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My rosemary is in a pot on the patio. I've not moved it for a few years (due to my health problems), just tried today and it's rooted out the bottom of the pot into the patio. I had one like this before, broke the root and then it died. I'm worried that if I do the same this one will also die, but it needs potting on. Anything I can do to save it? It's a lovely big, but neat, not woody plant.

(I know I can, in theory, take cuttings, but I have never in my life managed to get any cuttings to root, so I wouldn't hold out much hope of that working!)

Hmm, that's what I would have suggested, take some cuttings for a safety net. Perhaps your Rosemary plant doesn't have the extensive root system of the last one and will better take a move. Is there a possibility of lifting a small area of the patio to be able to dig some root with it?

I might be able to get hubby to lift some of the patio. It's a bit beyond me. I'm better, but not that much better!

Would rosemary root in some water? I managed to get cuttings to root that way as a child, but never have in compost. I'll give it all a try anyway.

Have a look at this link it gives a couple of ways to root Rosemary.

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Rosemary/Rosemary.htm

My preference would be to go for "Serpentine Layering" as  it does not require any heavy lifting as seen in this link:

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Cuttings%20(Layering)/Cuttings%20-%20Layering.htm

Then if you want to use the other suggestion you can look in here:

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Cuttings%20(Heel)/Cuttings%20-%20Heel.htm

ps Sorry to here about your poor health...Tg

Thanks Tee Gee. I'll try both those cutting methods. I've done layering before (with jasmine - worked nicely!) I'll leave the rosemary plant where it is for now and focus on propagating it. The tap root is about 1cm thick, so I think it's quite well established under the patio.

I got my rosemary bushes by pinching out shoots about 4 ins long from the council car-park planting scheme  putting them in a pot of compost, after removing bottom leaves, watering them and covering with a plastic bag.
They all rooted - so I'd say they were very easy to root. So do have a go - if I can do it, anyone can 

Thanks for the encouragement! I will try every method!

Well mine did the same as yours. I wrestled it out the patio took it out the pot and OH took it to the allotment. It got dumped for about six weeks and then planted.

This is why I leave writing gardening advice to TeeGee. Despite that it looks fine 

Take a 5" clay pot. Select say, 10, new growth from this year.(6"long) Tear each one off the plant,just getting a little of the old woody bark. Strip off the lower leaves up 3" from the scar .Plunge in the pot 2-3" deep right around the edge. Pack in tight with a sharp sand and a little good compost.Stand the pot in a saucer and water so you have 1/4" in the saucer. Top up to keep at this level every day. Place this in partial shade on a window cill or in your greenhouse. You can expect new growth in 10-21days and can then repot in 4-6 weeks. Reckon 6+ is a result, friends will appreciate!!

i agree with the above easy way to produce more plants works a treat

Thanks again. I'll try all of the methods! There's lots of new growth on the plant!

Good luck with you cuttings, they do root easily, even in water, so a good one to practice on 

Sorry to hear you have been unwell and I hope you are well on your way to feeling like your old self.

Thanks Jayb - see my post in the listening post. I'm learning to manage it better, but it's never going to be cured.

Welome back Aquilegia.      

As you will lose roots when you remove the plant from the patio, you can balance things by removing top growth to match.  Perhaps take root cuttings from the top growth and replant the trimmed main plant.

Just a word of caution - a harsh winter can finish off a rosemary plant.  The transplanted much smaller plant would appreciate a sheltered position, at least for its first winter.   

I bought a nice Rosemary plant in Morrisons for £1 yesterday, planted it in a pot in the garden, cat was very interested in it.  Have got one at the allotment too, but old ones too get a better woody.

one tip on taking the cuttings make the compost sandy and push the cutting in this scratches  the cutting making the plant root from the abrasions  hope this helps in your quest

I have some sand left from last year's kitchen build handily enough.