Rosemary is such a wonderful herb that cultivating it would be a great deal. However, these plants require a warm, humid climate to thrive and are unable to withstand harsh cold. Rosemary cannot survive temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 degrees Celsius).
It’s best to grow rosemary plants in containers that can be planted in the ground and taken indoors during the winter. Rosemary is a must-have herb for every serious cook, but it’s also a magnet for bees and other pollinators.
Whether it’s a single pot of rosemary on the patio or a whole pathway lined with rosemary, growing your plants will provide a feast for everybody.
Rosemary is unquestionably one of the most unique and adaptable culinary herbs. It can be used to flavor all types of meat, particularly lamb, as well as seafood, tomato dishes, beans, and lemon sauces.
What Is Rosemary Plant?
Rosemary is a lovely evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves and vivid blue blooms. Throughout the spring and summer, rosemary flowers bloom, enriching the air with a pleasant pine scent.
The botanical name for rosemary is Rosmarinus officinalis, which means “mist of the sea” because its gray-green leaf is supposed to represent mist against the Mediterranean sea cliffs where it grows.
Now let’s dive into the main discussion which is how to grow rosemary from cuttings. In this article, I’ll explain how to grow rosemary from cuttings in detail.
How To Grow Rosemary From Cuttings
The following are detailed steps taken on how to grow rosemary from cuttings:
Choose stems that are healthy and have new growth. The stems of the younger shoots will be green and flexible. Older brown, woody stems should be avoided. Snip the rosemary stem about 5 to 6 inches back from a new growing tip with sharp scissors. Make sure you have lots of extra stems in case some don’t grow.
Gently remove the lower 2-inches of needles from the stem of the rosemary cutting with your fingertips around the stem. Put the stems in a jar of water and keep it somewhere warm and out of full sunlight. Replace the water every few days with room temperature water. The freshwater gives the cuttings dissolved oxygen and keeps them from decaying.
Depending on the temperature, rosemary stem cuttings should root in a few weeks. In cooler weather, it may take a little longer. If the rosemary cuttings have survived after 4 to 8 weeks, it should be obvious.
The cuttings that don’t make it will turn brown and drop their needles. Give your rosemary cutting some more time if it is still alive.
When you notice 4 to 6 roots on each stem that are at least 1/2-inch long, your rosemary cuttings are ready to be planted in soil. Use a sandy, well-draining soil mix. Equal parts of all-purpose potting soil and sharp sand are mixed.
Alternatively, cactus-potting soil can be used. Use a sandy, well-draining soil mix. Equal parts of all-purpose potting soil and sharp sand are mixed. Alternatively, cactus-potting soil can be used.
For each rosemary cutting, fill a 4-inch pot with somewhat damp potting soil. Make a 3 to 4-inch hole in the earth using a pencil. To avoid injuring the roots, carefully place the cutting in the hole. Cover carefully and thoroughly water it.
Put the freshly potted rosemary plant in indirect or filtered sunlight until the roots have developed, then transfer to direct light for at least 6 to 8 hours each day. Maintain moist potting soil until new growth appears.
Allow some time for the new plants to grow before harvesting. Harvest by cutting stems as needed once the plant has reached a height of 6 inches. The stem will continue to develop new growth. Because rosemary grows slowly, don’t take more than a third of the plant at once.
Conclusion
I hope you find this article helpful. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions about growing Rosemary from cuttings.
References
- Cabi “Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)” retrieved from here
- “Rosemary production” retrieved from here
- ResearchGate “Cultivation, Processing and Utilization of Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis L.)” retrieved from here
