How to Grow New Plants From Rosemary Cuttings

Cut a 4- to 8-inch piece of rosemary branch from an established plant. The piece you cut off the branch should be new growth with little or no woody stem. The ideal time to cut rosemary clippings for rooting is in the spring, when the new growth on branches appears.

Slide your index finger and thumb gently down the bottom 1/2 to 2/3 of the cut stem to remove the rosemary leaves. The leaves will come off easily, leaving only the stem. Where a leaf was removed creates a place on the stem for new roots to form.

Fill a container or pot with clean, all-purpose potting soil that will drain well. Rosemary plants do not like wet soil, preferring lightly moist soil.

Insert approximately half the stripped leaf stem into the potting soil, then, using your fingers, firmly pat down the soil around the stem to eliminate any air pockets beneath the soil. You can plant two or three rosemary cuttings into a single pot for rooting.

Water the planted rosemary stem and soil until the soil is moist. Remove excess water in the catch pan below the pot.

Cover the top of the pot with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. Secure the plastic by using a rubber band or string around the pot.

Place the pot with the planted rosemary where it will receive only filtered light. It can have an hour or two of direct sunlight in the early morning, but while it is developing a new root system it must not be placed in direct sun during the day. This will cause the soil to completely dry out, killing the cutting.

Remove the plastic occasionally to mist the rosemary stem, foliage and soil, then cover the pot and cutting again with the plastic. After two or three weeks you should see new growth beginning on the tips of the cutting. This indicates your cutting has begun developing its roots. When you see the new growth, remove the plastic cover permanently.

Repot your rosemary plants into separate pots after two to three weeks, or transplant the new plants to your landscape or garden.