Rosemary Bonsai - Cascading Style. Root pruning Rosemary bonsai for Thicker Trunk development.

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Potting and Soil:
Rosemary prefer loose, well draining soil. 20% organic matter, with the rest aggregate works well. I am using; 1 part pumice, 1 part lava, 1 part turface and 1 part pine bark. The best time to repot them is early to mid spring. Since Rosemary are capable of sustaining themselves by absorbing moisture through the leaves, they respond very well to fertilizing through diluted foliar feeds. Fertilize in late winter and early spring with a high phosphorus fertilizer to fuel flower growth.

Repotting:
As with most potted plants, the soil in your rosemary pot will degenerate through watering and root growth. Repot at least once a year. This will also give you a chance to check the root development. Spring is a good time to repot your rosemary, but it should be fine no matter what time of year you get to it. When the Rosemary Bonsai puts out considerable growth or looks like it just can't get enough water, it has outgrown its pot and needs to be transplanted into a larger one. If you want to maintain the size of your Bonsai, heavily prune the roots from the bottom and sides of the root ball and replant in the same pot. Be sure to trim some of the top at the same time, to lessen the work load of the roots and the stress placed upon the trimmed plant. Allow your repotted Bonsai some time to recover in shade or morning sun.

Temperature:
Rosemary plants require very little care and can be grown outdoors. If you live in a frost free area, you can easily grow your Rosemary Bonsai outdoors year round. Be sure to provide a sandy, well draining soil and 6-8 hours of full sunlight. These plants thrive in warm, humid environments and cannot take extremely cold or extended periods of dry indoor environments. Since rosemary cannot withstand winters below 30 degrees, Rosemary is perfectly suited for Bonsai as it does best when grown in containers so that it can easily be moved indoors when the weather is not to its liking and protect it from drafts. Move your Bonsai back outdoors once all danger of frost has past as it does not particularly enjoy the conditions offered inside and will die without proper care.

Lighting:
When indoors, it does best near a patio door or southern facing window where it can get 6-8 hours of light and warmth from the sun. If this much sun exposure is not possible, artificial lights may be needed for your Bonsai to thrive as sunlight is critical.

Watering:
You will have to water your Rosemary Bonsai quite often because they are very sensitive to drought conditions. Rosemary prefers to remain somewhat on the dry side; therefore, terra cotta pots are a good choice when selecting suitable containers. These pots allow the soil to dry out faster. Thoroughly water rosemary plants when the soil is dry to the touch but allow the plants to dry out between watering intervals. Ensure that it doesn't bake and completely dry out while outdoors during the summer. When watering rosemary, the soil in the pot it is planted in must have good drainage because rosemary is also sensitive to overwatering. Be sure there is plenty of drainage and adequate moisture offered to ensure health. The better you water a Rosemary plant, the larger they will grow.