How to prune rosemary

After flowering in late spring to early summer (May–June); a light tidy also in early spring. After flowers fade, cut stems back by up to one-third, shaping to a rounded or mounded form. Always cut above a healthy leaf node or side-shoot, never into bare wood. Use clean, sharp secateurs. For a hedge-grown plant, clip lightly with shears after flowering to maintain the desired outline.

Once a year after flowering; a second light trim in early spring is optional but helpful. Rosemary needs annual pruning to prevent it becoming woody and open-centred. Trim lightly after flowering each year to maintain a compact, bushy shape. Avoid cutting back into old, bare, grey wood — it rarely regenerates from there. Hard renovation of a very leggy plant is risky; light annual trimming prevents that situation.

After flowers fade, cut stems back by up to one-third, shaping to a rounded or mounded form. Always cut above a healthy leaf node or side-shoot, never into bare wood. Use clean, sharp secateurs. For a hedge-grown plant, clip lightly with shears after flowering to maintain the desired outline.