Thursday, May 20, 2010

My Rosemary Bush is looking scruffy (uk)?

its getting quite lanky and really could do with what I'd call a damn good crop back... its flowered already this year, will it sustain a good crop back and will it sprout again this year doyou think?

My Rosemary Bush is looking scruffy (uk)?
yes
Reply:I've cut mine harshly back quite a few times, and they're usually fine, and resprout quite quickly afterwards. I don't know how tall yours is, they can grow to 5 or 6 feet in height, and I wouldn't go from 5 feet to 6 inches in one go, though they might be fine - if it was that drastic, I'd cut in stages, some now, and some next spring after flowering. Harsh pruning is usually a good way to keep plants in good vigor though. Last year's pruning has plants that are fine this year, and don't need it.








They're fairly easy from cuttings, so it's worth keeping some of your trimmed material and getting them to root - this way, if you don't like the results etc, you've got fresh plants coming along. Use a mix of sand and compost, preferably with some hormone rooting solution/powder, to encourage rooting.





Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob
Reply:I have had several over the years and they do outgrow the small bush shape. It almost becomes a tree. When it is at the stage where it has a lot of woody growth below the leaf/flower area, then it needs digging up and start again with a small one. If you cut it back too hard, the old woody bits will not sprout again. It's a bit like lavender. You can cut it back, but only so far.


Sorry.


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