How to Transplant Prostrate Rosemary

Spread 2 inches of compost or peat over a well-drained bed that receives six to eight hours of daily sunlight. Work the amendment into the top 8- to 10-inches of soil to improve drainage. Avoid areas that easily become soggy or where water collects after rain or irrigation.

Dig up existing rosemary from the garden the same day you plan to transplant. Dig a trench around the outer perimeter of the roots, which usually spread to a distance equal to the foliage spread of the plant. Slide the trowel beneath the roots and lift the entire plant out of the soil, breaking as few roots as possible.

Set potted prostrate rosemary outside in a shaded area seven days before transplanting. Water the rosemary when the soil begins to dry and bring the plant indoors at night. Increase the plant's exposure to direct sunlight over the seven days until the rosemary is exposed to the same conditions it will experience in the garden bed by the final day.

Dig a planting hole the same depth as the rosemary's nursery pot or root system and make the hole twice as wide. Space holes about 3 feet apart in all directions so the prostrate rosemary has room to spread.

Lift the rosemary from its pot, if applicable, and set the roots in the prepared hole, adjusting the depth until the plant is at the same depth it was growing previously. Fill in the hole with soil and water thoroughly so the soil settles around the roots.

Cover the soil with a 2-inch layer of mulch to keep back weeds and preserve soil moisture. Water the plant when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry, providing about 1 inch of water weekly.