"George Shirley" wrote in message
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Eigenvector wrote:
"George Shirley" wrote in message
...

Eigenvector wrote:


I may have goofed, this is my first herb garden and I think I planted
the wrong items next to each other.

I have rosemary planted next to my lavender plants and it looks like the
rosemary is going to take over the entire section - it's easily 5 times
larger than it was when I planted it in March. So now the lavender is
leaning to the sun, growing into the rosemary with the rosemary
spreading out in all directions growing into the lavender. The only
thing that grew more than the rosemary is the catnip - that thing is
HUGE!

When I planted it I understood that rosemary was a bush, but I wasn't
expecting it to be a large bush. Can I clip it back and still maintain
its health - if so how do I clip it and where?

My rosemary has a trunk about four inches in diameter and can grow four
feet high and four feet wide in one growing year. I live in USDA Zone 9b
so it's pretty warm here. I've been in Seattle a time or two and it gets
a bit colder but rosemary will still grow into a tree if not pruned.

I whack mine back by about half the height and half the width each year.
Hasn't hurt it yet. YMMV

George



Yikes, I wasn't expecting a something that large. I guess I assumed
rosemary would be like thyme - something bushy but small and
controllable.

So do you just cut it wherever? I just didn't want to kill the branches
by cutting them in the middle to shorten them up. I guess as a benefit I
can then tie the branches up and hang them in the kitchen - make it smell
nice.
I just cut back everything that is encroaching on my other herbs. Finally
cut it all the way down one year, darned thing grew back from the roots.
You're right about the thyme though, makes a low-growing bush for me.
Oregano grows like a wild weed, which it once was, as were most herbs.

Finally started potting up all the new starts in 3 inch pots and sold them
at the local farmer's market for a dollar apiece. Still do about twice a
year. Rest of it we dehydrate and send to relatives in a goody box each
year at Christmas along with home canned jams and jellies. I use mostly
the fresh herbs in my kitchen because it's an easy step out back to cut
some when needed.

One of the things that comes back every year and does well for me is leaf
celery. Found in many of the seed catalogs. Stalk celery doesn't grow well
here but I've found the leaf celery adds the wanted flavor to stews,
soups, and even salads.

George


Done deal - a cutting I will go! Thanks.