Tips for growing Rosemary herb

Rosemary is a popular herb that can grow both indoors and outdoors. It can be useful both as a herb and a spice due to its decorative and aromatic nature.

According to Healthline.com, Rosemary may improve brain function, stimulate hair growth, may help relieve pain and repel certain bugs.

John Kimani, an agronomist grows rosemary shrubs around his home and has used it as a spice and a herb.

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The plant can be grown both indoors and outdoors. However, when growing indoors, care should be taken to ensure the shrub does not die as it needs a lot of sunlight.

Here is what you need to do to plant the rosemary.

To grow Rosemary, one only needs the cuttings, a container, and fertile soil. 

Propagation

Rosemary is best propagated from stem cuttings versus trying to start new plants from seeds. Seeds have very low germination rates and seedlings struggle to establish, making it easier and less expensive to take softwood stem cuttings from existing samples and propagate new plants.

Take five to inch-inch stem cuttings just below a node from fresh, healthy stems. These are green and flexible on the plant.

Avoid the older stems that are brown and woody. Cut more than you ultimately want for new plants, in case some perish instead of rooting.

Using your fingers, strip all of the needles from the bottom two inches of the stem. These junctions where the needles attached to the stem (known as nodes) are the spots where new roots will form.

Place the cut end of the stem in a glass or jar of water in a warm location away from direct sunlight. Allow the cutting to grow until new roots form and reach a couple of inches long. This could take upwards of eight weeks, so be patient. The cuttings that do not survive will be brown and shed needles.

Once the new roots have reached the desired length you can put them into containers. Following the same method as transplanting new plants, or repotting plants, fill your container(s) with pre-moistened soil and compost, and carefully plant newly rooted cuttings.

Set up in the right environment

Rosemary likes lots of sunlight, if they are not planted outdoors, then they should be next to a window or a door where it will get at least six hours of sun each day.

“If you are growing the plant indoors, you can use artificial to help the plant grow better,” said Kimani.

Pruning

To keep the plants at a good size and height, pruning should be done periodically.

Watering

Rosemary does not like a lot of water as it cannot stand wet roots. Once the top inch of soil is dry, water the plant.

Harvesting

Harvest material frequently to keep plants healthy and strong. Give newly propagated plants some time to grow and establish good root systems before harvesting.

If possible let new growth on plants reach at least six inches in height before removing any material. And then take no more than a third of the plant at any time.