How to Save a Rosemary Tree That Is Drying Out

Rosemary is a lovely, fragrant perennial shrub commonly used as an herb. Its rich, evergreen color and aromatic scent can make a person reminiscent of a snowy, Christmas evening spent by a fireplace. Rosemary is a very hardy shrub, but at times, it can appear to be drying out. Rosemary often goes into a dormant phase in very cold weather, but if your plant is drying out in suitable weather, take steps to preserve its health.

Small pruning shears or kitchen shears

Trowel

Watering can or garden hose

Small bag of mulch

Small clay pot with drain hole

Coffee filter

Small bag of peat and perlite potting soil

Container of hormone root stimulator

Identify the affected areas of the plant and remove them with the shears, cutting back to the fresh stem. If whole sections of the plant are dry, remove these sections, including roots, stems and leaves.

Use the trowel to poke a few drainage holes into the soil. Water the soil thoroughly with about an inch of water.

Add a 1-inch layer of mulch to the plant, especially if you are in a hot climate. This will help keep the roots cool.

Monitor the plant for a few weeks, watering once a week. If the drying continues, you may have to replant the rosemary.

Trim off a few side shoots (robust, fairly new growth) from the remaining healthy portion of your rosemary bush. These should ideally be about 8 inches long.

Place the coffee filter into the small clay pot and fill the pot with rich potting soil. If desired, mix in a little of the remaining mulch into the soil.

Dip the ends (the bottom 1/2 inch) of your rosemary cuttings into the root stimulator and plant in the small pot. Moisten the soil lightly. Place indoors in an area that receives full, direct sunlight.

Wait three weeks for the plants to take root. As they grow, continue to feed and water, moving the plant to a larger container until it is large enough to be replanted outside.