rosemary

Ok everyone i have some rosemary seeds i need to plant(i heard they r picky) what do i do to try to get good germination? Jen

Hi
I dont have any seeds, but I do have a plant. I could send you an unrooted cutting, or I can try to root one for you.... let me know if you are interested

Scarlett

Jennifer
They need to be sown in soil that is at least 65* about 1/4" deep. Germination rates vary depending on species, and seeds them selves but from what I understand don't expect more than 50% germination success.

And remember that rosemary plants like to be warm and dry.

Jennifer-

Good luck!! My rosemary hasn't done a thing yet. I seeded, watered, and placed under growlights. I let them dry out between watering. I gave them a month, no germination, and I reseeded 2 days ago. Hopefully you'll have much better success than I did! If so, be sure to let me know how you did it! :)

Trish

Mine hasn't sprouted either. :-( So I guess I just wait some more. Must be one of those tempermental seeds I've heard about!

Sharon

Thanks guys & yes i will let you know if they germinate Trish(am crossing my fingers that the will be magic rosemary seeds....lol)

Trish:
You shouldn't let the seeds dry out, keep them moist, and supply some bottom heat if possible. Only let them dry out a bit after they have germinated. Sometimes the germination can be irregular too, so don't despair yet. Did you throw out the previously sowed ones? If not...maybe keep them till you can set them outside w/ no frost, let them be for the summer and see what comes up.

I have seen seeds offered for Rosemary that have as little as 5% germ rate up to only 50%. If they don't come up don't think you have done anything wrong...

Thanks, Jody.

I'll keep this run moist. We don't have a bottom heater, but we have shelves set up, and the RM is on the middle shelf, so it does get _a little_ bottom heat from the light. I didn't throw out the first run...I keep hoping!

I'll put them all out after the first frost, just to see. I hate to think that they won't go. The only seeds that haven't come up for me are those (commercial packet), 2 packets that were crushed (trade), but I tried anyway, and a whole group of seeds from someone of "another board" that Dave traded with last summer/fall. This is my first year for herbs, but I'm determined!

Trish

Rosemary is the one of the hardest, if not the hardest herb to get to growing. Very low germination, takes a long time to germinate[up to two months]. Then once you get them to germinate, they grow extremely slow. They really need to be started in November. I started some one year in the greenhouse in January and they weren't big enough to set out untill June. Of course that is here in zone 5.

Jody and Debby,

Thanks for the great information. I'm in zone 5 also. So I'll be patient. Maybe I'll sow a few more seeds just to increase the chance of maybe getting one to sprout.

Thanks,
Sharon

Hi all: well, I don't feel so bad now. Out of one pack of seeds, I think I have about 5 plants. I went back and read the poop on them and they say a 5 - 10% germination rate!

So, I bought a plant today, lol.

Trish it takes a looooooog time for them to germinate. Don't give up, one day you'll get a nice surprise, ha.
Grits

Grits-

I am proud to announce that out of about 50 seeds sown, I have _one_ seedling!!!!!

Man, oh man!! This has to be the worst germination in the world, but am I proud of that seedling!! Shoot, I'm even singing to her!

Scarlett was kind enough to send me a plant, so I will have rosemary. (I hope you got my email, Scarlett!)

On the bright side...I don't have to worry about Rosemary taking over my herb garden :)

Trish

Congrats Trish!! :)

(I sing and play music in the greenhouse all the time, LOL)