moving rosemary and sage

[gingerneil]

I have an established rosemary bush (about 2 years old - bought in a 9 inch pot), and a similar age sage bush.
Would I have any luck trying to move these ? Any tips ? Do they need full sun, or is partial Ok ?
I want to make way for some raised veg beds, and they are in a prime position.

[rustylady]

Rosemary prefers full sun and well-drained soil, after all it is a Mediterranean plant. As it's only two years old you should be able to move it OK, dig it up with as much root as you can and put into a similar sized hole in the new location. Sage I'm not sure about, sorry.

[gingerneil]

ok - thanks. Worth a go I guess - I'll soon be able to tell if it dies....

[Flummery]

You can easily (even I did it!) take cuttings from both as a belt and braces policy.

[gingerneil]

You can easily (even I did it!) take cuttings from both as a belt and braces policy.

Ah.. whats the best approach ? Any tips ?

[Two_Sheds]

Flum said it for me... take some cuttings as insurance against the mother plant deceasing. Once the plants start actively growing.
How to grow the herb Rosemary with pictures and advice - page 1

[la cebolla grande]

A few years ago, when I moved, I desperately wanted to bring my 'pet' Rosemary with me. It was 10 years old, and enormous. We tried digging it out and were very surprised by how shallow and small the root system was compared with the size of the plant. I then walked it to my new house - about 1/4 mile through a town..........All you could see of me (apparently) was my feet.....

I planted it in a raised bed, on gravel overlain with soil and compost.

I did need to tie it to the fence, as it was very top heavy the first year and would never have stayed upright under its own steam, and I watered it every day through the summer (they usually thrive on agressive neglect).

Have to say it looked a bit unhappy (but moved it in June, so was hot and dry from day 1), but by autumn it had recovered, the following spring it flowered its socks off, and its been growing madly ever since.

So, the moral is. Move it, pamper it for the summer, and you'll probably be fine. Just remember that both the Rosemary and the Sage may need support until they get their tootsies sorted out.

Good luck!!

LCG

[Flummery]

Taking cuttings - I would do it later in the year really - do you have to move them this minute? I took cuttings of the current year's growth (so not too woody but not totally sappy) and put 5 or 6 round a 3" pot in gritty compost. I think more than half took.