How to Grow Rosemary

Choose a spot in the garden that ideally receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day and is protected from harsh frosts. Rosemary receiving less sunshine than this can develop sparse or leggy growth. The soil should be well-drained, as Rosemary does not tolerate wet soil or a soggy root system.

Before planting, enrich the soil with?Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. This will improve soil health and help give the Rosemary plant a great start.

Gently remove the Rosemary from its punnet or pot and gently tease out the roots if they are compacted or circling. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Position the plant in the hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Form a raised ring of soil around the plant, creating a well so that water will go where it’s needed most. Water in well to settle the soil around the roots.

Mulch around the base of the plant with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk.

Keep the soil slightly moist while the plant establishes, by watering at the base of the plant.

To promote healthy leaf and stem growth, feed the plant every 1-2 weeks from Spring to mid-autumn with Yates Thrive All Purpose Soluble Fertiliser.

Rosemary stems can be picked once the plant has started putting on new stems and leaves. Stem tips can also be picked, which will help promote bushier growth.

Rosemary can be grown successfully in a pot, so small space gardeners with a balcony, courtyard or patio can still grow Rosemary.

Choose a pot at least 300 mm wide with good drainage holes. Position in full sun or a spot that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day

Fill the with a quality potting mix, such as?Yates Premium Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter.

Gently remove the Rosemary from its punnet or pot and gently tease out the roots if they are compacted or circling. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Position the plant in the hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well to settle the potting mix around the roots.

Mulch around the base of the plant with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk.

Keep the potting mix slightly moist while the plant establishes, by watering at the base of the plant. To promote even growth, rotate the pot by 90 – 180 degrees every few weeks, so the whole plant receives lots of sunshine.

To promote healthy leaf and stem growth, feed the plant every 1-2 weeks from Spring to mid-Autumn with Yates Thrive All Purpose Soluble Fertiliser.

Rosemary stems can be picked once the plant has started putting on new stems and leaves. Stem tips can also be picked, which will help promote bushier growth.

Rosemary grows easily from stem cuttings. You can take softwood cuttings in mid to late spring or semi-hardwood cuttings in late autumn or early winter (the stem is firm but slightly flexible).

Using clean sharp secateurs, cut lengths of stems 10-15cm long, ensuring you make the cut just below a node (the bump on the stem, where leaves emerge). Remove the lower leaves, leaving a few leaves at the top of the cutting.

Fill a small pot with Yates Specialty Potting Mix Cuttings & Seeds. Use your finger or a piece of dowel to poke narrow 3cm deep holes in the mix.

Dip the base of the cuttings into a rooting hormone gel, like?Yates Clonex Rooting Hormone Gel – Purple.?Insert the ends of the cuttings into the separate preformed holes. Gently firm the mix around the stems, so there’s good contact between the cutting and the mix.

Water lightly and position in a warm brightly lit spot, out of direct sunlight. Covering the pot with a plastic bag can help retain moisture. Use chopsticks or a wire frame to prop the bag up, to prevent it from being in contact with the cuttings. Keep the mix consistently slightly moist.

Water lightly and position in a warm brightly lit spot, out of direct sunlight. Covering the pot with a plastic bag can help retain moisture. Use chopsticks or a wire frame to prop the bag up, to prevent it from being in contact with the cuttings. Keep the mix consistently slightly moist.

Yes, you can strike Rosemary stems in water. Here are the steps:

Step 1 – Cutting Stems

Using clean sharp secateurs, cut lengths of stems 10-15 cm long, ensuring you make the cut just below a node (the bump on the stem, where leaves emerge). Remove the lower leaves, leaving a few leaves at the top of the cutting.

Step 2 – Fill a Clear Glass Jar with Water

Place the cuttings into a glass jar filled with 5cm of water. Place the jar in a warm sunny position, out of direct sunlight. Replace the water in the jar every week, or sooner if it starts to become cloudy or discoloured.

Step 3 – Look for Roots

After a few weeks, small roots may develop.

Rosemary can be grown as a hedge, up to 1.5 m tall. Choose a variety of Rosemary that matches the size and height of the hedge you want to grow. Plant at least 3-4 plants per metre. When planting a hedge, it’s a good idea to dig a long trench rather than individual holes. This will promote better root development. Lightly tip prune (remove the ends of the stems) as the plants grow to encourage bushiness. Do not wait to prune until the plants have grown to the desired height, otherwise, the hedge will be sparse and leggy.

Rosemary can be cut back after flowering, or regularly throughout the year, to promote more dense and bushy growth. Cutting lots of stems for your kitchen (or neighbours) doubles as pruning!

Think about how you want the plant to look when it matures and regularly prune with that shape in mind. 

Tip prune when the plant is young and maturing to encourage bushiness. If your plant is already mature and is looking leggy and sparse, you will need to consider pruning at least a third of the total stem length to help get it looking bushy again. Avoid cutting back into leafless woody stems. It's much easier to get the desired shape if the plant has been pruned properly from a young age. 

It is helpful to prune the plant so that it’s slightly narrower at the top than at the bottom. This helps give the lower leaves and stems better access to sunlight.   

Always use sharp tools when pruning. This will give a much nicer finish and help reduce the chance of pests and diseases.

Yes, you can! There are several varieties of prostrate and spreading Rosemary, that only grow 20-30 cm tall. Perfect for covering bare spots in full sun.

There is just not enough sunlight to successfully grow Rosemary indoors. You can bring a small pot indoors for a few days, but its permanent home should be outside in a full sun position.

Rosemary needs at least 6 hours of sunshine to do well. Rosemary growing in fully shaded positions or receiving less than the ideal amount of sunshine can become sparse and leggy. So, choose your sunniest spots for Rosemary.

If your Rosemary is growing in a sunny spot, in well-drained soil or potting mix, and it’s receiving enough moisture, then feeding every 1-2 weeks from Spring to mid-Autumn with Yates Thrive All Purpose Soluble Fertiliser will help promote faster growth.

Rosemary is fairly tough plants but can sometimes be attacked by sap-sucking pests like Aphids, Scale and Whitefly. To control these pests, at the earliest sign of infestation, spray plants with Yates Nature's Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray. This spray works by contact, so it’s important to spray the pests directly, including on all sides of the stems and on the undersides of leaves. 

Particularly in humid climates and during prolonged wet weather, Rosemary can be susceptible to fungal diseases, like Powdery Mildew. To reduce the risk, grow Rosemary in full sun and trim stems regularly to improve light and air circulation. If any leaves are affected, remove and bin them.

If your Rosemary plant is lush on one side, and sparse on the other, this could be a sign of incorrect pruning (see?How to Prune a Rosemary Plant), not enough light, or wind damage.  

If a part of a Rosemary plant is in the shade, this can lead to uneven growth. Where possible, grow Rosemary in a garden position that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day. For potted Rosemary, place the pot in full sun and rotate the pot by 90 – 180 degrees every few weeks. This helps the whole plant to receive lots of sunshine. 

Although Rosemary is a tough plant, exposed sites with strong winds can result in uneven growth. Provide some wind protection if possible and regularly tip prune the plant to promote compact, bushy and even growth.  

There are various reasons why Rosemary plants die-off including wet soil, dry potting mix, pests, and diseases.

Rosemary plants are very drought-hardy plants that prefer very well-drained soil (or a pot with plenty of drainage holes and a good quality potting mix), moderate water, and lots of sunshine.

Only water Rosemary if the soil or the potting mix is starting to dry out. Rosemary does not like to be over-watered. To check moisture levels, dig your finger into the top 2-3cm of soil or potting mix. You’ll be able to feel if it’s still moist and no watering is required. Or that it’s dry and it’s time to water. The signs of overwatered Rosemary include stem tips starting to wilt (which can indicate root rot) or leaves starting to turn grey.

If you have heavy soil that doesn’t drain well, plant Rosemary in a raised mound of free-draining garden mix or grow Rosemary in a pot.

Together with poorly drained soil, prolonged wet weather can lead to Rosemary plants dying quite rapidly.

Although Rosemary is drought hardy once established, lack of moisture in the soil or potting mix can lead to plant health declining. Early symptoms of moisture stress include wilted stems and greying leaves. Particularly during hot or dry weather, check soil or potting mix moisture levels regularly and water the plants if required.