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Homes & Gardens
How to propagate rosemary from cuttings in 5 simple steps
By Seraphina Di Mizzurati,
5 days ago
Rosemary, or Salvia rosmarinus, is a popular evergreen shrub known for its aromatic leaves and its small, lilac-colored flowers that appear in early spring.
As a Mediterranean native plant, rosemary adores full sun and drought-like conditions, but it is also super hardy and will survive in poor soil. Knowing how to grow rosemary from cuttings will result in many more of these easy-going, not to mention useful, herbs for your yard.
If you know someone with a rosemary plant, or already have one in your yard and want to multiply your collection, June is the perfect time to take cuttings and create new plants for free. We have put together a step-by-step guide on how to propagate rosemary from cuttings, resulting in a constant supply of this delicious herb throughout the year.
Make sure you’re taking from the younger growth at the top part of the plant rather than the woody stems near the base, because those will root more easily. You can cut multiple stems if you want to ensure successful propagation and create several new plants at once.
Step 2: Preparing the stem
(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)
‘Before you place the rosemary stem in water, remove the leaves on the stem about 1-2 inches from the bottom up,’ says plant expert Autumn Hilliard-Knapp .
You don’t want to let any leaves sit in water because this can cause bacteria to build up. 'Next, take a knife or scissors and very gently shave away the outer layer at the bottom up to 1 inch until you see the white inner part of the stem.'
What you’re doing here is taking away a layer of protection that will help your cutting to root, because the plant will send energy and nutrients down to the bottom to help it recover - this means it will form roots more quickly.
Step 3: Rooting in water
A popular way of propagating rosemary is by rooting the new cutting in water - or hydroponically. Simply fill a clear cup or glass jar with water and place your cutting into it, making sure no leaves are submerged.
Some people prefer using water because it's easier to see when the cutting has grown roots. You will need to wait approximately five days to see the first signs of roots emerging from the main stem. Allow these to develop into longer, bushier roots over the course of a few weeks, changing the water every four days or so to give the cutting a fresh drink.
Step 4: Plant The New Cutting
(Image credit: Future)
Now it’s time to plant your rosemary cutting. Once it has a few decent roots coming of the stem, it's a good idea to plant it up in a small pot so it can develop a little more before transferring to a bed outside.
Fill your container or pot with potting soil, making sure it has drainage holes and place your rosemary cuttings along the inner perimeter of the pot - this way you can plant up several in the same pot. It’s important to use a good, well-draining potting mix, such as this soil from Amazon because rosemary prefers to be on the drier side.
You can use a dibber or a pencil to create a small hole in the soil, in which to place your cutting. Add a little more soil to the top of the pot now, and press down gently to secure your rosemary cuttings in place.
Step 5: Monitor your potted cuttings and watch for new growth to appear
‘For the first two weeks after planting, keep an eye on your cuttings to make sure the soil is moist but not soaked,’ says Julie Bawden Davis , indoor plant expert at Healthy Houseplants.
Since rosemary likes to be on the dry side, it’s safer to water a little bit less because you can always add more if you notice it drying out. Rosemary much prefers to be drier than for it's roots to be sitting in soggy, dense soil.
Place your rosemary in a location that receives 6-8 hours of sun a day - this could be indoors or outdoors. Then, once you see a good amount of new growth appearing above the soil you can transfer your baby plants to their permanent home.
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