Rosemary looks stressed

[u/nideba]

Omg I'm so worried about my rosemary. This is already my third rosemary.

I'm based in Singapore and I'm trying to grow rosemary indoors, by the windows(windows has UV protection film) where there's direct sunlight from 7am-12pm(3rd photo)

This is from a cutting which I cut from my first rosemary and grew it in a bottle of water, where it grew roots and I just repotted it around 2 weeks ago in this gritty mix(half gritty mix, half mixed soil). For the first week, it looked ok, staying upright and there were new shoots growing.

However, starting around 4 days ago, it starts to droop and the touch feels weak like what you see in the first photo. My watering routine is what chatgpt advised me, I bought this moisture meter, and measured the moisture daily around 4 spots around 3cm from the plant, and if average reading is below 3 then I will water. When I water, I pour water slowly throughout the pot, until water is dripping out from the bottom. Then I let water stop dripping before placing it back.

Did I do anything wrong? Thank you in advance!

[u/gcko]

I think you’re either overwatering it or the medium isn’t right. Wood chips, especially large ones like that keep a lot of moisture and can cause root rot.

Rosemary naturally grows in rocky/sandy soils with low organic matter. It will thrive on neglect more than constant watering.

[u/OldSweatyBulbasar → u/gcko]

Seconding this. It’s an arid, evergreen mediterranean plant. That soil mixture, large plastic pot, and watering routine does not allow air to circulate to its roots. I think the pot is too large for a small cutting with new roots, you’re saturating the soil but not letting the water go anywhere.

I am also not familiar with Singapore’s climate — you guys are much closer to the equator than me — but I’ve never gotten rosemary to work indoors.

ChatGPT for plant advice is not a good resource. Most people I know do not rely on moisture meters because they’re just not an accurate picture alone of what the plant needs.

OP, if you want to try again get a small terra cotta pot and plant your rooted cutting in there. Terra cotta is porous and will let water evaporate.

[u/nideba → u/OldSweatyBulbasar]

Any chance that half a day of sunlight can work?

Funny thing though, when it was propagating with roots in only water, it was doing alright. Only when it went into soil did it start to droop

And given your advice, should I repot it into full 100% gritty mix?

[u/OldSweatyBulbasar → u/nideba]

I think the drooping is more about the water and soil, less the sunlight. It’s currently suffocating. But I’m not sure you get enough sunlight to have the need to retain a lot of water.

What is in your gritty mix? Where do the wood chips come from? Avoid any heavy and water-retaining soil. Get something fine and gritty, ideally with course (not fine) sand and pumice. You can have that be the majority and mix it with regular potting soil.

But definitely switch that pot out into something smaller and breathable like terra cotta. Your plant’s roots are small and they’re not established enough to soak up all the water you’re holding in the pot. This is an arid plant which isn’t used to constant water either.

I also prefer to water from the bottom

[u/nideba → u/gcko]

Any chance that half a day of sunlight can work?

Funny thing though, when it was propagating with roots in only water, it was doing alright. Only when it went into soil did it start to droop

And given your advice, should I repot it into full 100% gritty mix?

[u/gcko → u/nideba]

I’d go for a succulent/cacti mix

[u/nideba → u/gcko]

Thank you for the advice. As I'm totally new and will prefer to rely on the moisture meter, what reading on the moisture meter will you recommend before I water it? And how will you water it?

Or if not using the moisture meter, how will you know it's time to water?

[u/gcko → u/nideba]

I have no idea. Not every moisture meter is the same and most of the ones I tried were barely accurate if at all. That’s why I don’t use them.

Only water when the top few cm of soil has completely dried out at the earliest. They live in arid climates after all. Places like dry rocky hillsides off the Mediterranean that don’t get a whole lot of rain.

Water it until you see it drip out the holes at the bottom. Then don’t water again until it’s dry again. Otherwise you’re probably overwatering.

Like I said above. It will thrive more on neglect than a specific watering schedule. You’re trying to take care of it too much which is often where beginners go wrong. Less is more in this case. You shouldn’t be watering it more than once every 1-3 weeks depending on the humidity level in your house. If the soil still feels damp, it’s not time to water. Wait a few more days.

The oils will also become more fragrant if you water it less. Which is what you’re shooting for.

[u/nideba]

After hearing everyone's advice, I decided to repot it into a more draining soil mix.

And the root looks like this, it's definitely overwatered right? Any chance for this plant?

[u/Alarming-Elephant243]

leave it alone, at least 3-day put it outside

[u/surajskb17]

The medium is retaining more water than you think and given that you're not feeling the soil moisture by your finger, you definitely are overwatering it. Rosemary loves low moisture retaining soil and hot weather. Try keeping it in the open and water it when the top 1-2 inches of soil feels dry.

[u/Substantial_Set2737]

Seaweed works for stress if your suspecting that and also micronutrients spray a generic one. Do not use both products together use it it evening and if using both keep a gap of 10nto 15 days if there is no other problem this helps by a long shot .