Starting a Rosemary Bonsai

[walawelo]

Hello Everyone, I was sent today to fetch rosemary for roast chicken. I saw this plant with an interesting trunk and root flare and couldn't help myself (technically I showed up with rosemary lol) .
I can see at least 3 options for good front but not quite sure which is best. I was hoping for some suggestions for which branches to keep and which branches to eat XD

 

[Clorgan]

I had no idea rosemary could be used for a bonsai - how fascinating!!! I'm sure they'll be lots of interesting thoughts on this!

 

[Arizona bonsai]

I would remove from pot & expose the root flare first. I have a small rosemary.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I absolutely LOVE rosemary plants.. even more so for bonsai..

Watch when you prune.. there are corresponding vertical and then horizontal sets of leaflets, and they always follow suite.. so ONCE you learn this technique, the “clip n grow” aspect of pruning becomes a lot of fun.

I like that one... has character.

There are rumors that Rosemary plants are amongst the first Bonsai (Penzai) trees as foot traders in China would travel with the live herbs in small containers for multiple seasons...

I have also seen a quite impressive, rather old thyme bonsai specimen which consequently blew my mind.

goooooood stuff.

 

[walawelo]

I would remove from pot & expose the root flare first. I have a small rosemary.

looks pretty cool, I would love to have it upright like that but mine is leaning hard Isn't it a bit too late into summer for re-potting? If not ill expose the root flare and post pics first thing tomorrow

 

[Arizona bonsai]

It’s summer here until november, yes just rake back to find the flare is ok.
I’m a beginner, others may post better ideas.

 

[walawelo]

Watch when you prune.. there are corresponding vertical and then horizontal sets of leaflets, and they always follow suite.. so ONCE you learn this technique, the “clip n grow” aspect of pruning becomes a lot of fun.

Can you please refer me to some videos or articles regarding this?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Can you please refer me to some videos or articles regarding this?

Absolutely! .....Nigel Saunders talks about it. I believe he has a playlist on rosemary.... he speaks DIRECTLY about the aforementioned phenomenon....

But this, also, will help.

 

[walawelo]

Absolutely! .....Nigel Saunders talks about it. I believe he has a playlist on rosemary.... he speaks DIRECTLY about the aforementioned phenomenon....

But this, also, will help.

View attachment 307429

Many thanks. This was very helpful.

 

[BrianBay9]

I've managed to kill a series of rosemary bonsai over the years. Seems like every time I start root work on one with a significant trunk, it decides to pack it in. Hope you're successful with yours.

 

[walawelo]

I've managed to kill a series of rosemary bonsai over the years. Seems like every time I start root work on one with a significant trunk, it decides to pack it in. Hope you're successful with yours.

I have been doing some research and they seem to have a very sensitive root system. I think i'll remove top 2 inches of soil and repot in a colander without root racking or teasing

 

[Arizona bonsai]

The PBS take on them.

 

[It's Kev]

I’ve got one about as thick as my finger, and whenever I cook I use branches from the top and leave bottom growth unrestricted.
Its not easy to grow thicker branches, but I think it’s because I have too many

 

[Forsoothe!]

Hard to keep indoors. Killed one with too wet and one I suspect too dry. Not my favorite plant.

 

[Eckhoffw]

I’ve wanted to try rosemary for some time now. Yesterday my wife said she was finally going to go to the farmers market to get herbs for the raised bed that has been vacant for a couple years now.
I asked her to pick me out a decent rosemary to try for bonsai.
She picked this one up for 8$. Not to bad.
Some how I deleted pics Of the Before shot, bare rooting, reduction, and wiring.
Anyways, I figured it was a bad idea to do root work this time of year, but did it anyway. .
Hoping that by some miracle it will ignore my abuse and carry on. Long shot, but I’m just sick of taking care of cheap plants to later find out the roots are a disaster.
Guessing I won’t be taking care of it long.
Still had fun. Will get another early next spring.
Meanwhile I’ll be having some good rosemary potatoes.
good luck with yours!!!
Excited to see your plants development.

 

[Forsoothe!]

You should buy one of those bumper stickers that say, "I eat what I kill".

 

[HorseloverFat]

You should buy one of those bumper stickers that say, "I eat what I kill".

You forgot to spit directly after saying that... a bumper sticker doesn’t capture that aspect.

 

[walawelo]

I’ve wanted to try rosemary for some time now. Yesterday my wife said she was finally going to go to the farmers market to get herbs for the raised bed that has been vacant for a couple years now.
I asked her to pick me out a decent rosemary to try for bonsai.
She picked this one up for 8$. Not to bad. View attachment 307557View attachment 307558
Some how I deleted pics Of the Before shot, bare rooting, reduction, and wiring.
Anyways, I figured it was a bad idea to do root work this time of year, but did it anyway. .
Hoping that by some miracle it will ignore my abuse and carry on. Long shot, but I’m just sick of taking care of cheap plants to later find out the roots are a disaster.
Guessing I won’t be taking care of it long. ☠
Still had fun. Will get another early next spring.
Meanwhile I’ll be having some good rosemary potatoes.
good luck with yours!!!
Excited to see your plants development.

looks cool

 

[walawelo]

Hard to keep indoors. Killed one with too wet and one I suspect too dry. Not my favorite plant.

I agree, The plant is kept outside, full sun all day

 

[smilezzz]

Great instant "bonsai material" can be found at most nurseries.

I bought some last year when I started. For some, I pruned off 90% of the roots when I potted them up, avoiding younger roots. All survived. They were extremely pot bound, roots were a tangled mess and ants nested in all of the pots. Did this a month before spring.

I was very surprised, as I did a lot of root and foliage trimming.

Only had a 20% success rate with cuttings, but the few that made it put a lot of girth on in the year I've had them. I've seen, and read somewhere that rosemary doesn't slow down too much if grown in a container.

Like a lot of conifers, they don't back bud from wood where all foliage has been removed. That branch will die.

Insects tend to avoid them, fungal growths are the enemy here.

Clean your tools when done. Therell be a lot of sap on them. Also, try to only do one a day. The aroma, while pleasing at first, can be overwhelming.

Theyre not much to look at, but they were some of my first trees, and it brings me some joy.