When to Plant Rosemary in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Arid / Semi-Arid
In October the Arid / Semi-Arid zone normally runs 32°C by day and 16°C overnight, with about 19 mm of rain over 2 or 3 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was 1.9°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 10 postcodes, SILO.
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This Rosemary guide is written for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, which takes in Alice Springs, Broken Hill and Port Augusta. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Days to harvest
- about 13 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 100 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5
Iconic Mediterranean evergreen shrub with intensely aromatic needle-like leaves. Extremely drought-tolerant once established. HATES wet feet and humidity. Root rot kills more rosemary in Australia than anything else.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Arid / Semi-Arid
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar P
- Apr P
- May P
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug P
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Very well suited to dry inland gardens. Plant cuttings or potted plants in autumn or spring in well-drained soil.
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How to Grow Rosemary in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, lean, slightly alkaline soil. Sandy or gravelly. Does NOT want rich soil.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Minimum 6 hours. More = better.
- Spacing
- 100cm apart, 120cm between rows
- Watering
- Minimal once established. Water young plants weekly until rooted. Established plants need almost no supplementary water in temperate zones. OVERWATERING KILLS ROSEMARY.
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Carrot, Cabbage, Thyme, Broccoli
- Keep away from
- Basil (different water needs), Mint
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Rosemary
Recommended Varieties
- Tuscan Blue
- Common
- Prostrate
Key Challenges
- Extreme heat above 45C can scorch
- Afternoon sun can be too intense
Pro Tips
- Excellent zone, dry conditions suit rosemary perfectly
- Almost zero supplementary water once established
- Natural drainage in sandy soils is ideal
Pests and problems for Rosemary in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Rosemary
When ready: Harvest from established plants (6+ months old). Evergreen, available year-round.
How to harvest: Snip 10-15cm stem tips. Never cut into old leafless wood, it won't regrow. Always cut above green growth.
Storing and preserving rosemary
How to keep it
- Drying (excellent). Hang bundles in dark dry place 1-2 weeks. Strip leaves from stems. Rosemary dries exceptionally well with minimal flavour loss. Keeps: 12-18 months.
- Freezing. Strip leaves, freeze in bags. Or freeze whole sprigs. Or chop and freeze in oil cubes. Keeps: 6 months.
- Rosemary salt. Blend fresh rosemary with coarse salt (1:4 ratio). Spread on tray, dry in oven at 100C for 1 hour. Crumble and store. Keeps: 6 months.
- Rosemary oil. Pack fresh sprigs into sterilised bottle. Cover with mild olive oil. Seal and store 2-4 weeks. Strain. Use for cooking. Keeps: 3 months refrigerated.
What rosemary costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Rosemary
When do you plant rosemary in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jun
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun, Aug to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Mar to Apr, Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
When should I plant Rosemary in Alice Springs?
Very well suited to dry inland gardens. Plant cuttings or potted plants in autumn or spring in well-drained soil.
What soil temperature do Rosemary need?
Rosemary germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 20°C.
How do I know when Rosemary are ready to harvest?
Harvest from established plants (6+ months old). Evergreen, available year-round.
What are the best Rosemary varieties for Alice Springs?
Recommended varieties for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone include: Tuscan Blue, Common, Prostrate.
What grows well with Rosemary?
Good companion plants for Rosemary include: Dwarf Beans, Carrot, Cabbage, Thyme, Broccoli.
Are rosemary salt tolerant?
Only a little. Rosemary are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, Alice Springs is its reference city.