skip to main content

Gardening in Oz

Transplanting rosemary - when?

13 years ago

Hi everyone,

I recently removed an old, woody rosemary, keeping a small part of the plant to replace it with. I searched online for the ideal time to plant it and was told to wait for spring.

No sooner had I done this than in an episode of Gardening Australia I saw Costa and Jane, in different items on the show, planting rosemary seedlings - presumably at this time of the year: autumn.

I'm in Melbourne. Can anyone offer advice as to how to proceed? Do I plant now or wait for spring? It's a particularly nice hanging rosemary and a great look tumbling over rocks retaining part of the garden. I really don't want the thing to not survive the transplant.

Thanks in advance!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

tuppitoo
13 years ago
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
tuppitoo
13 years ago
I meant to say to take the cuttings as well as trans planting this will give you a double chance of success
chas
Related Discussions
When to plant rosemary?
Q
Comments (2)
Yes, yes and No. If they are growing in a pot, you can plant them anytime. Digging out an old one is gonna be hard, they really hang on to the ground and have a lot of roots (unless there's a root rot issue). Even the trimmed ones will become rang-ey and straggley in a year. When they're happy they can grow a lot. They hate indoor life, it just too dry. They love lots of light (virtually impossible indoors), a little bit of humidity (more than inside a house, less than we have on a hot and sticky summer day), and they like things to be cool. They do best where it stays kinda cool all year. If we have another harsh winter you can expect some damage.
...See More
Transplanting Christmas Rosemary
Q
Comments (8)
As for transplanting during winter,I too was curious about this because I don't normally do transplants over winter. However, if the plant has not been overly disturbed, then it should be fine. Just don't do any fertilization. I understand that most indoor plants go into a form of hibernation which makes them look poorly but they do recover once spring comes along and there's more sunlight. Perhaps if you provide the same spring conditions to your plant with a good plant light, it will be fine. It's looks healthy which is why I was curious about what treatment you have given it so far. I've no idea why my attempts to overwinter rosemary had been unsuccessful. For both times, it was dry powdery mildew that killed off the plants and I did try the treatments that were recommended which was to spray water on the plant every now and then to humidify the plant since it gets too dry in winter. It was quite frustrating. I had both plants trained as a rosemary topiary only to see them die.
...See More
Transplanting Rosemary from container to ground
Q
Comments (5)
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.
...See More
Rosemary--transplanting to indoor pots
Q
Comments (23)
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.
...See More
funnelweb
13 years ago
While they are a pretty hardy plant, an 'old woody' rosemary could be coming to the end of its life - unfortunately that happens to all living things. Spring would be the best time but look, if you are careful not to disturb the root system too much, that is keep the root ball intact as you move it, it should be ok now.

Regards
B.
funnelweb
13 years ago
P.S. I forgot to mention that I'd also trim the foliage back about 1/3rd; that helps to slow down transpiration from the leafage and rest the plant a bit until it settles into it's new spot.
corpus
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Chas and B. for your advice. I did take a couple of cuttings actually, one doing better than the other - both are surviving though and, I suppose, will continue to live. Obviously I'm hoping to use the healthier specimen. But once again, thank you both. Appreciate your taking the time!
funnelweb
13 years ago
No problem, corpus, anytime. Hope the cuttings thrive on!.

B

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Herb Garden Essentials: Grow Your Own Rosemary

By Marianne Lipanovich

With its invigorating scent, easygoing nature and ability to make dishes sing with flavor, rosemary may become your new best garden friend

CONTAINER GARDENS Container Garden Basics: How and When to Water Potted Plants

Confused about soil moisture, the best time to water and what watering device to use? This guide can help

SELLING YOUR HOUSE How to Decorate for the Holidays When Your Home Is for Sale

By Jennifer Phelps: Organize. Design. Reinvent!

You can make your home appealing to potential buyers and still celebrate the season. Here are 7 tips to keep in mind

PLANTING IDEAS Stretch the Budget, Seasons and Style: Add Conifers to Your Containers

Small, low-maintenance conifers are a boon for mixed containers — and you can transplant them to your garden when they’ve outgrown the pot

WINTER GARDENING Extend Your Growing Season With a Cold Frame in the Garden

By Paintbox Garden

If the sun's shining, it might be time to sow seeds under glass to transplant or harvest

HOUSEPLANTS Outsmart Winter — Make Houseplants of Your Garden Growers

By creative jewish mom.com

No need to watch Jack Frost play Wreck the Rosemary. Bring your garden inside for the winter, using containers and these guidelines

Dry Your Garden Herbs for Casual Fall Decor

By Tiffany Carboni

Snip some sage and round up the rosemary. Dried herbs are just as great for autumnal arrangements as they are for cooking

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: A Dream Indoor-Outdoor Home in Nicaragua

By Louise Lakier

Breeziness and deep connections with the outdoors create an air of paradise for U.S. transplants

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Easy Herbs for Every Space

By Marianne Lipanovich

Resilient and forgiving, herbs like mint, thyme and rosemary are simple to grow and look great in both containers and landscape designs

GARDENING GUIDES Seeds or Seedlings? How to Get Your Garden Started

By Abundant City

Growing delicious herbs and vegetables starts with knowing your goals and when you want to plant

Sponsored

River Mill Construction

2 Reviews

Delaware County's Customer Focused General Contractor