Plant guide:🌿 Rosemary
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⚠ CriticalBrowning and decline despite watering � almost always overwatering in a plant adapted to dry Mediterranean soil.
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Roots
Root Rot in Rosemary
Commonly affects: Salvia rosmarinus (Rosemary)
The plant wilts, browns, and eventually dies despite what looks like adequate watering. Roots, when checked, are brown, soft, and mushy rather than firm and pale, often with a sour or musty smell.
Potential Causes
- 1Overwatering, by far the most common cause of rosemary decline, since it's adapted to dry Mediterranean soil
- 2Poor drainage or heavy potting mix retaining too much moisture around the roots
- 3Pots without adequate drainage holes
Solution Steps
- 1Remove the plant from its pot and trim away any brown, mushy roots with sterilised scissors.
- 2Repot into a fast-draining mix � a cactus or Mediterranean-herb blend with extra grit or perlite works well.
- 3Allow the soil to dry out significantly between waterings going forward, since rosemary tolerates drought far better than excess moisture.
- 4If root damage is extensive, take stem cuttings from any remaining healthy growth as a backup, since advanced root rot is often unrecoverable.
Prevention Tip
Rosemary genuinely prefers to be on the dry side � let the soil dry out almost completely between waterings, and never let the pot sit in standing water.
