so is it really as hard as I've been reading to start rosemary from seed? I love adding this herb to veggie foil packs that I grill. I usually buy the fresh herb but would like to start several of the plants from seed since herbs are freaking pricey at nurseries. however, if I buy seeds and they don't sprout, I'd rather just buy plants. I'll have a seed starting bed warmer and grow lights if that helps any?

Give it a try! It it works - great! Otherwise, the effort will not be wasted as you will still learn something. I myself have had mixed results. This year I am trying outside sowing again as well as inside for the first time.

If the seeds don't work and you know someone with an established rosemary plant you can easily take cuttings, trim the bottom few inches and just stick them in a pot with a nice potting soil mix. You can use rooting hormone if you have it, but it's not necessary. Rosemary is very easy to propagate in this manner.

Henderman said:If the seeds don't work and you know someone with an established rosemary plant you can easily take cuttings, trim the bottom few inches and just stick them in a pot with a nice potting soil mix. You can use rooting hormone if you have it, but it's not necessary. Rosemary is very easy to propagate in this manner.

I was wondering if it wouldn't be easy to root cuttings. I could always buy one rosemary and then take cuttings from it to start more. I may do that since I can find live plants in grocery stores.

when starting from seed the grow light will be important as seeds can be slow to progress with rosemary. It also doesn't need as much water as some other herbs like basil and cilantro. It can handle getting a wee bit dry before watering. Make sure it's getting a good 6-8 hours of sun or grow light. Once it gets going it can get massive.

It is great. Your post have given new idea to me. Thank You

I ordered seed, I think? And plan on starting rosemary as soon as it arrives. The timer is currently set to at least 10 hours of light, so I should be good there. I would really like to see these rosemary plants get large. I think I'm going to accidentally expand a bed in the front yard and incorporate herbs into it.

Rosemary should not be planted too deeply, and I start mine on a heat mat, as it seems to help them germinate a little more quickly. Primed seed will also germinate more quickly. I grow about 100 rosemary plants each year for our Master Gardner plant sale...I start seed in January to sell 5-6" tall plants in late May.

It's a very slow grower, so start early and be patient. Don't over water or over fertilize.

I find starting from seed to be more reliable than starting from cuttings.

Primed seed? Now I have to go search the internet to learn something. thaaanks linda...

ARE YOU SERIOUS! You want me to work that hard? Ok. Yeah I've heard about soaking some seeds before planting, not sure which ones need to be soaked. I also used to let them sprout in moist paper towels so I knew which seeds were viable and then stick those seeds into a growing medium. Lately I must be getting lazy or just lucky with success of lettuces and spinach in the limited hydroponics that I've been doing. Almost 100% success rate with that.

Seed should be here this weekend. I'm going to start several off them on a heating mat.

@thommesM Glad I could give you something else to think about.

Rosemary is a notoriously low/slow germinator. I need to have 100 plants ready for sale in May, so I started using the primed seed a few years ago just to get things growing faster. I have no idea what the seed is primed with (do I really want to know???), but it seems to work. I had about 90% of my seedlings up in less than a week.

Interested in hearing about your hydroponics...I play with it a little too (but not the right forum here to discuss). I've grown lettuce, herbs, and bok choy.

Ah so you don't actually print the seed yourself you buy the seed already primed. I saw that when I ordered and thought it was just a higher quality seed. Lol.

I tried primed seed this year and it really did not do that much better....the seedlings damped off so I think I had that tray....tooo wet.
PRimed seed do not last past one season as they have been partially germinated and then dried to some moisture level.

Grocery store rosemary can be used for cuttings......dont use the woody parts.......take cuttings of the green new growth.

Yeah I bought a plant from the grocery about a month ago and have 7 new plants from cuttings. Just waiting for the right time to plant outside.

I've found that starting from cuttings is way more precarious than starting from seed. But then again, I need 100 plants, so I would need a ton of hardy rosemary plants to get cuttings from My primed seed this year didn't have as good of germination as in the past--I had to do a second sowing to get my 100 plants>

yeah I don't think those 7 rosemary plants will be enough. Only a family of three, but I add fresh rosemary to foil packets for the grill. We love those and eat them several times a week in the summer. My thyme seed finally came. Not sure if it's late to plant. Have to go look that up. Maybe I can still have an herb garden this year.