How to Grow Rosemary in Soil, Water, from Cuttings and Seeds – My Real Experience

How to grow rosemary in soil, water, from cuttings and seeds – Growing rosemary at home is easy if you know the right methods. Whether you plant it in a pot, garden bed, or try water propagation, rosemary grows well with proper sunlight, drainage, and care. In this post, I’ll share my personal experience of growing rosemary in different ways so you can enjoy this aromatic herb in your home garden too.

I started growing rosemary three years ago. At first, I failed due to wrong soil and overwatering. But slowly, I understood what this plant needs. Today, I have 4-5 healthy rosemary plants growing in my balcony and garden. I’ve tried growing it in soil, rooting it in water, growing from cuttings, and even from seeds.

About the Rosemary Plant

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, evergreen herb with needle-like leaves. It’s used in cooking (especially pasta and potatoes), and its strong smell keeps insects away. In Indian weather, it grows very well if we give it proper soil, sun, and care.

Feature	Description
Growth Type	Perennial (lives many years)
Grows Best In	Pots, grow bags, garden soil
Sunlight Required	6–8 hours daily
Propagation Methods	Cuttings, seeds, water rooting
Best Time to Plant	Spring or early monsoon

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Quick Care Tips for Growing Rosemary

Here are some simple points I’ve learned by growing rosemary at home:

• Use sandy, well-drained soil
• Avoid overwatering – rosemary hates wet roots
• Keep it in full sunlight
• Use medium-sized pots with holes
• Trim regularly to make it bushy
• Add compost every 40–50 days

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How to Grow Rosemary in Soil (My Favorite Method)

Soil is the natural home for rosemary. But I made a mistake initially by planting it in thick garden soil – it stayed wet and caused root rot. Later I found a perfect mix.

My soil mix recipe:

• 2 parts garden soil
• 1 part river sand (for drainage)
• 1 part compost or dry cow dung

This mix keeps the roots happy – not too dry, not too wet.

How I plant it:

• I choose a clay pot or grow bag with holes
• Fill it with the above mix
• Make a small hole and insert the cutting or seedling
• Water lightly and place in full sun

Once the plant adjusts, it grows well with very little effort.

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How to Grow Rosemary in Water (For Rooting Cuttings)

Growing rosemary in water is not permanent but helpful for starting cuttings. I’ve rooted many rosemary plants this way.

My method to root in water:

• I take a 5–6 inch cutting from a healthy plant
• Remove leaves from the bottom 2 inches
• Place it in a glass of clean water
• Keep it near indirect sunlight (not direct)
• Change water every 2–3 days

Roots appear in 10–15 days. As soon as I see roots, I move it to soil because rosemary doesn’t live long in water alone.

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How to Grow Rosemary from Cuttings (Most Successful Method)

This is the easiest and fastest way to grow rosemary. Almost all my current plants are grown from cuttings.

My cutting method:

• I cut a strong but not too woody branch (4–6 inches)
• Remove lower leaves
• Optional: dip the end in rooting powder
• Insert into a small pot with moist soil
• Keep in shade for 7–10 days
• Mist lightly every 2–3 days

After 2 weeks, new leaves start appearing – that means roots have formed! Then I slowly shift it to sunlight.

Why I love this method:

• Almost 90% success rate
• Faster than seeds
• Same quality and fragrance as the mother plant

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How to Grow Rosemary from Seeds (Takes Time But Works)

To be honest, growing rosemary from seeds is not easy for beginners. I tried it twice – first time failed, second time worked with care.

My steps to grow from seeds:

• Fill a seed tray or pot with soft, loose soil
• Sprinkle rosemary seeds and cover lightly
• Mist with water, keep soil slightly moist
• Keep in warm place with indirect sunlight
• Germination takes 2–3 weeks (sometimes more)

When seedlings are about 3 inches tall, I shift them into bigger pots.

My tip: Always use fresh rosemary seeds, not old ones. Seed method takes time and patience.

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Watering Rosemary – My Lessons Learned

Overwatering is the enemy of rosemary. I lost my first plant this way. Now I follow a simple rule: Water only when top soil feels dry.

My watering schedule:

• Summer – Once every 2–3 days
• Winter/Monsoon – Once every 5–7 days
• I always check soil before watering

Watering tips:

• Use pots with drainage holes
• Water in the morning
• Don’t spray water on the leaves too often
• Never let water stay at the base

Remember, dry roots are better than wet roots for rosemary.

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Light and Temperature Needs

Rosemary needs sunlight more than water. I keep my pots in the sunniest place on my balcony.

• Needs 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight
• Best temperature: 15°C to 30°C
• Avoid too much rain or frost

In rainy season, I shift the pot under a plastic shade to protect from heavy rain.

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Fertilizer and Feeding (Organic Only)

Rosemary doesn’t need a lot of fertilizer. Too much nitrogen reduces the aroma. I feed it every 1–1.5 months.

What I use:

• Homemade compost
• Dry cow dung manure
• Sometimes, liquid compost tea

Avoid chemical fertilizers. Natural food keeps the rosemary leaves full of flavor and oil.

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Common Problems I Faced (And How I Solved Them)

Here’s a simple table of issues and solutions based on my real gardening experience:

Problem	What Caused It	What I Did
Yellow leaves	Overwatering	Water less, fix drainage
Plant not growing	Less sunlight or poor soil	Shifted to sunny spot, added compost
Leaves turning brown	Too much heat or dryness	Misted lightly, shaded during noon
White fungus on soil	Wet soil, poor airflow	Used neem spray, improved drainage
Cuttings not rooting	Old wood or dirty scissors	Took fresh green cuttings next time

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FAQ– Growing Rosemary at Home

Conclusion – My Honest Advice

If you ask me, cuttings in soil is the best method to grow rosemary. It’s fast, simple, and almost always works. Rosemary is not a high-maintenance plant – it just needs sun, well-drained soil, and light watering.

Once it grows, you can enjoy fresh rosemary for cooking, tea, or even natural insect repellent. Plus, it makes your garden smell amazing.

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Read more Post:

How to Care for a Rosemary Plant Indoors in Summer – Easy Guide for Beginners

Rose Plant Care in Pots – My Experience at Home