My rosemary's growth?

Question

Hi Everyone!

I cut the top parts off of my young rosemary hoping to get two more branches out of each branch. It has been 3 weeks and the plant is doing well, but I do not see any new growth where I trimmed it. I cut off about an inch to an a inch and a half off of each branch but not the main branch. Will it take more time or did I do something wrong?

Answer 1

If your Rosemary has been growing well,  and is in a good sunny location, it should sprout, though it may need a little more time, as well as would benefit from some fertilizer, and a good drenching of water, to wash it into the roots.

My Rosemary are regularly hacked down, and they can sometimes be used as hedging plants, where they will be pruned, rather than just have pieces taken from them for cooking.  You don't mention how little the plants are,  but young plants generally are really vigorous - it could well be that they are diverting their energy more to root growth, if they are newly planted,  and water has been in short supply due to summer etc.

Overall,  a good feed, ensure they're not too dried out if the are newly planted, and new growth should start within a month from now - your plants look healthy otherwise, so I don't think there is anything basically wrong with them.

Hope this helps.   Good luck!  Rob

Answer 2

Give it more time.  My rosemary has plenty of branches naturally and I have never trimmed it to get more branches.  My rosemary does not grow very fast but I don't need very much for my cooking needs.

Answer 3

Chris,

I have a huge rosemary bush and when you trim off  the tips, new growth develops elsewhere, not from the tip that you cut.  Look for side-sprouts on the branches, etc.  Not so much because you trimmed it, but because the plant will continue to grow.

good luck