Rosemary bush

We have just been looking into moving some herbs and evidently once a Rosemary is of a decent size and a bit twiggy it probably needs replacing anyway. I have left a decent one behind in our move but its just dawned on me that it was a replacement for an earlier one that went a bit 'off' any way, and it must have been a good five years old. All the books say they do not transplant very well so perhaps like me its a trip to the garden centre! Although I will google 'herb garden's in the local area as we had one near the last house that was a joy to visit and I do like buying from small local places as everything is used to the local soils etc.

Just take a cutting, stick it in a pot of compost and maybe put the pot in a plastic bag for a while. My rosemary bush was grown from a cutting and has survived being moved. It is living in a large pot outside the kitchen door at the moment.

Liz46....wise advise however, having just google'herb nurseries' have found a glorious looking one 10 miles away complete with herb based bistro....so guess where I'm going soon?

I have moved mine three times (house moves) but I wouldn't chance it again. It is safe to trim to a suitable size and this time of year the flowers are so pretty and attract the bees.

It is said that transplanting and pruning rosemary plants can kill the plant. I have successfully pruned a large bush in my garden so transplanting could be worth a try. First, have an insurance policy and take some cuttings 2-3" long using a sharp clean pair of shears, remove the bottom 2/3rd of leaves but leaving at least half a dozen leaves. Put the cuttings in a well draining compost and wait for them to strike which is usually 6-8 weeks. This should be done in May or June.
Then to transplant the plant dig it up with as much rootball as you can and put it in a similar sized hole in the new location with a handful of sand in the bottom for drainage. Don't do this until the Rosemary has finished flowering and although normally Rosemary should be kept dry keep the roots watered but not soggy until it has re established.

If you don't want to do all of that new plants can be bought quite cheaply. You might also like to consider a ginger rosemary plant.

I have a very old,often neglected, character filled Rosemary in a planter. It’s in flower now and I don’t want to spoil the shape by cutting bits off. So last year I bought a growing one from the supermarket, repotted it and use that for cooking.

I've done that j52.

Mine has growen from a broken off twig so I know how to do that I will definitely give it a go moving it but

I just want to know what time of year to do this please I know all the rest ?

I moved a rosemary last spring and its doing well. Think about March time.I know it was just after the Beast from the East had departed.

ps. took all roots and surrounding earth.

Just googled it for you BlueBelle and it says after all chance of frost so that it has all summer to settle in. So depending on where you live, now or the next couple of weeks might be a good time. Living in the North west I would leave it until the middle of May.

We had a row of rosemary alongside the washing line, and anything that brushed the leaves smelled wonderful for ages - when it was ironed and even after it had been in the airing cupboard and, in the case of sheets, put back on the beds. The only pruning they got was if I needed some for cooking, and then I took sprigs from each plant in turn.

Rosemary is a super rooter and so easy to grow from a twig. I just put it in a flower vase with the flowers and it always grows roots. Then pot it up in soil.

If you want to move it give it a go as its a good growing time. Just water well.

Ahh thanks cavewoman and pipdog Snd LullyDully I did try googling it but could find everything except the time of year Great I’ll hang on till May I think as I m in the cold (at the moment) east coast so a couple more weeks I ll let you know how it goes
Many thanks I love it and lavender and cannot walk past them without crushing a bit in my hand

I'd wait till autumn and prune it hard then move it. It can take a severe pruning.

Great thread.

The rosemary is flowering beautifully this year.

The legend is that the Virgin Mary threw her scarf/ cloak over the bush whilst resting on the flight to Egypt. The flowers turned blue as a result. Just though I would say that, I read it once.

I have to have rosemary in my garden for chicken, pork or lamb.

I'm in New Zealand at the moment and have noticed lovely hanging rosemary bushes in a few places. Does anyone know if you can get these in the UK?

I've got trailing rosemary in my garden; was given some cuttings by a neighbour years ago. Which reminds me to take some cuttings myself. It's flowering beautifully at the moment. And, as a dog owner I understand it's a plant that deters fleas as well, so I'm going to plant it everywhere.

I have moved it I couldn’t bear looking at it sticking out like a beautiful purple thumb in totally the wrong place so as someone said it’s a good time when the soil is warmer I made an exec decision. Took some cuttings in case, it’s looking ok so far I ll let you know in a week or two if I was right or wrong

I have a rosemary in a pot which is getting very woody now and would like to take it out of the pot and put it in the ground. I wonder if ‘drop’ planting it, as you can with woody heathers, might rejuvenate it. Apparently, you dig a hole deeper enough to bury the woody bit below any growth, and presumably new shoots break from the old wood. Or am I being too optimistic?

I've heard it said that if you have a vigorous Rosemary plant, it is the wife who wears the trousers in the house