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Martin Brown · 07-10-2011, 10:21 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 07/10/2011 09:41, wrote:
In ,
David wrote:

[ Old rosemary out of shape. ]

What can I do? Options:

1. Pull it out and start again with a new one?

I can't never keep them going for more than about 5 years, but they
aren't very long-lived even in poor soils, and most varieties tend
to get shapeless as time goes on.

That is surprising. I would have expected them to thrive on Cambridge's
relatively sandy soils rather than our heavy North Yorkshire clay. Mine
is in a bit of a rain shadow from the garage but it has been going for
20 years or so without any trouble and minimal intervention.

It has to fight the variagated sage underneath for space to grow!
Perhaps this conveys some unexpected additional protection to it?

If they are going to die they seem to get a white fungal rot that goes
for the leaf nodes or a root rot from wet feet.

2. Prune it back? But then it won't grow out again from the base, will
it?

Young rosemaries might - old ones won't.

The oldest one we had developed a rather pleasing gnarled appearance on
the main stem which was about 7cm diameter at the base when it finally
expired. It succumbed to the white fungal infection from the top.

Regards,
Martin Brown