How to Care and Propagate Rosemary

As you know, Rosemary is one of my recently adopted herbs.  When I was reading about its care and propagation, it reminded me a lot about Lavender.  Let me tell you why.

They both like lots of direct sunlight.  They don't need much watering (let them dry out between watering) and require minimal feeding (once a month light fertilization). It needs good air circulation.  In terms of soil, it needs good drainage and will do well with sandy soil (slightly alkaline...try crushed egg shells).    With the right conditions, it needs very little care.  And yet, it can grow up to 4-6 feet!  Imagine that.  That's a lot of Rosemary to be used for roasting!

Oh, you might want to prune it once in a while to make the plant bushy.  And you know me.  I love pruning!

If you'd like to propagate your Rosemary, the suggested techniques are cuttings and layering.  It doesn't germinate well from seed.  It doesn't seem to root as easily as mint.  If you try rooting it in water, it takes about four weeks with frequent water replacement.  I'll also try just plugging it in soil and see if that works like it did for my mums.

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