# Transplanting large rosemary.



## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

A friend offered me a large rosemary bush. I have my choice of two that were planted at the same time. One is in the ground and looks to be slightly smaller, but fuller. The other isnt as full looking, but is in a raise bed by itself. I have permission to remove the raised bed frame to move the plant. With our warm winter we already have stuff going into grow/bloom mode. Long story short, how deep should I go under the plant, or should I just go to the bottom of the bed or dig down deeper? The bed is 10" IIRC. How much, if at all, should I cut the top back? Should I water or fertilize it right away or give it a bit of time to adjust? My wife uses rosemary often and probably would even more so if she had a bigger plant to trim from.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

I would go with the smaller fuller one. Might be easier to get at and under.


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## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

Even though the other is in a raised bed that I have permission to remove to ft the plant? It's a basic 2x10? bed so I'd just be knocking the boards loose. I do like the smaller one better though.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

First thing is to clip it back.
The plant doesn't need to try to support full foliage during a transplant.
Let your wife dry the rosemary.

And since you are going to be cutting it back, it won't look the same so you can take whichever one is easiest to get too.

Pull all weeds adn grass away from it (don't need to transplant those)
Figure out how big around it is and then start the dig that far out.
You will find spreading roots.
Follow those out, digging and freeing as you go.
The go down, freeing roots as you find them.
The slide a shovel under the plant and start to jiggle.
Then to rock.
That will loosen the soil from the roots that go down.
Free them as you dig down.

You should be able to rock it over after that and wrap or bag and moisten the roots for transport.

Have your hole ready. Make it twice as big as the root ball. (at least) Have it already dampened and fertilized with some loose soil in the bottom.
Set the rosemary in and start to fill.
As the hole fills, make sure to raise the rosemary to the correct height.
Better to have it too far out of the hole than too deeply set in.
Pack the soil as you go so that there are no air pockets around the roots.
Pack the top and water in well.

Keep an eye on the green to check for wilt etc..

Good luck.

(we moved a MASSIVE butterfly bush a few weeks ago. 10 ft tall and diameter if it was an inch.. that was fun.)


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