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Growing rosemary from a cutting


How to Propagate a Rosemary Plant from Stem Cuttings

Fresh rosemary is one of the most flavorful and fragrant herbs in the kitchen. Learn how to take rosemary cuttings from an established mother plant and grow new plants in containers that can be moved outside in summer and indoors in winter.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a perennial herb in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and warmer where it can be planted in the garden and can grow 4 feet tall and spreads about 4 feet wide depending on the variety.

For those of us gardening in colder zones, growing rosemary in containers allows us to bring it in during the winter to keep it alive.

My rosemary plant is going on seven years old this year. It grows in a container spends the summer outside on the porch. The rosemary plant is brought inside when the weather turns cold in fall, and it overwinters on a south-facing windowsill.

By the time spring rolls around, the rosemary usually looks raggedy from reduced light and heat fluctuations. Sometimes so many needles dry up and drop off that I wonder if it can possibly survive.

Once warmer weather arrives, the rosemary plant is hardened off, and returned outside for summer. After only a few weeks, it begins to grow new shoots, and the branches fill in with thicker foliage. I am amazed every time it happens.

This is the perfect time to start a new batch of plants. These fresh, green stems are the ones you want to select for softwood stem cuttings.

Benefits of Growing Rosemary Plants from Stem Cuttings

Instead of purchasing a new rosemary plant every year or starting new plants from seeds, try growing your own from stem cuttings. Some of the benefits of growing rosemary from cuttings vs. starting from seeds include:

How to Grow Rosemary from Cuttings

Here are steps to taking rosemary cuttings from an established mother plant and grow new rosemary plants in containers that can be moved outside in summer and indoors in winter.

Step 1: Select new shoots from the mother plant

Choose healthy stems with fresh growth. The younger shoots will have green stems that are flexible. Avoid older brown, woody stems.

Step 2: Take stem cuttings

Use sharp scissors and snip the rosemary stem about 5 to 6-inches back from a fresh growing tip. Cut plenty of extra stems in case some fail to grow roots.

Step 3: Strip the lower leaves

Grasp your fingers around the stem, and gently strip off the lower 2-inches of needles from the stem of the rosemary cutting.

Step 4: Place cuttings in water

Stick the stems in a jar of water and place the jar in a warm place away from direct sunlight. Change the water every couple days, replacing with room temperature water. The fresh water provides dissolved oxygen and prevents the cuttings from rotting.

The rosemary stem cuttings should grow roots in a few weeks depending on the temperature. It can take longer in colder temperatures. After 4 to 8 weeks it should be apparent if the rosemary cuttings have survived. The cuttings that do not survive will be brown and shed needles. If your rosemary cutting is still alive, give it some more time.

Step 5: Pot up the stem cuttings once roots develop

Your rosemary cuttings are ready to place in soil when you see 4 to 6 roots on each stem that are at least 1/2-inch long. Use a sandy soil mix that drains well. Mix equal parts all-purpose potting soil and sharp sand. Or use cactus-potting soil. Use a sandy soil mix that drains well. Mix equal parts all-purpose potting soil and sharp sand. Or use cactus-potting soil.

Fill a 4-inch pot with slightly damp potting soil for each rosemary cutting. Use a pencil to make a 3 to 4-inch hole into the soil. Place the cutting in the hole with care to avoid damaging the roots. Cover gently and water thoroughly.

Place the newly potted rosemary plant in indirect light or in filtered sunlight until roots become established, and then move to direct light, at least 6 to 8 hours per day. Keep the potting soil moist until you see new growth.

Let the new plants to put on some growth before harvesting. Once the plant is 6-inches tall, harvest by cutting stems as needed. New growth will continue forming on the stem. Rosemary grows slowly so don’t harvest more than 1/3 of the plant at one time.

How to Care for Rosemary Plants

Rosemary is a rather robust plant once it is established and growing. Here are some tips to keep your plant healthy and producing:

Tips for Growing Rosemary Indoors in Winter

Rosemary is native to Mediterranean climates so it prefers a hot, sunny, and humid atmosphere. Here are some tips for keeping your rosemary plants alive indoors during winter:

This article was originally published March 23, 2015. It has been updated with additional information, new photos, and video.

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How to Propagate Rosemary for More (Practically Free!) Herbs

Photo: istockphoto.com

Rosemary makes a delicious (and beautiful) addition to any herb garden. However, it’s known for being difficult to grow from seed to mature plant. Propagating rosemary, on the other hand, is fairly simple.

Propagating is the process of growing a new plant from a piece of a parent plant. All it takes is access to a mature rosemary plant to add this fragrant herb to the garden. Rosemary stem cuttings readily develop their own roots, establishing themselves within a few weeks. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to propagate rosemary from cutting to transplanting.

Tools & Materials

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

You can propagate rosemary at any time of the year. However, the process is most successful if done in the late spring to early summer when the plant is in its active growth phase, or after rosemary has flowered in early fall.

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Photo: istockphoto.com

STEP 1: Select a few stems from the mature plant.

Rosemary can grow wide and tall, depending on the variety. The plant might grow upright, creep, or some combination of both. The forgiving herb even works as a fragrant bonsai plant.

No matter the type, some stems are better than others for propagating. New growth at the rosemary’s tips is a sign of its readiness for propagation. Look for soft, flexible, green stems rather than woody brown ones.

Pro Tip: A single long stem can provide several successful cuttings.

STEP 2: Use pruners or a sharp knife/scissors to cut the stem just below a leaf node.

There are a few ways to cut stems. The first is to use a pair of pruners or sharp scissors to clip a 4- to 6-inch section from the tip. This is long enough for one cutting. The second way is to cut a long stem and then snip it into shorter sections. Each section can then be planted to start a new plant. For those who decide to go with the second route, cut the long stem into 4- to 6-inch sections.

Pro Tip: Remember which end of the cutting was lower on the stem. This is the end that will produce roots and must be placed in the soil. If you plant the outer tip instead, roots won’t develop.

Related: How to Grow Fresh Produce From Your Leftover Groceries

Photo: istockphoto.com

STEP 3: Remove lower leaves from the cut stem.

Gently remove the leaves from the bottom 2 to 3 inches of the stem. Keep a small bunch of leaves (five or six) remaining at the top. The end stripped of leaves will go into the soil. There’s a better chance of success if you first dip the stripped end of the rosemary into rooting hormone before planting.

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Pro Tip: Rooting hormone contains synthetic auxins (hormones that stimulate growth) in a gel, powder, or liquid form. Any of the forms can work for rosemary, but powdered is often easiest to use. Simply dip the stem into the powder.

STEP 4: Place cuttings in a pot with soil and keep moist.

Use a pencil or dibber to make a hole in the soil and gently plant the stem 3 to 4 inches deep. Water it well right after planting. Rosemary needs good drainage. Some gardeners create their own blend of potting soil by mixing one part perlite or sand to one or two parts compost. However, any mix that doesn’t trap water near the roots will do.

This plant isn’t picky about nutrients, so no other amendments are necessary. After the first watering, keep the soil moist to the touch, but don’t overwater.

Pro Tip: If using a single pot for several stems, plant them 1-1/2 to 2 inches apart and closer to the edge of the pot. A seed tray can also keep each stem well spaced.

Photo: istockphoto.com

Related: 11 Ways to Make Your Groceries Go Further

STEP 5: Once roots are established, separate new rosemary plants into individual pots.

Keep the new plants in a place where they get 6 to 8 hours of sun each day and stay moist but not too wet. After about 8 weeks, give the plants a gentle tug. If they resist, the roots are forming nicely. It’s time to put each plant in its own pot when new growth starts to develop.

It takes a long time to grow an established rosemary plant from seed to maturity. However, rosemary readily propagates and reaches the new growth stage in much less time than from seed.

It’s easy enough for beginning gardeners to successfully propagate rosemary, especially by following the steps in this guide. When the work is done, the new plants should start to thrive with adequate sun and moist soil. You will have plenty of rosemary plants to give away or enjoy as pretty, insect-repelling, house-cleaning, and edible herbs for years to come.

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Rosemary: reproduction by cuttings - AgroFlora.ru

Juicy, refreshing, fragrant spice rosemary is becoming more and more frequent "guest" of our dishes, and summer gardeners with interest began to grow it on their plots.

This plant, capricious and thermophilic, does not take root always and everywhere, the best way to grow rosemary is propagation by cuttings (twigs). Moreover, you can grow a shrub not only in open ground, but also at home, in ordinary flower pots, read the article on how to make such a planting.

When to plant rosemary

In a very warm region, shrub branches can be propagated at any time, except for the winter months. But in a temperate climate, it is best to take shoots for seedlings in the spring, before the grass blooms - in late March, early April, and plant them in the ground in May-June.

The autumn shrub can be used to grow rosemary at home, on the windowsill.

Where to get cuttings

The cuttings for propagation will be the upper parts of the shoots of the bush. Increasingly, rosemary began to be found as an ornamental plant in the park areas of cities.

Branches can be cut from any mature shrub, purchased from a gardening store, or just bought a bunch of herbs from the market. The main thing is that these are exactly the tops of the stems.

Rosemary propagation by cuttings

What to do with fresh cuttings

Once you have rosemary seedlings in your hands, you need them to take root. Some plant cuttings directly into the ground outdoors, but if the climate is unstable, they may not take root and die. Therefore, it is still better to wait for root formation at home, and then transfer the seedlings to the beds.

Prepare ordinary flower pots and a neutral loose substrate (you can buy ready-made soil in the store).

For self-preparation of the soil, you will need a mixture:

Pour the substrate into the pots, after placing small stones on the bottom of the containers, moisten the soil well.

Make small holes in the soil and bury the cuttings in them to a depth of 3-4 cm, tearing off the lower leaves from the branches. Water the soil again.

Place pots with cuttings in a warm, sunny place for a month and a half. Water the rosemary 4-5 times a week, but don't let the water stand in the pots. If water collects in saucers, be sure to drain it. After this period, the seedlings should take root, they can be removed from pots and transferred to open ground.

Another way to wait for the shoots to take root is to put the branches in water. In this case, you need to change the fluid every 3-4 days. Plants should receive plenty of light and be kept warm.

Rosemary cuttings care at home

Soil preparation

The rosemary plant, which is a simple but always risky process, is very soil sensitive. The shrub does not like alkaline, clay and heavy soils, the earth must be loose, not retaining water. The grass does not tolerate drought with difficulty, but from excessive watering, its roots can begin to rot.

For seedlings, beds should be prepared from a mixture of quality soil, coarse sand, peat, dug them well. A place for planting rosemary should be chosen sunny, ventilated, but not in a strong draft. Grass perfectly coexists with other garden spices and vegetables.

A few days before planting, it is advisable to fertilize the soil with a nutrient mixture. The humidity of the earth should be moderate.

Planting rosemary outdoors

When the cuttings in the substrate or water have taken root, they can be transferred to the open environment. Holes are dug in the beds to the depth of the roots and plants are planted. Immediately after this, the earth needs to be watered a little.

At first, the bushes may look sluggish and drooping, but after 2-3 weeks, they should perk up and start growing.

All this time, the beds are watered on average every other day. Once a month, it is recommended to loosen the topsoil and feed the shrub with fertilizer.

Rosemary can also be propagated from seeds, but growing from cuttings is the most convenient, fast and efficient way, with a much lower percentage of plant death.

To make the bush more lush, the upper stems are cut from time to time. When the bush has grown, and many young shoots have formed below, you can dig up the root and separate the seedlings from it. In the case when young shoots are already taken with roots, they are immediately transplanted into the ground.

Rosemary on the windowsill

The plant will thrive not only in garden beds. Many grow it on the windowsills of apartments.

Home care is no different from caring for a plant in its natural environment. The soil is taken exactly the same: loose, neutral. Pots must have a hole in the bottom for drainage.

Rosemary cuttings on the windowsill

Cuttings can be planted immediately in pots, or wait for root formation by placing the branches in water for 3-4 weeks. The plant should be kept on a sunny windowsill, the required temperature in the room is + 10-18ºС. Strong stuffiness and high humidity should not be allowed in the room - rosemary does not like this.

If you intend to keep greens on the veranda in summer, be sure to bring pots into warm rooms in winter.

The southern plant, which is not so difficult to care for, does not tolerate frost. If you live in a cold region and have planted rosemary in your garden beds in the summer, you will need to create a greenhouse for it in the winter.

Some do not like or do not have the opportunity to make greenhouses for the spice and grow rosemary as an annual, which is also a good option. In this case, you can remove all the greenery in the fall, dry it and use it as a seasoning in the winter, and plant new bushes in the spring.

Don't be afraid to experiment and grow rosemary - propagating from cuttings is great for beginners. Greens will serve you not only as a fragrant seasoning for dishes, but also as a healing and effective cosmetic product. The plant has a lot of useful properties, the action of which you can see for yourself by adding this unusual spice to your diet.

description and popular methods, care and planting

Rosemary is considered to be quite a popular plant. Its greens are often used in cooking, as they contain a large amount of medicinal essential oils. Many people try to germinate this crop in their garden plots, so the question of how to propagate rosemary is considered very relevant. 9Ol000 planting rosemary correctly

Brief description of the rosemary plant

Rosemary is an evergreen perennial plant with small, needle-like leaves. Culture is considered very thermophilic. It grows mainly in sunny areas. The plant is often found in the southern regions of Europe.

Today, many flower growers are trying to grow a crop at home or in their summer cottages, so they are looking for ways to root rosemary.

How rosemary grows indoors

There are many options for planting and propagating the crop. It can be propagated by cuttings, layering, planted with seeds. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages.

Cuttings

This option is considered one of the most affordable. The only difficulty in cutting rosemary is finding planting material. You can bring it from southern countries, or try to root plants that are sold in supermarkets.

How to propagate rosemary from cuttings at home:

  1. First you need to prepare planting material measuring 10-15 cm.
  2. It is recommended to remove the lower leaves from it, and place the shoots in containers with water. Fluid level should be 3-4 cm.
  3. As water evaporates, top up.

At a temperature of +22…+25 degrees, after a couple of weeks we can expect roots to appear.

Please note! When growing rosemary indoors from cuttings, it is important to avoid strong root growth in water. It is recommended to immediately plant bushes in containers with soil - this will speed up their survival.

The culture can be propagated by cuttings

How to grow rosemary from a twig at home

This method can be used during the warm season. To implement it from an adult bush, it is necessary to cut a young branch 5-6 cm in size and place it in a glass container. It should be moved to a warm and bright place. Water changes should be done every 3 days. When the plant has roots, it is permissible to move it to a container filled with light and nutritious soil.

The plant is also propagated by a twig

Seeds

Another option for rosemary propagation is growing from seeds. When using this method, it is important to remember that they have a long growth period.

It is recommended to start seed germination 1-1.5 months before the onset of warm weather. To speed up this process, you should first germinate them in wet gauze.

Then the seeds are placed in the prepared soil at a distance of 2 cm from each other and watered. Sprinkle with earth on top and sprinkle with water. The container should be placed in a warm place out of direct sunlight. Good ventilation is of great importance.

Important! When growing a plant by seed, do not allow the soil to dry out. When sprouts appear, it is necessary to improve the illumination.

Seed method is considered to be an effective breeding option

Branching

If you plan to plant rosemary, propagation of bushes by this method should be done in late spring. For breeding choose several powerful branches. From the main culture, trenches up to 5 cm deep are dug in different directions. The shoots are slightly incised and deepened in this place into the furrows. Sprinkle with earth on top.

Water the cuttings so that the top shoots are dry. When the roots appear, the young culture can be separated and transplanted to a new place.

Good nutrition is required for the full development of new roots. It is worth watering the culture as the soil dries. Mineral preparations are used as fertilizers. They should be applied 2-3 times a month.

How to take care of the seedlings

The seedlings should be hardened off 2 weeks before being transferred to the soil. To do this, on the first day, it is enough to open the window and ventilate the room with the boxes. Then the container is taken out into the street for 3-4 hours.

Important! Rosemary hardly tolerates frosty weather, therefore it is permissible to plant a crop in open ground only after it has warmed up to +5 ... +10 degrees.

A sunny location that is protected from drafts and wind is suitable for planting crops. It is advisable to place the bush on a site with loose sandy soil. Insufficient lighting slows down the development of the shrub.

Rosemary should be watered in a timely manner, but this excess moisture negatively affects the condition of the crop. To prevent stagnant water, drainage should be placed in the recesses before planting. Expanded clay or large pebbles can perform its functions.

How to propagate rosemary

If the plant is used as a decoration, seedlings can be planted at intervals of 10-15 cm. Seedlings from which it is planned to harvest should be planted at least 50 cm apart. Water the bushes sparingly. In the heat, it is recommended to do it every other day. In cooler periods, it is enough to moisten the soil once a week.

Loosen and weed beds once a month. If the soil is covered with a crust, it prevents oxygen from reaching the root system. At the same time, weed grass causes moisture stagnation. Excess water provokes rotting of the roots, the development of bacterial microorganisms and fungi. If the plant is in dry soil for a long time, there is a risk of slowing down its growth, wilting of the leaves, and impaired flowering.

When growing a crop in the house, it does not need frequent top dressing. It is enough to feed the bushes monthly with mineral or organic preparations. The dosage should be selected in accordance with the instructions. From the second year, the crown must be thinned out by removing the affected branches. To make the bush more fluffy, it is recommended to pinch off its tops.

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