I'm growing rosemary outdoors (not in pots). They are into their third year. I'm in coastal NC (Zone 8). Soil is very sandy. The plants are about 2.5 feet tall. My culinary needs do not take much from these plants, so harvesting for cooking does not prune sufficiently. Compared to store-bought, fresh rosemary cuttings (in the refrigerated produce section), my cuttings are less flavorful. How should I cut these plants back to encourage bushier plants AND what soil additives will increase the characteristic rosemary flavor? Thank you, Jim.
Unlike many other plants, rosemary actually produces better flavor when it is grown in nutrient-poor soil. Depriving the plants of fertilizer might actually help the flavor. However, there are also differences between rosemary varieties, so you might just have a less flavorful variety.
As for pruning, please see this article:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/pruning-rosemary.htm
What is good Plant food for a rosemary plant and should I trim the tops of the plant that are dry? Would it have better growth if trimmed?
Any plant food that you would use on a vegetable garden should be fine, but Rosemary doesn't really need careful fertilization in order to do well. I routinely grow very healthy rosemary plants with no fertilizer at all. Soil composition and sunlight are really more important factors. These articles may help you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/pruning-rosemary.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/growing-rosemary-plants-rosemary-plant-care.htm
Part of my potted Rosemary has the hard regular leaves while another part is growing soft leafy leaves and is much talk we than the regular portion.
Your plant has older or woody stems and the new tender growth is softer and pliable. This is a normal growing pattern of a Rosemary.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/rosemary-grown-in-containers.htm
I live in Texas and have had this Rosemary bush for years. It has been healthy until this summer and is now turning brown. It looks like it is dying. What can I do to save it ?
The most common issue for a Rosemary dying is a watering issue; too much or too little.
Botrytis blight fungal infection rots the older leaves in the center of a rosemary plant. It flourishes in high relative humidity, poor air circulation, and cloudy weather conditions. Watch for yellowish brown, irregular leaf spots or water-soaked spots on plant stems. During humid weather, the fungus produces a fuzzy brown to gray growth on the surfaces of injured plant parts or dead plant material. When disturbed, the fungus emits a cloud of spores.
Remove and destroy infected plants and debris to control spread of the disease. Prune overgrown plants, and increase spacing between container plants to improve air circulation. Avoid mulching the plant beds with organic materials, because these harbor fungal spores. Instead, use crushed stone, pea gravel, or rocks, which dry out quickly and reflect warm sun onto the plants and reduce humidity still further.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/brown-rosemary-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/white-powder-on-rosemary.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/pruning-rosemary.htm
How and what time of year do I transplant an outdoor rosemary plant? I just want to move it in the same flower bed..
Transplanting in the fall is best. Cut the plant back and water it before transplanting, try to dig up as many of the roots as possible, and follow these tips to increase your plant's chances of a healthy transition:
Sometimes transplanted rosemaries die, so you can also save the plant by taking some cuttings:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/how-to-propagate-a-rosemary-plant.htm
Our rosemary (central Texas) has grey leaves, especially on the tips. Is this mildew? What do we do for it? Thanks
It sounds like powdery mildew or another fungal disease. This article should help
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/white-powder-on-rosemary.htm
What is a frost jacket and how would it work for a tall rosemary bush? The rosemary is in a backyard in Vancouver, Canada
This would be anything that would provide warmth to unhardy plants to keep them alive. Unfortunately, Rosemary is only hardy in zone 9 and up... Which is the very southern portion of the U.S. You are well outside of the growing zone for these plants, and there would be no hope of getting these to survive in your area. The only thing I could suggest is growing them inside under horticultural lighting.
This article will give you more information about growing rosemary: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/rosemary/growing-rosemary-plants-rosemary-plant-care.htm