a range of Texas climates well.

Year-Round Care Tips for Texas Rosemary

Planting is just the beginning. Proper care through the seasons keeps your plant healthy for years.

Watering

This is the most common cause of failure. Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant. In Texas, water deeply but infrequently. Let the soil become dry to the touch several inches down before watering again. During a heatwave, you may need to water once a week; in winter, once a month might be plenty.

Fertilizing

Rosemary needs little fertilizer. Too much can lead to weak, leggy growth and less fragrance. A light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring is sufficient. Often, no fertilizer is needed if you have decent soil.

Pruning

Prune regularly to shape the plant and encourage bushiness. Never cut back into the old, woody stems that have no leaves, as they may not resprout. The best time for major pruning is right after it flowers, or in early spring before new growth surges.

Winter Protection

In colder regions, provide protection for young plants. Cover them with frost cloth during hard freezes. Potted rosemary should be moved to a sheltered location, as its roots are more vulnerable. The ‘Arp’ variety will need the least protection.

Common Problems and Solutions in Texas

Root Rot: Caused by poor drainage or overwatering. Signs include wilting, yellowing leaves, and a foul smell from the soil. Prevention is key—ensure perfect drainage. You might need to replant in a better location or raised bed.
Powdery Mildew: Can occur in humid areas (like Houston) with poor air circulation. Improve spacing between plants and avoid overhead watering. Neem oil can help treat mild cases.
Spider Mites: These tiny pests love hot, dry weather. They cause stippling on leaves and fine webbing. Blast them off with a strong spray of water or use insecticidal soap.
Just Not Thriving: If your plant looks sad and stunted, the issue is almost always “too much love”—too much water, too rich soil, or too much shade. Reassess its conditions.

FAQ: Planting and Growing Rosemary in Texas

Can I grow rosemary from seed in Texas?

It’s possible but very slow and germination is unreliable. It’s much faster and easier to start with a small nursery plant or a cutting from an established plant.

Is rosemary a perennial in Texas?

Yes! In nearly all Texas zones, rosemary is a hardy evergreen perennial. With the right variety and care, it can live for many years, even decades, becoming a large shrub.

What is the absolute best month to plant rosemary?

For most of the state, October is the ideal month. The soil is warm, the air is cooling, and the plant can focus entirely on root growth without the stress of summer heat.

Can rosemary survive Texas summer heat?

Absolutely. Established rosemary plants are incredibly heat-tolerant. They thrive in our hot summers. The key is ensuring they are well-established before summer hits, which is why fall or spring planting is so important.

Should I plant rosemary in a pot or the ground?

Both work. In-ground planting is best for long-term, large growth and better temperature insulation for roots. Pots are excellent if you have poor soil or want to move the plant for winter protection in cold zones. Just ensure the pot has large drainage holes.

By following these guidelines for when to plant rosemary in Texas, you give this resilient herb the foundation it needs. Paying attention to your local climate, providing sharp drainage, and resisting the urge to overwater will lead to a thriving, aromatic plant that provides harvests for years to come. Remember, the goal is to mimic its native Mediterranean hillsides: sunny, breezy, and on the dry side.