starting rosemary

[majorcatfish]

trying to start some by seed not much happening there. did some quick reading on starting rosemary by cuttings it sounds a bit more promising.

wondering if anyone has had luck starting rosemary either by seed or cuttings and if so how did you do?

 

[hoodat]

Rosemary seed is difficult to germinate. I live in an ideal rosemary climate where it will grow year round with no care at all but I have never seen plants coming up from seed the rosemary made. It is much more practical to grow them from cuttings but on the other hand if no one plants seed we will never have new varieties.

 

[digitS']

I know a few easy steps, Major . . . and, apparently, a radical time to do it :


Use a good culinary variety. This is Rex.

Everything I read about it before I tried said that it should be done during the fall. I figured that it was so tough on the plants just to get thru winter that trying it in the spring was best.

I wait until there is some new growth - and there is new growth because the rosemary has been in the greenhouse all winter. About 10 weeks ago they were brought up where it could get some sunlight. The weeks spent cowering on the floor and covered against the cold had past.

Snip about 8 inches off, strip off what is going in the perlite or starter mix (the only time the soilless starter mix is used here), dip in the rooting compound and push into the cell.

The tray goes down on the floor out of the sun for a couple of weeks. Even a month might be needed down there until the cuttings develop some roots. The flat is watered several times. That's all.

After their weeks back in the shade, the starts can go into 4" pots and from there, into 8" pots.

Steve

 

[majorcatfish]

so after sipping them and dipping them should I keep them in the shade outside or do you think it would be better indoors???

have a branch that was damaged while putting up my fence and would like to use it as cuttings to start more...

 

[digitS']

That's a kind and resourceful thing to do . . .

I don't know where would be best for those cuttings, Major. Since you live where there's some humidity, they might be best outdoors with the air movement.

Still, I would absolutely put them on the north side of something. They won't be able to handle the sun for weeks and weeks.

Steve

 

[majorcatfish]

have the perfect spot for them indoors...
thank you for input.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I read an advertisement for Rosemary seed and the company was boasting of a 40% germination rate. I think that yes it is better to start it from cuttings.

 

[majorcatfish]

cut the branch yesterday and dipped each cutting in rooting compound, found a perfect spot for the them..in the corner of the bathroom not to much light and it will trust me get plenty of humidity from when we takes our showers.

the dw found a web page that cinnamon could be used as a rooting compound anybody heard of this? and if so how did it work for you?

 

[NwMtGardener]

I think cinnamon has some antibiotic properties...so maybe it would help keep yucky things from growing, allow the cutting to root safely. I have not tried it myself but i have seen it mentioned on pinterest lately. I would be inclined to think it could work.

 

[majorcatfish]

well for laughs and giggles took a couple more clippings off the rosemary, and we are trying cinnamon.
will report on this in a couple weeks..