3 Easy Ways to Propagate Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

 

This graceful perennial is easy to grow in full sun and well drained, light soil. Upright varieties look striking in front of the walls where the reflected heat and sunlight don't bother rosemary (unlike many other plants). 

Cascading (ground covering or spreading) varieties of rosemary will even grow in the hanging baskets--as long as you provide proper draining and don't let the plant to dry out. However, the most beautiful setting for a rosemary is one that is creeping along a stone wall.

Three ways to propagate rosemary are:

• from seeds
• from cuttings and
• by layering.

Seeds

Germination of the rosemary seed is extremely slow and so is the growing of the tiny seedlings. It may take up to three years to grow a harvest-sized plant. That’s why this is the least favorite of the three choices.

Although, if you have patience and want to try and grow your own seedlings or test different species of Rosmarinus, go ahead and give it a try. Just make sure you use fresh seeds (preferably less than two weeks old) and well drained, light potting mix.

Keep in mind that rosemary plants, grown from seeds may not be as robust as the ones grown from cuttings and by layering.
 

Stem Cuttings

Cut the soft wood at the tip of the branch (2 to 6 inches long) using a clean, sharp knife. Remember that shorter cuttings mean more compact plants.

Before planting your cuttings, strip at least half of the leaves from the stem. If you plan to use the hormone rooting powder, use the mildest strength kind for softwood cuttings.

The material for rooting should be sterile (perlite, washed sand, powdered styrofoam, vermiculite, or a mixture of any of those in equal proportions). Insert into a rooting material about half stem deep, angled at about 45 degrees.

Do not pack the material too tightly around the stems to prevent damaging during removal of the rooted cuttings.

Simple Layering

Simple layering is the simplest way of propagating rosemary. It almost never fails!

Simply choose the branch that will bend easily to touch the ground. Dig a small hole and press the branch in it. Fill the depression with soil and firm well.

To keep the branch in place and preventing the new roots from being lifted out of the ground, put the rock or a brick over the buried branch spot (pin it down). Water well.

Six to eight weeks later your new plant should have enough roots for the attachment to the parent plant to be cut. Young rosemary is now ready to be transplanted to a new spot.
 

In any warm, sunny climate your rosemary will grow fast and year-round. You will have plenty for flavor in the kitchen, to take a relaxing bath with rosemary infusion added to the bath water, you will have pretty blue blooms on the rosemary plants outside as well as plenty of rosemary sprigs to put them in the vase and have that naturally fresh and clean smell in your home.