How low can rosemary stand it?

[stokesjl]

Hi all:

My wonderful mother recently gave me a potted rosemary. I've never been a huge herb gardener, so I don't really know what I'm doing.* How low of a temperature can a potted rosemary stand?* It got pretty chilly here in Iowa last night, so I brought it into my enclosed porch and put it back out this morning after the sun was nice and high.

Is this treatment ok until temps are steadily warm? Or can rosemary stand a bit of chilliness?* From what I've read online, rosemary is not hardy in my zone (5) but I'm hoping it will be ok if it stays above freezing.

Also any tips on caring for this plant would be appreciated. It's looking nice and tall and gree right now. But everything I've read is making me think it may not be the easiest thing to take care of.

Thanks!

-Jonathan

[Newt]

Hi Jonathan,

What a nice gift!* Rosemary can be a difficult herb to grow indoors.* It prefers the soil to dry out a bit before watering, so stick your finger into the soil to the second knuckle.* If it's wet, don't water.* Keep it in a sunny window.* It doesn't mind cool temps.* It will grow outdoors in zone 8, so a light frost won't bother it.* Here's info about growing it outdoors.* What's important is that it comes from a Mediterranean climate where the summers are dry and the winters are mild.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/r/rose_off.cfm

Newt

[TheExpertVGL]

An ideal spot to plant rosemary is next to the south-facing wall, sheltered from cold winter winds. Well prepared bed should have real good drainage and alkaline soil.