I have a rosemary bush that is at least 4yrs old. It is stemmy and leggy on one side. I'd like to cut it back, but am not sure as to how far or whether or not doing so would hurt it. When would be the best time to prune. I love walking by it and having it rub against my clothes...it smells so good, so I don't want to accidently destroy it! Any advive would be very appreciated.
bluesyblue - rosemary can take quite a severe pruning and will produce new shoots from lower down. You might want to think though about why your plant is leggy on only one side. Is it shaded by something? Anyway you can safely cut it back.
As for the previous response - don't worry about that. If no one ever repeated a question these forums would practically cease to exist.
Thank you Flora... as a matter of fact the side that is the most scraggly is a bit shaded by a pecan tree. I will cut back ... when is the best time of the year to do pruning? I looked up "pruning rosemary" as suggested. However,that wasn't addressed. Maybe you know? Anyway thank you for your response. bluesy
Bluesy, Think of pruning rosemary as harvesting an herb. Cut it whenever you want. Rosemary in Florida should be evergreen, so you can harvest/prune at any time of the year. Think of the overall shape you want and then have at it! Rosemary will bush out when pruned, as Flora said. Several side shoots will appear at the cut. I use the harvested woody stems as shish-kebab skewers. Strip off the leaves (saving and drying them for future use) except for a little bit at the top, then either use the stems fresh or dry them and soak them in water for an hour before using. The rosemary "rods" impart a wonderful flavor to chicken and pork cubes. I agree, brushing a rosemary bush is one of the olefactory delights of gardening!
Rather depends on a variety of factors. Where do you live? When was it cut down? Where I live it would survive and thrive but your conditions may be quite different.
