rosemary

[drh146]

Started some seeds today inside, to go to hotbox then who knows...
Never tried Rosemary by seed before, lookin forward to it.

[rainbowgardener]

I like growing it, you just have to be patient. It is slow to germinate and then v e r y slow to grow very much. Started in January from seed, by Sept or Oct when I have to bring mine in, it may be only 6" tall. Then it doesn't do very much growing while it is over-wintering indoors (since I can't provide great conditions for it indoors). In the second year outside it grows a lot more.

If your climate is such that you can grow it in the ground and leave it out for the winter, it should do better.

[drh146]

Wow, that is slow. Maybe I should do one like a bonsai

It would do ok in the ground here. Like a shrub I think

[rainbowgardener]

Yes, looks like you are in zone 8. Very nice! The rosemary should be fine in the ground for you and will grow into a nice shrub and probably not be quite as slow getting started (though still will take a little patience).

I have to keep it in a pot so I can bring it back in and it really doesn't like the indoor conditions. And it doesn't like the transitions, either come in or going back out.

[shadylane]

When bringing them indoors, place them under a growlight. I find them growing new sprigs, Or a very sunny window area. Place the pots on small pebbles when watering, (gives extra moisture to the plant). This has improved my rosemary plant indoors for one year now and counting...

Rosemary. I find it delightful and love it as much as lavender. I was surprised to find that Rosemary has a aromatherapy fragrance to stimulate the mind, like that of lavender. It is a antioxidant herb and a great source of vitamins A, B and C as well as iron, calcium potassium and magnesium....

[imafan26]

Rosemary is faster from cuttings. Take cuttings when rosemary is actively growing. They root in about 6 weeks. They root faster when it is warm and in good light.

[lily51]

I have good success with starting rosemary from seeds and then growing in my greenhouse until its time to transplant into the garden. It does grow slowly at first.
Here in Ohio it does not overwinter and has to be brought in to survive. I brought the ones in containers in and set them by window in my closed in but unheated porch . Ignore it mostly, watering only occasionally, with a little misting.
In your zone it should be happy outside all year, giving you years of enjoyment. Since there are so many varieties, cuttings would be a good way to have more than one kind in your garden.

[Dewality]

I tried doing rosemary direct sow into soil pods twice. 16 pods and not a single one of them germinated. I read that they have about a 5% germination rate, so I figured I would try one more time, but this time using the coffee filter and bag method. I put in 15 seeds and finally after 18 days at a high temperature/high moisture setting, I have 5 that have sprouted!

Almost cheated and asked a friend for some clippings. So glad I gave it a third go!

[rainbowgardener]

The trouble with germinating rosemary from seed is that it likes cooler soil, like 60 - 65 degrees, and it is slow germinating. That means while the seed is sitting there in cool damp soil waiting to sprout, it can rot out. So you have to maintain a fine balance of not letting the seed dry out, but keeping it the least wet you can short of drying out.

I have always been able to get some rosemary plants, but the germination rate is low--plant a bunch of seeds and get a few plants.

[Dewality]

That's why I have been doing most of my germinating now using coffee filters and baggies...just takes that unknown variable out of the equation....and its a more sterile environment!