Rosemary is very easy to propagate. But whichever method you choose, hygiene is an essential element of propagation. The humid conditions in the cultivation container are ideal for the development of fungal diseases, which is why all utensils and tools must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before use.
How to propagate rosemary?
Rosemary can be propagated by sowing, cuttings or planters. The simplest method is propagation from cuttings, in which young shoots are planted in a sand-soil mixture. With the lowering method, a shoot is anchored in the ground until roots emerge.
Sowing rosemary
Growing your own rosemary plants from seeds is not entirely straightforward. On the one hand, rosemary germinates very unreliably - and unevenly - and on the other hand, you never know exactly what you will actually get in the end, i.e. H. what properties the plants propagated from seeds have. Rosemary, like so many herbs, germinates in light. You should therefore only cover the fine seeds very thinly with fine soil or just press them down and place them in a warm and bright, but not full sun, location. Keep the substrate moist using a spray bottle. The seeds will germinate within three to five weeks if all goes well.
Propagate rosemary through cuttings
The easiest and most reliable way to propagate rosemary is via so-called head cuttings. These are young, not yet woody shoots. Cuttings should be propagated around late spring orearly summer, i.e. at the beginning of the growing season. It is not necessary to let the freshly cut shoots root in a glass of water - instead, they can be placed straight into a pot with a sand and soil mixture. Cuttings should only be taken from he althy plants using a clean, disinfected knife. This reduces the risk of a fungal infection.
Cut and pull rosemary head cuttings
- Cut a cutting about seven to ten centimeters long from the mother plant.
- Carefully remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting.
- Dip the bottom into a rooting preparation (€8.00 on Amazon).
- Fill a growing container with a sand-soil mixture in a 1:1 ratio.
- Drill a hole in the substrate using a prick or pencil.
- Plant the cutting inside.
- Press the soil and water the plant.
Provide a warm and humid environment by placing a transparent plastic bag over the cutting. The bag must not touch the leaves. You can also place the cutting in a propagation container. Place the pot in a bright location without direct sunlight. Check daily for signs of illness or dryness and treat accordingly. Repot it as soon as roots have formed after a few weeks.
Propagation via reducers
Unlike cuttings, sinkers are not separated from the mother plant immediately, but only when roots have already formed. Propagation via lowering plants works like this:
- Choose a he althy shoot that can easily be bent down to the ground.
- Dig a shallow depression in a suitable location.
- Cut the bottom of the shoot at an angle at the point where it should be lowered.
- This measure increases the chances of root formation.
- You can also treat the area with a rooting hormone.
- Place the wounded shoot section in the ground.
- Anchor it with a metal clip or a bent piece of wire.
- Fill the hollow with soil again.
- Keep the area well moistened throughout the growing season.
- The new roots will form within about four to six months.
Tips & Tricks
Larger rosemary bushes can also be propagated very well by division. The advantages of this method are that older, woody rosemaries are rejuvenated and also grow faster than cuttings.
