Rosemary does just fine with both heat and humidity, as the ones in my subtropical garden testify. I would say you haven't watered yours enough, and they're dying of thirst. As long as the drainage is excellent, rosemary can take a lot of water, and needs more of it when young or in a pot than mature plants in the garden.

Vaped,

I don't think it's the problem of the heat and huminity in Singapore. I'm in Kansas City and it's way hotter than Malaysia, and my rosemary are doing just fine. You need to water them often and make sure the soil is not dry and crack. Also, if you haven't know, you need to constantly pinch off some small leaves at the bottom to promote growth. I didn't do that for my first plant and it dies. After getting the 2nd batch, I start pinching off the small leaves at the base, the new grow become longer and the stem become more woody with more leaves/stems coming out from it. Hope that help. Rosemary grow slow, so be patient.

Ah...good news indeed ..that they can take the humidity. Thanks to daisyduck and moses for your advice! Ill go down and pinch those smaller leaves and check the soil. hope it survives..this time round..hmm abt fertilizers...are they as hungry as basil or they do well with little ferts.? Thanks.

I wouldn't fertilize rosemary too much, it likes poor soil just fine... I would fertilize it a little bit, since it is in a pot.

Also make sure you have a big enough pot. I have made that mistake with rosemary, give it a pretty big pot (I like clay ones-they hold water well but also drain well) and water it then let it go pretty dryish and then water again. I think that bigger pots help me from drying out the plant too quickly from forgetting to water it. Make sure your pots have drain holes and that the plant isn't sitting in water in the dish underneith the pot. Rosemary hates "wet feet"
Best of luck :)

Great tip about pinching the bottom leaves, I'm going to do that.

Transplant it to a larger pot & put it in the shade. If it is in the ground, put shade cloth over it.

thanks for the tips...i'll look for a bigger pot to transplant it soon. its surviving so far....and im careful with the water....hhehhe..jsut hope it grows big...

Keep in mind that rosemary does not transplant well, the sooner the better. If it's small you have a better chance.

hello vaped,

I live here in singapore and I've had pretty good experiences with rosemary. They tolerate the humidity better than the english lavenders here that's for sure.Try a fungicide if you're plant is dying for unknown reasons.

Hi there. I am also trying to grow rosemary in Singapore in pots on my balcony. I got the mature plants in Perth Western Australia. I have had variable success, but most have died, the leaves turning black. The survivors are doing well but I have not repotted from the Australian pots. I am trying to grow cuttings just now and they seem to be OK (so far!) All the best.

Rosemary also likes a slightly acidic soil. It grows here in partial shade, and I start it indoors from primed seeds.

Gosh, what are those varieties of Rosemary that are problems? I have had one in full sun all day in the garden here in zone 7a/ 5200 feet elevation and it is now over 4-5 feet high & has a trunk on it like a tree! I never would have planted it in the garden had I known how big it would get! Our humidity (usually!) is quite low & we get temps. close to 100 F. in summer & low teens in winter & sometimes/rarely below zero & our soil is alkaline/caliche without ammendments. I don't know what variety it is but it has survived 12 degree F. winters here & is now in 2 feet of snow! I'm trying to get a cutting to grow from it (I've not been very successful with any kind of cuttings though). I bought one pruned like a Christmas tree from Home Depot here in December but it died after less than 90 days even as a temporary house plant in a cold room. The tag neither gave a variety or cold hardiness so I should have been warned I guess! I'll have to be satisfied with the very hardy one I already have unless I can get a cutting to grow another from it!

Hope you are successful in growing rosemary as a houseplant or in pots outdoors there in Singapore!

Yes, there are several varieties of rosemary and some are more cold hardy than others. Another thread shows a photo of a rosemary shrub that is a few feet tall. Many of the plants sold by places like Home Depot are from special greenhouses where they are force grown. This usually why some plants die suddenly after purchase. At times, the plants could also have just been transplanted and are still undergoing shock.

Just an updated after a few years..i managed to grow rosemary successfully this year. the trick here is for me is to water them when the soil is almost dry...and not to splash any water on the leaves..coz its humid here and the leaves will start to rot easily if its wet. i have repotted it to a bigger pot with slightly heavier soil...hope it does well.