Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Split Rosemary Plants
How to Split Rosemary Plants. The beautiful blue-green needle-like leaves of rosemary are a perfect accent in a herb or flower garden. This hardy bush is a woody shrub that can grow to 4 feet tall and 6 to 7 feet across. It should be pruned every three to five years to allow good air circulation and prevent fungal growth. Dividing woody shrubs...
The beautiful blue-green needle-like leaves of rosemary are a perfect accent in a herb or flower garden. This hardy bush is a woody shrub that can grow to 4 feet tall and 6 to 7 feet across. It should be pruned every three to five years to allow good air circulation and prevent fungal growth. Dividing woody shrubs isn’t recommended. However, many woody shrubs have layered roots. These are stems that have made contact with the soil and formed roots. These layers can be cut from the mother plant and transplanted. This should be done in the fall to allow vigorous root growth before new top growth starts to form.
Things You'll Need
Sharp shovel or garden fork
Sharp knife
Watering can or garden hose
Water the plant well the day before you plan to divide it.
Dig the hole for the new rosemary plant with the shovel.
Gently loosen the soil around the layered root system using the shovel or garden fork.
Cut the layered root from the mother plant with a sharp knife.
Gently shake most of the dirt from the root system and spread the roots in the bottom of the prepared hole.
Cover the roots with dirt and gently pack it.
Gently water the new plant until the soil is very moist. You can use a watering can or a garden hose. Adjust the water pressure on the hose to a stream the size of a pencil to prevent eroding the soil around the new plant.
Tips & Warnings
Replant divisions at the same depth they were originally growing.
Water every other day the first week after planting. Each following week, allow one more day between watering until you are watering once a week. Continue the watering schedule through the first season.
Don’t let the roots dry out. If you can’t plant them immediately, wrap them with damp newspaper.
