Resurrecting Rosemary

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I think I may have killed my rosemary plant. Everyone told me they were very drought hardy, so over winter, I pretty much didn't water it, or even look at it unless I needed rosemary. Click the pic to see what it looks like now :/

I've fed it, and have been watering every couple of days. Should I prune it right back to encourage new growth if I haven't completely killed it yet?

Any suggestions much appreciated!

[Phteven]

There's no point in keeping the dead bits. Cut all the dead back until you hit live wood.
Don't over water it. If you puch on the soil and few crumbs of dirt stick to your finger it's wet enough.

[LimeSlice]

Yep, cut it right back.
"Drought hardy" doesn't mean "doesn't require water"... :P

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Well when you put it like THAT LS

Okay, cut right back. I killed my mint plant as well, that one's gone completely, so I'll hafta replace it. I might buy another rosemary as well, worst case scenario I end up with 2. Or none, lol.

Oh well, at least it wasn't a puppy!

[Phteven]

Killing Mint is a special talent. All you have to do is ignore it.

[Pholi]

If it had been in the ground, I would expect that it would survive the winter without watering. i give mine a drink every fortnight or sop in the summer, and nothing over winter, so they really are quite tolerant. But in a pot, the soil dries out very quickly, and many potting mixes don't re-wet very well once they've dried out totally. The soil can repel the water, and any rain it does get can just run straight down the side and away, leaving the soil still toitally dry.

I agree with cutting it back in the hope of finding live wood, but also stand the entire pot in a bucket of water for at least a few hours, to thoroughly re-wet the soil. Then take it out (don't forget it and leaved it in water for a week!) and see how it goes.

If all else fails, rosemary is quite easy to grow from a cutting.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I think I should change my av to something less false-advertisey

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Oh Pholi, that's a great idea! Yes, it was obviously being in a pot that killed it, not the neglect I'll put it in the laundry trough for a few hours tomorrow and see what that does. Would overnight be too much?

[forshelby]

Oh Keike, you make me chuckle. That looks like a pretty non-revivable rosemary right there.... A timely reminder of the herb garden I inherited moving into this house. Every time I pick rosemary I'm going to think of you now

[Netix]

Oh well, at least it wasn't a puppy!

Okay, just so you know, puppies aren't "drought resistant".

I thought you had to grow mint in a pot, as if you don't, it grows out of control. ? Or there is one/some varieties of mint tjat won't do that? Anyway, good effort to kill mint! There is a very neglected pot of it in my yard that does NOT get watered or fed.

[Charlotte91]

We tried to kill the rosemary in our backyard. But it right back to the ground. It's all coming back.

[Pholi]

Keike, an overnight soak would probably be ok. No longer than that, though, because the roots need oxygen, and they can 'drown' from being submerged in water too. But forshelby is right - it may be a non-revivable specimen, now. Worth a try though, right?

[Cass72]

I had a rosemary plant that I'd dug up with the intent to replant the moment we moved. I'd forgotten about it for nearly a month. I cut off nearly everything bar the roots and a bit of stem and now the thing is overgrown and just absolutely gorgeous.

Congratulations on killing your mint, however did you manage that? I have trouble restraining mine from overtaking the garden.

Hmmm... maybe you should stay away from puppies.

[nickle730]

I reckon that rosemary is ready to go to rosemary heaven! Don't think that can be resuscitated?!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I killed the mint the same way I may have killed the rosemary, by ignoring it! Maybe I should check out the roots, maybe it's still saveable with a good soaking. There's just no visible plant left in that pot, whereas I still had a visible rosemary plant, it was just all brown. Not sure if its a good sign or normal, but it still smells very pungently of rosemary, so maybe I just need some help from Miracle Max?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Well here's some weird news - no discernible difference with the Rosemary, but there's new mint growing! I didn't soak it like I did the rosemary, I've just been watering it normally. I'll hafta put up a pic later, but there's definite new growth. So I'm not THAT bad!

[Pholi]

Sounds like the rosemary might be a goner.

But yay for the mint! Mint is virtually indestructable!