Rosemary

[kirsty b]

I have recently got a massive rosemary shrub from freecycle. Its a bit large for my garden but needs a good prune, so I plan to take cuttings from it as its big enough to share.
Does anybody want some?

Kirsty

[nick the grief]

I would save some for yourself Kirsty as I don't know how well it will regrow after you prune it back ( bit like lavender)

[Snadger]

I have a large Rosemary bush that I grew from a cutting! I was walking past an ornamental bed that had been planted by the council and some kids had been fooling around in it. A sprig of rosemary was lying so I picked it up, took it home, got two 'heel' cuttings from it (one of which died).

Three years on, I now have a rosemary bush about 5'0" high which is quite hardy and the only time I prune it is when I go and break some off for the roast lamb we have some Sundays!

Heel cuttings are best I think!

[madderbat]

I agree Snadger,
I have a small rosemary from my MIL that was a heel cutting, and 'liberated' some lavender cuttings from our local park (well I OH is on the cttee) which are doing well.
The only thing I know really is that there used to be huge lavender near here, and it grew beautifully until some new people moved in and 'pruned it back'.
You should never cut the hard wood as it will not survive.

[kirsty b]

I was planning on keeping the plant and just lightly trimming it into shape, and was not planning on cutting the older wood and then potting any trimmings to see if they took root.
I didn't explain myself properly in my first post, but glad I waited to see what advice I got before I started!

Thanks
Kirsty

[madderbat]

I was planning on keeping the plant and just lightly trimming it into shape, and was not planning on cutting the older wood and then potting any trimmings to see if they took root.
I didn't explain myself properly in my first post, but glad I waited to see what advice I got before I started!

Thanks
Kirsty

break the new shoots off at a joint - sort of pull them off, to get a 'heel' and dip it into rooting powder, then into moist compost. some work, some don't. But remember the moon planting bit as well, and take the cuttings after the full moon when the energy is going 'down'.
Good luck.

[Earthbabe]

I've never dipped rosemary cuttings in rooting powder just cut, remove some leaves and straight into compost. Never fails.

I agree about the cutting back to hardwood, always ensure there is evidence of a leaf bud or small sprig. We cut the dentata back very hard after the heavy frosts last year and it is back to the same size as before.

I've never pruned the rosemary. I've tried to cut it into shape a number of times but it still grows haywire just like the bay that I've also tried to cut into shape regularly.

Bayleaves anyone

Time it right though as you don't want the new cuts to get frostbitten.

[WiZeR]

of course..... Nobody knows how my Rosemary grows

... er i'll get me coat then

[BayViewPlot]

Hi, Due to the gusty weather of late a large-ish rosemary shrub has come my way (about 1 ft high and wide) that has been untimely ripped from its roots.

The result is a plant with a thick (1 inch) stem but no roots.

I gather that simply planting it in the ground would not cause the roots to regrow and I may have to do lots of cuttings from the branches to plant as individuals.

Any ideas, other than lamb for the next month!

[Earthbabe]

Rosemary jelly, rosemary sauce (like mint), great with chicken with garlic and lemon.

Rosemary in bread, Foccacia, ciabatta. Its good with duck and pork too.

Try some things and let us know what you get.

[macci]

I have never succeeded with softwood cuttings from Rosemary like I have done with lavender and sage, so will try heel cuttings. Did use hormone powder on them but they rotted anyway. Read somewhere that you don't need it for most hardy herbs.

[Earthbabe]

I don't use it, just make sure you keep the time between cutting and putting in compost as short as poss and pull the bottom leaves away. Rosemary etc are the only cuttings I've ever had success with.