How to propogate rosemary

Growing rosemary is a delightful and rewarding task. It is a culinary must for roasting meats and oil-based salads and marinades. Breads, eggs and cheeses are lifted to a new level when prepared with fresh rosemary. In the garden, it is a beautiful shrub that adds visual beauty year round. New varieties have been cultivated to grow in areas that dip below freezing for several months. Propagating new rosemary plants is a simple project.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soft wood cuttings 4 to 6 inches long
• Vermiculite
• Small growing containers
• Sunny spot

1. 

   Cut a few soft wood cuttings from a healthy plant. They should be around 4 to 6 inches long. Soft wood is part of the plant that is still bendable and has new growth on the end. The wood has not yet stiffened.

2. 

   Remove all the leaves from the lower one inch of the cutting. The reason for this is to prevent the leaves from rotting and attracting bacteria.

3. 

   Plant the cutting in the vermiculite. Some people like to use a little insurance by dipping the cutting in rooting hormone before planting. This helps keep the xylem tissue open for water and nutrient intake as well as encouraging the plant to form roots. However, rosemary will often grow roots simply by placing the soft wood cuttings in a glass of water.

4. 

   Water the soil and keep moist either by dripping a little water over it daily or by misting it. Some growers like to cover the top in a little plastic bubble to create a humid environment. This can be accomplished by using a plastic baggie and a rubber band.

5. 

   Place the container in a sunny spot. If it is still chilly outside, keep them inside in a window until it warms up to 60 degrees or more. Once it is established, meaning the roots have grown in (test by seeing if it resists a little tugging) after about 6 weeks, plant outside.

6. 

   Start snipping the new shoots to encourage branching and use them for cooking. Don't fertilize it. Rosemary does just fine in poor conditions and will have better flavor.

[noeshia]

on 6/4/2009 Really good advice!