For years I purchase rosemary plant from my local nursery , under the mental picture that my favorite culinary herbaceous plant was too unmanageable to start myself .

While it is unfeigned that rosemary is specially challenging to grow from seed , it can be propagated easily from shank cuttings and by source layering .

And starting from seeded player is not impossible , it just takes a bit of forbearance and extra upkeep .

A close up horizontal image of rosemary plants growing in the garden.

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In ourguide to growing rosemary , we cut across how to cultivate this classic herbaceous plant in your garden . In this guidebook , I ’ll discuss the different way to propagate rosemary plants .

Here ’s what I ’ll cover :

A close up vertical image of rosemary cuttings taking root in soil. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

Three Methods of Propagating Rosemary

Why is it utilitarian to recognise how to propagate rosemary ?

This herbaceous perennial is brave in Zone 8 and above . If you are lucky to live in a affectionate mood , you may plant it once and it will go along to grow each year , sometimes up to a monumental four substructure tall and wide !

The remainder of us , in cooler produce zones , either have to purchase Modern start each class orattempt to bring existing plants indoors over winter , which never seems to work out out very well for me .

A horizontal image of a large swath of rosemary plants with light purple flowers growing wild.

By propagating rosemary yourself , you’re able to ward off buying young start , and even estimable , you’re able to spring up many plant for little to no cost .

From Stem Cuttings

Perhaps the most usual method acting of propagate rosemary , multiplication via theme cuttings is an easy way to take one prove plant and turn it into several !

root film editing are a democratic alternative because they are more authentic and much faster than starting from seminal fluid . to boot , plants grown from cuttings will be selfsame to the parent plant , so you know exactly what you are get .

thinning should be taken from an set up plant in the springiness time during alive growth , or in early pin after flowering has finished .

A close up horizontal image of a gardener taking a stem cutting from a rosemary plant.

practice lopper or sharp-worded scissors to swerve four- to six - inch sections back from the tip of newfangled cushy wood . Look for pliant green stems as opposed to woody brown ones .

Next , divest the leaves from the bottom two thirds of each cut stem , leaving five or six entire at the top .

Dip the cut end into powdered rooting endocrine , if you have some to hand , though it ’s not dead necessary .

A close up vertical image of a gardener setting a stem cutting into a small pot filled with moist soil.

Plant each cutting three to four inches deep in a two- to four - inch jackpot using an adequate mix of potting grease and sand . If you are begin multiple cuttings , you may wish to apply a tray or space three stems two column inch asunder in a six - inch deal .

water supply well and use a humidity dome or credit card bag to create collapsible shelter over the bay window to retain moisture and humidness . Set in a location that get indirect light , and reach the plastic daily to water . You need to keep the pot average evenly moist , but not saturated .

After a few weeks , you may check for rooting by pulling gently on stems . If you feel electric resistance , this indicates that base are take shape .

A close up vertical image of a small rosemary plant growing in a black plastic pot pictured on a soft focus background.

At this breaker point you may remove the plastic and move potbelly to a locating that receives six to eight hour a day of lineal light . retain to asseverate even moisture .

Once you get down to see new ontogeny , this is evidence that roots are becoming established and you may transplant to a orotund container or out of doors , provided all risk of exposure of icing has passed .

Before transplanting into the garden , you ’ll need to harden off the new plant to acclimate them to the external environs . determine them alfresco in a sheltered location for an hour on the first day , gradually increase the length of time over the course of instruction of a workweek or 10 days .

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the right of the frame placing a rooted stem cutting into a small black pot.

Alternatively , you’re able to fix cutting in water to root . After strip the bottom leaves as describe above , simply fill a shock or vase with elbow room temperature H2O and localize the stems in the jar , ignore side down .

Only fill up enough urine to cut across the spare part of the base , leaving the leafage teetotal . Keep out of unmediated lighter and change the water supply every couple of days . New ascendant should form in a few weeks .

Once a prow has sprouted four to six roots of about half an inch long , transplant into two- to four - inch pots in a well draining pot mix that is equal part potting grime and sand .

A close up horizontal image of rosemary growing in the garden.

Make a hole in the stain and mildly set newspaper clipping , being careful not to damage the young roots in the unconscious process . lightly tamp the filth around the stem and piss well .

Keep in indirect Christ Within until beginning resist tugging , and then move to a bright emplacement . Continue to water whenever the soil feels wry .

Once you see grounds of new growth , you may repot to larger container or harden off and set them out in the garden after the last frost of spring has go past .

A close up horizontal image of a gardener setting out a small seedling into the garden with a stone wall in the background.

Via Layering

Another easy way to propagate rosemary is by layer . This is a method of training stems to produce new roots while still attach to the parent plant .

On an ground plant , select a healthy stem that is long enough to easy reach the ground when bend .

dig out a deep two inches abstruse and an inch or so long in the spot where the stem reaches the ground .

A close up horizontal image of a small seedling pushing through damp soil.

Use a sharp unimaginative tongue to clean the folio and bark from the bottom of the stem and determine it in the deep , leaving two to three inches of foliage and root word intact at the bakshis .

utilize a garden staple to pin the stem to the ground and refill the oceanic abyss with grease .

Water the layered stems regularly until rootlet have formed and new maturation come out at the expose steer . you may check for new roots by dig up very cautiously around the buried stems . It can take up to a few month for new roots to form , so this method acting does take some patience !

Once plants have root , you could cut the base away from the parent and carefully labor up the raw works .

Transplant into a pot or a new position in the garden and water regularly until well established .

Starting from Seed

If you do n’t have an make industrial plant to start from or you are just up for a bit of a challenge , it is potential to protrude rosemary from semen . This herb is notoriously tricky to shoot , but there are a few tips for better the outcome .

First , you ’ll ask to cold stratify the seed . you’re able to do this by wrapping the seeds in a damp paper towel . pose the towel in a plastered zip top bag in the fridge and leave it there for two to three months .

The process of grow rosemary from seed takes a while , so time this so that seeds are bedded and ready to be sown around six months before the last hoar of spring .

When you are quick to sow your seeds , soak them overnight in ardent water . Sprinkle seeds in flats or in two- to four - inch corporation in your favorite seed starting mix . Barely cover with soil and top with a plastic palpebra or use a humidity dome . sprouting rates are typically low , so it is a effective idea to plant extra seeds .

Place out of verbatim light in a way that maintain a logical temperature of around 55 - 65 ° farad . If you have one , a heat mat set at 70 - 80 ° farad can really aid things along .

Mist softly to keep the medium moist until sprouting . In the best case scenario , this should happen in two to four weeks , but it could take even longer .

As before long as seeds have spud , polish off the charge plate lid , and relocate to a localization with lustrous light . If you are using grow lights , set flowerpot about two inches from the light reservoir .

Mist with a spray feeding bottle to keep the surface of the intermediate moist , or ideally , lay out pots in a shallow tray to leave bottom water .

When they are three to four inches marvellous , you could transpose seedlings to individual pots or out in the garden after all risk of hoar has pass .

An Abundance of Spice

If you are like me and prefer to use rosemary in almost everything you fudge , you will not repent learning to circulate your own plant .

Not only will you avoid spend money on expensive starts , but you may just twist up with more plant than you bed what to do with – why not give them as gifts to family and friend ?

And for more info ongrowing rosemaryin your garden , check out these guide next :

© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published on June 22nd , 2021 . Last update August 4th , 2023 . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .

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Heather Buckner