Starting Rosemary from seed

akgardengirl · April 21, 2007

Anyone started Rosemary from seed? This herb I can grow year around indoors but have always purchased the plants. Any suggestions would be appreciated since I seem to favor this herb the most and know that there are different varieties out there. I am trying to root some organic rosemary purchased as a fresh herb in the grocery store.
Sue

**mdvpc** · April 21, 2007

Sue-"They" say it can be done, but I have tried 3 or 4 times to germinate rosemary seed and have only suceeded with one seed-which promptly died. Let us know how you do.

jdwhitaker · April 21, 2007

It worked for me, but only about 5 seeds germinated out of probably 30 sown. This was from a 97 cent pack of seeds purchased at Wal-Mart. The seeds were sown 3 months ago, and the plants are only about 3 inches tall now. I didn't do anything special to get the seeds to germinate--just patience.

Jason

gardengalrn · April 21, 2007

I've also tried several times to no avail. The last time I saw some green and was soooo excited. When I looked closer, I was sure that it was a stray seed from some oregano I had planted in the next cup. Sigh.

**nctomatoman** · April 21, 2007

Same experience here as far as germination percentage (very low!) - but I did manage to get a few to grow into quite large plants - at least 15 years ago! We've purchased a few seedlings from herb sellers at the local farmers market - they are in the ground (have been for 3 years - appear to be hardy) - one of them is 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide.

pooklette · April 22, 2007

I tried it this year and had 50% germination after 13 days. I used the same soilless mix as usual, barely covered the seeds, and kept everything continually moist. These guys sprouted in a sunny windowsill without bottom heat or anything special. I assumed my 50% germination was kind of poor. From the other comments here, I'm starting to think I got lucky that mine sprouted at all though...

akgardengirl · April 22, 2007

From all the comments received, I think I will just buy the plants from Nichols. I am starting to get small roots on the cuttings from the grocery store.
Sue B.

jenn_sc · April 22, 2007

I've done it, and like the others here, gotten low germination rates. Then the little seedlings just kind of gave it up after a couple of weeks

Now I have two large Rosemary plants that I bought, and I'm planning to try taking cuttings. It's got to be easier

Jennifer

barkeater · April 22, 2007

When I was in the retail garden center/farm market business, a few of my greenhouse growers also became best friends. None of them grew from seed. They had "mother" plants in the greenhouses they took cuttings from. The cuttings rooted easily, just like geraniums do.

jungseed · April 23, 2007

We get alot of questions on rosemary seeds. Here's some ideas if you decide to try it.

The government standard (normal germination rate) for rosemary is only 10%.
The ladies in our germination area do a little dance if they hit 50%, but they are professionals.
They gave me some tips to pass along to you, if you decide to try again.
Sow seeds in sterile soil substitue, in a flat, at temperature of 55 degrees at night to no more than 75 degrees in the daytime. Seedling appear in 15 - 28 days but then grow very slowly for months. If they can be potted when they are an inch or two in height, put each one in its own smallest size plastic pot. Peat mixtures are inimicable to Rosemary and Lavender which thrive in alkaline soils. Some sand should be added to the potting soil used for both plants as soon as they are to be potted up. Overwatering is one of the principle causes of losing Rosemary seedlings but slips taken to propagate the herb need to be kept moist.

Good luck, and thanks
Ruth

feldon30 · April 23, 2007

Purchase a plant.

Prepare soil as if planting a shrub/bush.

Rip out one of the hedges in front of your house and replace it with the rosemary.

You'll never need to buy rosemary ever again and it's a beautiful hedge/shrub.

This is routinely done in Austin, TX.

akgardengirl · April 23, 2007

I will purchase the plants and grow them indoors in the winter since they are not hardy here in zone 3.
Sue B.

Granny · April 24, 2007

akgardengirl, be careful where you buy the plant. We've tried to overwinter rosemary here in Vermont a couple of times (and I am no slouch with houseplants) only to have them one day just drop every leaf on the plant and give up the ghost.

The first time I figured it was because the plant came from Walmart originally. The second plant was a stunning 3-foot tall rosemary we got at our local co-op, which carries lovely things from really reputable organic growers, mostly locals.

I wish I could find a rosemary hardy in this area. Feldon's idea is stupendous and our bushes need replacing.

feldon30 · April 24, 2007

I'm sorry, akgardengirl, did not realize rosemary was not hardy up there. Well hopefully you can get one to overwinter for many years indoors.

sirtanon · April 24, 2007

Feldon - I have 3 such rosemary plants in my front yard. They started out as tiny little things with 2 or 3 branches each back in August of last year, and are now between 12 and 16 inches across. My folks have a few as well. We barely even need to water them!

We've already utilized them in our cooking countless times.

April 21, 2007	#1
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	Starting Rosemary from seed Anyone started Rosemary from seed? This herb I can grow year around indoors but have always purchased the plants. Any suggestions would be appreciated since I seem to favor this herb the most and know that there are different varieties out there. I am trying to root some organic rosemary purchased as a fresh herb in the grocery store. Sue

April 21, 2007	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Sue-"They" say it can be done, but I have tried 3 or 4 times to germinate rosemary seed and have only suceeded with one seed-which promptly died. Let us know how you do. __________________ Michael

April 21, 2007	#4
gardengalrn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas, zone 5 Posts: 524	I've also tried several times to no avail. The last time I saw some green and was soooo excited. When I looked closer, I was sure that it was a stray seed from some oregano I had planted in the next cup. Sigh. __________________ ~Lori "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." -Abraham Lincoln

April 21, 2007	#5
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Same experience here as far as germination percentage (very low!) - but I did manage to get a few to grow into quite large plants - at least 15 years ago! We've purchased a few seedlings from herb sellers at the local farmers market - they are in the ground (have been for 3 years - appear to be hardy) - one of them is 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. __________________ Craig

April 22, 2007	#7
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	rosemary from seed From all the comments received, I think I will just buy the plants from Nichols. I am starting to get small roots on the cuttings from the grocery store. Sue B.

April 21, 2007	#3
jdwhitaker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Andrews, Texas Posts: 104	It worked for me, but only about 5 seeds germinated out of probably 30 sown. This was from a 97 cent pack of seeds purchased at Wal-Mart. The seeds were sown 3 months ago, and the plants are only about 3 inches tall now. I didn't do anything special to get the seeds to germinate--just patience. Jason

April 22, 2007	#6
pooklette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Zone 5 Posts: 262	I tried it this year and had 50% germination after 13 days. I used the same soilless mix as usual, barely covered the seeds, and kept everything continually moist. These guys sprouted in a sunny windowsill without bottom heat or anything special. I assumed my 50% germination was kind of poor. From the other comments here, I'm starting to think I got lucky that mine sprouted at all though...

April 22, 2007	#8
jenn_sc SPLATT™ Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Florence, SC Posts: 502	I've done it, and like the others here, gotten low germination rates. Then the little seedlings just kind of gave it up after a couple of weeks Now I have two large Rosemary plants that I bought, and I'm planning to try taking cuttings. It's got to be easier Jennifer

April 22, 2007	#9
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	When I was in the retail garden center/farm market business, a few of my greenhouse growers also became best friends. None of them grew from seed. They had "mother" plants in the greenhouses they took cuttings from. The cuttings rooted easily, just like geraniums do.

April 23, 2007	#10
jungseed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pardeeville, WI Posts: 318	We get alot of questions on rosemary seeds. Here's some ideas if you decide to try it. The government standard (normal germination rate) for rosemary is only 10%. The ladies in our germination area do a little dance if they hit 50%, but they are professionals. They gave me some tips to pass along to you, if you decide to try again. Sow seeds in sterile soil substitue, in a flat, at temperature of 55 degrees at night to no more than 75 degrees in the daytime. Seedling appear in 15 - 28 days but then grow very slowly for months. If they can be potted when they are an inch or two in height, put each one in its own smallest size plastic pot. Peat mixtures are inimicable to Rosemary and Lavender which thrive in alkaline soils. Some sand should be added to the potting soil used for both plants as soon as they are to be potted up. Overwatering is one of the principle causes of losing Rosemary seedlings but slips taken to propagate the herb need to be kept moist. Good luck, and thanks Ruth

April 23, 2007	#11
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Purchase a plant. Prepare soil as if planting a shrub/bush. Rip out one of the hedges in front of your house and replace it with the rosemary. You'll never need to buy rosemary ever again and it's a beautiful hedge/shrub. This is routinely done in Austin, TX.

April 23, 2007	#12
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	rosemary from seed I will purchase the plants and grow them indoors in the winter since they are not hardy here in zone 3. Sue B.

April 24, 2007	#13
Granny Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 507	akgardengirl, be careful where you buy the plant. We've tried to overwinter rosemary here in Vermont a couple of times (and I am no slouch with houseplants) only to have them one day just drop every leaf on the plant and give up the ghost. The first time I figured it was because the plant came from Walmart originally. The second plant was a stunning 3-foot tall rosemary we got at our local co-op, which carries lovely things from really reputable organic growers, mostly locals. I wish I could find a rosemary hardy in this area. Feldon's idea is stupendous and our bushes need replacing.

April 24, 2007	#15
sirtanon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ (zone 9b) Posts: 796	Feldon - I have 3 such rosemary plants in my front yard. They started out as tiny little things with 2 or 3 branches each back in August of last year, and are now between 12 and 16 inches across. My folks have a few as well. We barely even need to water them! We've already utilized them in our cooking countless times. __________________ I could sail by on the winds of silence, and maybe they won't notice... but this time I think it would be better if I swim..