Most rosemary varieties are moderate growers and requireconsistent pruningto get them into a full, bushy form.
Take Cuttings
New tender growth from a mature rosemary plant roots most easily.
Semi-hardwood growth is less reliable and takes longer but these types of cuttings can be rooted.
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Woody cuttings won’t grow roots so avoid taking cuttings from older stems of the plant.
Take cuttings 3 to 6 inches in length and cut just below a leaf node.
Remove the bottom needles leaving three to five sets at the top of the stem.
Propagating several cuttings at a time increases your chances for success.
Fill containers with moistened sand or a soilless potting mix.
Make deep, narrow holes in the medium.
Needles should sit above the potting medium.
If using one container for several cuttings, space them 3 to 4 inches apart.
Gently firm the medium around each stem to keep it upright.
Cover Pots With Plastic
Cover pots with large plastic bags.
This creates a greenhouse effect which provides increased moisture and humidity to encourage root growth.
Keep soil moist but not soggy and remove plastic covering for an hour every day to increase air circulation.
Grow lights or fluorescent lights suffice for growing cuttings indoors.
Or place your cuttings close to but not directly in a south-facing window.
Check For Roots
Be patient as rosemary cuttings can take up to eight weeks to form roots.
Start checking around four weeks after planting by gently tugging on the cutting.
If you feel resistance, roots are growing.
If the upper needles turn brown, dry, and drop, the cutting has failed.
Dispose of the cutting if you feel no resistance after eight weeks.
Caring for Rosemary Cuttings in Water
Rosemary cuttings also root in water.
Take 3- to 6-inch softwood stem cuttings in summer and remove lower needles.
Replace water every few days or when it starts to get cloudy.
Handle water-rooted cuttings gently as they are more delicate than those rooted in soil and vulnerable totransplant shock.
When transplanting into the garden, wait until all danger of frost has passed and temperatures approach 70F.
Allow several days up to a week toharden plants off.
Cuttings tend to grow slowly.
If you plan to grow yourrosemary seedlingsout in containers, start with 4-inch pots.
Continue to pot up as roots fill the container increasing pot size by 1 to 2 inches.
A deep 10-inch pot accommodates a mature rosemary plant.
Avoid overwatering and use clay or terracotta which helps keep soil on the dry side.
Take rosemary cuttings for propagation during the growing season when the plant is producing new softwood growth.
Cuttings taken in early autumn can be rooted and overwintered for planting out the following year.
Once roots develop cuttings need additional nutrients which requires transplanting into soil or usinghydroponic methods.
Yes, you’ve got the option to propagate rosemary in soil.
Softwood cuttings started in light soilless mix or sand work best.
