Agriculture

How To Start Rosemary Farming – A Complete Guide

Rosemary Farming
Rosemary Farming

Rosemary farming Business is a very lucrative business in Nigeria. Rosemary plant benefits are and that is why we have invested so much time in writing about how to start rosemary farm. This area of agriculture has not had a lot of pressure in Nigeria. It involves a lot of commitment and strategic knowledge to manage this business. This is the reason I will be explaining everything about starting Rosemary farming in Nigeria.

One of rosemary plant benefits is that Rosemary is used for making different substance and for preserving foods. The purpose of this crop move from the pharmaceutical industry, food industry and even beauty industry. It is even used as natural preservatives to other agricultural products.

Many of us don’t know that we make use of a lot of Rosemary products and extracts in Nigeria. However, they are imported from other countries when we have reliable and sustainable factors to support the growth of this crop.

On a more serious note, this is a kind of farming Business that is rare scarce and in high demand amongst Nigeria companies. Moreover, companies in other countries can come for our Rosemary is there is a large market for it.

All the same, let see the steps involved in starting a profitable Rosemary farming Business in Nigeria:

Land Preparation for Rosemary Farming

Planting of Rosemary can be started in pots indoors and also from the land. The requirements of land that will support Rosemary include: loamy soil with good drainage and a PH value of 6.0-7.0. Also, you need to make sure that the site chosen always has an average of 7 hours to 8 hours direct sunlight everyday.

After you have chosen the right site and land, clear the land and prepare it for planting. As organic manure and appropriate fertilizer after removing debris and bushes. Also don’t forget to keep the land free of insect pest.

Planting preparations for Rosemary Farming

Planting Rosemary can be a bit technical. There are two methods of propagation required in planting Rosemary. Those starting from post mostly make use of seeds. While both seeds and stems can be used on normal land farming.

The only issue with seeds is that most of them fail to survive and there is nothing to do about this other than going for the stem. So, if you want to use seeds make sure you have a lot more than the required amount of Rosemary you are willing to plant.

For the seeds, you can fill a mix of loamy soil in your pots and then spread your seeds in it. After which you can cover it a little with sand and then moist it with a few amounts of water. Cover it with a filter and put the pots in a place where it will receive direct sunlight about 7 hours everyday.

While the stem requires you to make ridges for the soil. Cut the stem of a growing Rosemary. Remove the lower leaf, do it in the ridge (or make us of pots).

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Picture Credit: Luigi Pozzoli

Irrigation System for Rosemary Farming

The next step is irrigation. Make sure you have an adequate water management process to keep the growing Rosemary going. Water is needed for the tissues and enzymes to grow faster and adequately.

Fertilizer application for Rosemary Farms

Agriculture has really turned inorganic and every crop requires the use of fertilizer. Just like every growing crop, rosemary requires more nutrients to supplement it’s growth. Normally, rosemary only requires the use of organic and farm yard manure such as plants and animal remains. However, if there is a need for the use of fertilizers – perhaps due to stunted growth or discoloration of leaves – then make us an adequate amount.

Using too much fertilizer might likely kill your crops. The most effective method of fertilizer application for Rosemary is the ring method. That is rounding it around each rose Mary crops.

Thinning and Pruning

A time all comes when you have to prove your Rosemary plants. You might have been used to using your hand for this activity on other crops but it is wrong and inadvisable especially for Rosemary. Get a knife to cut down some part of your Rosemary left when they are becoming stalky. If you notice some part showing dis-coloration, cut this down if you don’t want to lose your whole crop.

Weeding the rosemary farm

Check for weeds, apply the right method of wedding. Remove unwanted plants growing in your farm to reduce the competition. Once you notice weeds, do not hesitate to destroy them. You can make use of appropriate e-readers or even cultural practices to remove weeds.

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Picture Credit: Manuela Böhm

Apply pesticides and check for diseases

Pest and diseases are ready to overcome your farm if you are not taking care of it. Create time for your farm to remove weeds which might harbor pests and disease. Rosemary also is one kind of crop that has high affinity for pest and diseases

Harvesting

Finally, when you have noticed that your Rosemary has matured to the optimum size then you can start harvesting. Once you harvest your Rosemary, leave the remaining to continue growing in the soil, while some might survive for the next farming season some will die. All this process requires no more than 10-12 weeks and you can harvest your Rosemary.

Uses of rosemary plants

It is used as a fragrance for making cosmetics and perfumes.
It helps to maintain blood pressure and body cholesterol
It is also used as a preservative for different foods and drinks.

Conclusion

If you have a drink making business, you should try and invest in Rosemary for its oil. The old is a natural anti oxidant used for making food and beverage preservatives. It also makes your drink a lot more helpful for body health.

You can try Rosemary with some companion crops such as cabbage and carrots and still make optimal profit from your agriculture business.

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