HOW TO PROPAGATE

There are two schools of thought when it comes to taking rosemary cuttings; the predominant view is that growing tips are best. however, i was taught by my grandmother as a child to take woody cuttings and, if possible, ones with a slight bow in them. i would suggest trying both and see which works for you.

Method 1: Soft-tip cuttings Choose healthy stems with fresh growth and flexible green stems.

Using sharp scissors, snip each rosemary tip off so you have several stems 10–12cm long.

Remove the leaves from the bottom two-thirds of the cuttings and place them in small pots filled with well-draining potting medium.

Water the cuttings and, to speed up new root development, cover each cutting with a plastic bottle that has had the bottom cut off and lid removed.

When you see new growth, remove the bottle.

Method 2: Hardwood cuttings look for a woody branch of rosemary that makes an l-shape or, better still, forms a u-shape. trim the cutting back to 10–12cm and leave the bottom part of the ‘l’ 5–6cm long.

It is quite common to find rosemary layering – this is where roots have grown out where a branch has touched the ground. these sections always take root easily and grow into very strong, hardy plants.

Gently scrape the outer layer of bark from the bottom of your l- or u-shaped piece with a knife on the underside, exposing the growing cells.

Remove the leaves immediately above this section and then follow the potting up instructions above.