A: While there are some varieties that will survive colder temperatures, most rosemary plants won’t without protection. That’s why many gardeners plant it in a pot, so that they’re easily able to overwinter it by bringing the pot inside.

Being hopeful though, I’d leave it alone until spring. It’d be beneficial to put off pruning anything until the last chance for frost has passed and the plant is receiving signals to start putting out new growth. The parts that appear dead now should stay on the plant to help insulate or protect in the likely event of another freeze.

If a new plant is needed, plant rosemary in spring, so it has plenty of time to develop a good root system. Plant in full sun and elevated just a bit. Rosemary, like most plants, doesn’t like ‘wet feet’. And it can tolerate drier soil, though more attention needs to be paid to potted rosemary plants.

According to Walter Reeves, “the varieties ‘Athens Gem’, ‘Athens Blue Spires’, ‘Arp’ and ‘Hill’s Hardy’ may stand cold weather better than the common types. ‘Prostrata’ is a creeping type, which may be used for a scent garden and for edging.”

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