Rosemary really likes the desert (not much else does).
I have some of the rosemary that grows about four feet tall. Has anyone tried to bonsai it on the train layout?
I snipped about 20 of them off the big bushes this year because I want to grow some along the front fence. I expected 5 to survive and all 20 did! Do I try my hand at bonsai?
Why not?
I just planted rosemarry along edges of my RR to creat blocks. I looked it up and its says to keep them small to trim them and in winter cover them if you want them bushy otherwise the winter winds will keep them somewhat stunted.
Go for it Doug, the plants were free. And you can use the prunings in the kitchen. I grow Rosemary as a summer herb up here, SWMBO uses it on chicken (not roosters), lamb and pork. MMMM
BTW…I think they can overwinter in about a zone 6-7 or higher. I know they don’t survive our zone 5.
Edit: I know Doug lives in a higher zone tho.
Despite our winter winds I don’t even cover it even though we get down to 15 degrees. In fact I haven’t even watered it in a year.
We’ll see how it likes “training!” I think I have a pair of bonsai clippers if I can find them!
I grow Rosemary out back along my wall, every year I have to replant it because it dies out over the winter. The plants seldom get more than a foot and a half tall.
David
From what I’ve read about rosemary it likes good airflow around it, it likes low ground moisture and damp air (like sea spray), and sandy soils
It doesn’t like clay soils, it doesn’t like temps below about 30 degrees F for very long, and it doesn’t like too much water.
I’ve seen them trimmed into little fake Christmas trees at the supermarket in years past.
Kim bought a little one for $3 so she can cook with it - if it grows. I figure we’ll either have to cover it with a bucket or bring it in for the winter.
No wonder rosemary grows well, all we have is sand and rocks!
And it does take little water, I haven’t watered mine in a year. And we got about 15 inches of rainand snow.
I do want to try again to grow the low-growing rosemary. I haven’t had any luck so far.
any pics of the bonsai rosemary trees? Yet
Dave Marconi said:
any pics of the bonsai rosemary trees? Yet
Let me google that for you… 
(http://www.bonsai-express.com/_images/Rosemary_Bonsai.jpg)
(http://www.easybonsai.it/images/rosmarino%20bonsai.jpg)
(http://i.ehow.com/images/a04/eq/4t/care-rosemary-bonsai-tree-800X800.jpg)
Nope nothing… http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=6K3&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&biw=1010&bih=586&site=search&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=rosemary+bonsai&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=g2&aql=&oq= No instructions either: http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/rosemary.htm
Doug;
Try this link for some Bonsai information.
Here is a book for Bonsai for sale.
Also a link for Bonsai tip in email.
http://www.bonsaigardener.org/index2.html?hop=davorno100
Hi Doug, I have a couple of Rosemary bushes on the old “in the dirt” railroad that have been there since about 1997-8 and are doing very well. I never "Bonsaied them I just clipped off all the new growth, long runners, each year and took out branches to achieve a shape I liked. Climate; 30-40 inches of rain a year, 20’s in the winter to 115’s in the summer, irrigated from May to November, and very poor soil. The only picture I could find on file is from several years ago, about all you can see is the trunk on the right behind the water tower but the trunk is the most photogenic for line of site with our trains anyway. If you like I can go out in the morning and snap a couple of pictures of the overall bush to give you a better idea of how well they work in the train garden. Later Rick Oh yea, the picture
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rick_marty/_forumfiles/General/Rosemary%20view.jpg)
Nice shot!
My Rosemary dies off every winter.
I just planted 2 along my wall.
I’ll have to wait to see if it will grow.
David
Wow Greg that really looks good.
Yes - that is an impressive tree.
Nice trimming
That looks great Greg. I see “trees” in my future. And a lot of trimming!..
