I've had herbs in my garden for the last two years. but having trouble with the rosemary. trying to get it to grow by seed is really challenging. this time its not coming up--any suggestions out there would be appreciated. petunia
I've always heard that it was difficult to grow Rosemary from seed. I think cuttings are the way to go.
I bought a small pot of it at WalMart several years ago. Now, it's taking over the whole little back yard. It winters over here so it doesn't have to be taken inside, thank goodness. It doesn't even require a lot of water. Chance likes to rub against it. Dooley
I took out the boxwoods in front of my house a few years back and planted Salem Rosemary (a local NC variety). I put it in three areas, one at the front porch, and two areas along the side of my house. Now I have large evergreen shrubs of Rosemary. It is amazing how it spreads. Once a branch touches the ground it takes root and helps spread the plant. I have so much Rosemary now that I started selling it to a local Organic produce company as non-certified, but all natural. I just started up again after a break to let the plants rejuvenate for about 6 months. Last year in about 4 months I sold 65 or so pounds of Rosemary.
Quick question: If my rosemary is too small for my taste at the moment, I can layer it like oregano? Just put a branch in soil and cover it to make new roots? Is that right? P.S. Uncle Jabba, Where in NC are you? Sounds like you are in the Winston-Salem area. I live just inside the Davidson county line in Clemmons.
Well, shoot! I was hoping you were close. Oh, well. My poor husband gets sick of hearing about the garden.
I had tried growing Rosemary three times over the years but always from 'storebought' (little plants that you see at the shops in the spring) - they always died, sadly... having heard they were hard to grow from seed, I was too intimidated to try it, lol. Thankfully, the house we moved to a few years ago already had a large established rosemary shrub and I have been so far not killing it, heh. I like the idea of cuttings, I may try that with my shrub to see if I can propagate some more that way, they are so fragrant and attractive. Do let us know how yours does!
cuttings work well. A friend of mine took a whole bunch of cuttings from mine. Just cut a two or three inch cutting of soft wood, strip off the bottom inch of leaves. Then dip in root tone or other rooting mixture push into good potting soil and water.
Mine always die as well. My little seedlings would look so promising then keel over dead. I asked my nephew inlaw (he's a greenhouse manager) about growing rosemary from seeds and he said it is too difficult so he uses the cuttings and rooting. He gave me a small bush that I'm hoping will grow. I've think I over water and baby the rosemary. Now I'm trying the opposite.
after trying and trying I never had gotten rosemary from seeds. and I had a nice plant too that finally give out after I had it a year or so. I don't think I ready to give up trying I really enjoy my herb garden. Petunia
Just started some cuttings for the first time this fall. Just dipped it in rooting compound and put it in the dirt, covered it, and they are doing well. Make sure the rosemary is in well drained soil when you plant it outside.
Yeah from seed are very hard. I found that buying small plants is the best option you will be surprised how much they grow in a year. then as a backup take cutting off the first years growth and grow these. I'm trying to overwinter mine at the moment and looks like it failed for the second year running. But have a good idea where t went wrong for next winter. So come spring I will be buying another pot of rosemary.
