Rosemary is a popular perennial herb. Unlike some other fussier herbs, this dependable plant thrives in various environments and can tolerate some neglect. Rosemary is useful for many reasons. I use them in the kitchen for multiple things, such as garnishing a few dishes.
Rosemary may be an excellent addition to any herb garden, but it needs some pruning to thrive and present itself at its best. Avoid removing more than a third of the plant’s growth at once. Also, remove dead wood to lessen the size of overgrown shrubs. When you’re through, remember to conserve your fresh rosemary trimmings!
How Do I Prune Rosemary?
The main gains from pruning are to keep your plant healthy and bushy and increase productivity. If they become woodier, they may need help to resprout. Also, removing dead or diseased branches invigorates the plant and increases airflow, preventing fungus and diseases.
Rosemary pruning can be done anytime during spring or summer until four or six weeks before the first frost. Pruning rosemary in the fall and winter can encourage the rosemary shrub to generate new growth instead of hardening off and safeguarding the development it already has. If a rosemary bush does not harden off, it will be more vulnerable to winter damage, which can kill it.
The exact date for when to trim Rosemary depends on where you reside. In warmer climates, the optimum time is late winter to early summer. Since tender stems are more susceptible to frost, stop cutting four to six weeks ahead of the first frost. Start cutting it back in late spring for optimal production in a cold area, and keep going until the weather cools down in the fall.
Techniques For Pruning Rosemary
There are two basic techniques you can use to prune your Rosemary. They are:
- Trimming Back Stems And Branches
You can clip off long stems just as needed to shape and maintain the size of the plant. It’s also effectively used to remove dead or diseased branches frequently. Take care not to cut back too far deep into old wood as it can prevent new growth. To achieve premium results, start at the top and center and work your way down and around the plant’s sides. It gives you a better view of what you should remove while working.
- Removing New Tips
Removing new tips while clipping your Rosemary encourages branching, which leads to higher productivity. To do this, pinch the tender tops or trim them with precision shears. It works best when the plant is still young as often, and it results in plenty of stems branching out just below each cut.
Different Ways To Prune Rosemary
The best way to increase productivity and prevent Rosemary from becoming large is to clip it back frequently. Below I will give you the techniques for the most common pruning methods. They are:
- Pruning Rosemary To Increase Growth
You can use this method to encourage fresh new tender shoots and elevate the productivity of your plant. First, deadhead the flowers. Take out dead flowers with your fingers or cut them off with sharp snips. For larger shrubs, hedge shears or an electric tool would be perfect. Take out any broken or diseased branches using heavy-duty or hand shears. It makes room for fresh and healthy stems and prevents further plant issues.
Moving on, cut back the outer stems. Look for the longest outer stems and cut each back by roughly 1 inch. Make your cuts at an angle of 45° so water won’t pool in the wound. Do this for the inner stems as well. Get the older inside stems and cut them back by a similar amount. Inspect your progress frequently to avoid over-pruning or giving the plants irregular shapes. Step back after a few cuts and ensure they’re spaced evenly around the plant.
- Pruning Overgrown Rosemary Shrubs
If your rosemary shrubs are overgrown, you would need to do an extreme clipping. You can be aggressive with clipping but never cut below the last leaves set or take out more than half of the plant at once. Before pruning, remove any obvious deadwood so you observe your plants. You can do this by singly snipping down to the main stem. You can use a lopper or pruning saw to remove stubborn or thick branches. Cut back the plant.
You can also clip woody branches back by up to 50%, as far as plenty of leaves are left below your cuts. Look out for any entwined branches. Scrutinize your shrubs for any entwined branches. Take out the rough-looking ones to allow more airflow and reduce the risk of disease or damage. You can follow up with a light prune. You should follow up with light trimmings to keep your plant healthy and increase productivity.
- Pruning For Harvest
Cutting parts of the plant for harvest is one of the most everyday actions you’d perform; after all, it is why we grow Rosemary. You can harvest Rosemary within any period of the year, but you must ensure that harvest does not hamper growth. The best period to harvest your Rosemary is just before a branch flowers. Remove the branch section just above the end of the woody growth to ensure it grows back quickly.
You should start from the edges and work your way inside. It keeps the plant looking tidy and prevents spotty growth in the center, which may become hard to control. Don’t remove more than ¼ of the entire plant once. Removing too much can cause shock and prevent the plant from a remarkable comeback. If you’re harvesting during fall or winter, only remove what’s necessary and use as little as possible because it will start to grow back only in springtime.
- Pruning For Tidying
Not all cuts are for growth or kitchen use. A prune can make your plant appear more pleasing while fitting in with the rest of your garden. If pruning to tidy the plant, remove all dying or low-performing branches at the base. You should cut off any parts of the plant killed by disease or frost. Clip off branches growing more than the surrounding ones to keep the shape neat.
Tools For Pruning Your Rosemary
Most parts of Rosemary are too hard to pinch off with your fingers, so you need pruning tools to do the job effectively. Irrespective of whichever tool you opt for, endeavor to use only freshly sharpened and sterilized tools to prevent damage. Here are some tools and what they can help you do:
- Use standard shears or heavy-duty ones to cut back dead branches for perfect results.
- An electric trimmer or hedge shear will simplify the job regarding established shrubs.
- You can also opt for a lopper or pruning saw to cut large or thick, woody branches.
Does Rosemary Regrow After Being Cut?
Your Rosemary will regrow after being cut if you do the job correctly. Stick to clipping the green stems and regularly prune them for premium results. A mature rosemary plant can be cut back hard. But it would help if you left this intense cutting for late winter or early spring to avoid frost damage to the tender new shoots.