Rosemay Plants Turning Brown From Bottom Up

Question From: TEXAS
Q: I have two rosemary plants and they are turning brown from the bottom up. The tops are still green but the bottoms have a lot of brown on them.

A:
Lisa, sounds like too little water and humidity. Rosemarys like damp cool soil in the winter and most cultural tags tell us to let the soil dry before watering. Wrong, a dry Rosemary is a dead Rosemary. Place the plants on a humidity tray. It should be several inches larger than the diameter of the rosemary plants. Fill them with stones and add water to just below the tops of the stones. The moisture from the water will rise up through the plants and increase the humidity.Water them as soon as the surface of the soil begins to dry. Mine need a drink every 3 to 4 days in winter. Make sure they are not near any registers if the heat is on. As soon as the outdoor temps settle into the 50's they can go outside where they will be much happier. Happy Yardening, Nancy