Herbs: Rosemary cuttings..., 1 by JeaneTH

JeaneTH wrote:
McCool, I've known of a few rosemaries that have made it through the winter (in the Detroit area where I lived until last summer) but they where planted right next to a basement foundation that kept the ground a little warmer. I knew one old Italian gentelman who used to build a mini greenhouse around his for the winter. By using 4 wood stakes - not touching the plant - and wrapping with polyfilm. Several rosemaries are hardy to zone 7 - Madeline Hill (Hill Hardy), Arp and Salem. I wasn't having much luck inside my old house keeping them going, so I built a cold frame set down in the ground, wood sides and polyfilm inside a fiberglass top for an extra air layer of insulation. The rosemaries loved it and did much better than indoors. I just had to remember to give them some water about once a month while they were in a dormant state. Just enough to keep them alive. And open it on warm sunny days so it wouldn't get to warm. I have a greenhouse now. But some of my rosemaries are over 5 years old. I've already got them outside as I know even the nights that dip into the 30s still won't hurt them. It's wonderful to start out the year with big beautiful bushes of them. They look so happy and cheaful sitting on my front porch! Give it a try next winter. We used to be considered zone 5 but were upgraded to 6 a couple years ago. A cold frame would easily take you to zone 7.

Rooting takes several weeks. I have found that bottom heat can help speed things up a little and use a heat mat. I used to do all the cutting propagation in a commercial greenhouse where we had hot water pipes running under the table and misters. So, if I don't put one of those clear plastic dome's over my trays (available this time of year at garden centers and places that carry seed starting supplies.) I keep a water spray bottle handy to keep them from getting too dry. Just don't over do it as they can get powdery mildew - good air circulation helps prevent that though. Espoma has a new 'safe' product called 3 in 1 insect and disease control - in a pink bottle - that seems to be really effective for this. I was having a problem with my sages this winter.

This is a Salem cutting I took last fall and potted up in February.