Provided the soil they will be planted in, they should do just fine, and do not need to have the roots spread out. Actually doing this. may damage some of the smaller ones, and cause transplant shock. Be sure to add plenty of soil looseners and a transplant fertilizer once they are transplanted. Green Light brand offers a transplant fertilizer, that also encourages more rooting, as well as having vitamins. I use it here when transplanting any trees, shrubs, or any other larger root systems. Rosemary, once extablished, isnt very fussy about the soil requirements.

I am zone 5 but will do some testing this winter to see what works best. I do have a couple of cold frames made with patio doors. I think I will plant one of my small rosemary plants in there for the winter as an experiment. I have 6 smallish plants made from cuttings last spring so I can afford to do some experimenting. I don't know what kind they are. I grew two from seed I got in a trade and four from grocery store cuttings. I will also put one in the cold cellar with the squash, perhaps on the NW windowsill in there. It's not much light but a little might help. Should I give it a little water occasionally or let it go completely dry while dormant? The rest I will put on a south windowsill in a cold unheated bedroom, watering sparingly. When can I plant them back outside in the spring? I don't need to wait for last frost do I? Can they go outside as soon as the ground thaws and dries out some in mid April? I think I'm going to blog this test and keep it updated over the winter.

I have about 5 rosemary bushes that are HUGE and in containers. I've always had to contain them because the soil in the backyard is clay-based and not very good drainage. BUT...this year we're making planting beds (actually redesigning the backyard especially for an herb garden) and I want to take the rosemary out of their containers and put them in the ground. I am positive that when I go to do this they will come out of their containers in one piece....the shape of the container. Should I bother the roots at all, loosen things up, or should I leave well enough be? They are all so healthy right now, I don't want to lose a single one of them. For reasons I won't go into, a couple of them hold extreme sentimental value for me. They've survived in their pots through the winter so far, despite temps being 10 degrees and some snow. They're very strong plants and well established. But I, like others who've posted here, have concerns about disturbing the rosemary and moving it. From pot to ground. Should it be that big a deal as if I were to dig it up from the ground and relocate it in another part of the garden? I'm just wanting to de-containerize them and plant them in the new garden beds.

Hi there, I've never transplanted Rosemarybut I dont see why if you doit now whilst the weather is still a bit warm it wouldn't succeed.. You could take quite a few cuttings abt 10 ins long strip off abt 3 ins of bottom leaves plant in small pots or straight inthe ground as I did abt 12 mths ago.They dont grow that quickly but rosemary is tough and once established is nigh indestructable. good luck chas