How to grow herbs from cuttings

Herbs are amazing plants for adding flavour. Get an endless supply simply by taking cuttings.

Growing your own herbs is a great way of connecting with nature. Studies suggest growing could even improve your mental health.

Watch the video to see our Head of Horticulture, Ben Raskin, explain how you can grow herbs from cuttings at home.

Growing herbs from cuttings

In the video, Ben demonstrates how to take cuttings from rosemary. It’s an easy starter plant for beginners and it can do well inside in a pot or in the garden.

What do I need?:

a fully-grown herb plant
a pair of scissors
a glass of water
a pot filled with compost

How do I take cuttings?:

Take your fully-grown plant and select a green stem. Snip just below a leaf node (where the leaves come out of the stem). A piece 3 or 4 inches long should do.
Remove the bottom leaves and put your cutting into a glass of water.
Leave it on a sunny windowsill. Change the water every few days to encourage growth. It may take a few weeks, but you should start to see some roots forming on the bottom of the cutting.
Once you have some roots, it’s ready to plant. Fill your pot loosely with compost and then poke your finger into it to make a hole. Holding the cutting gently at the top, pop the cutting in and carefully firm the compost down.
Water it – and watch it grow!

Rosemary is a hardy herb, so you should get a supply through the winter. Bees love it too when it flowers in spring.

This method will also work for other woody herbs, like basil or sage.

How to grow herbs from cuttings