{basil, glass}
I'm going to see if I can get a second crop. I've had these sprigs sitting in water for a couple weeks (I change the water every couple days) to get them to sprout.
{sprouting}
It's working! Once the roots seem developed enough I'm going to pull out the old basil plant and put these in. It might be too cold for them soon, but since all my gardening efforts are completely inept, I might as well try it.
Plant stuff is such a mystery to me! I've had some dreadful luck with so-called "unkillable" plants and then other times I feel like I have the greenest fingers going. I try not to get upset about it... gardening and control freaks don't mix!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
I just did this and it worked beautifully! I wasn't even planning to replant them, but I noticed that my little basil bouquet was sprouting so I potted them and kept them in the shade for a week to adjust, then transferred them to my window box. They are doing very well.
ReplyDeleteAre you going to pinch back the flower buds? I nursed a small basil plant into a beautiful harvest this summer. If you know this already, sorry, but if you pinch off the plant above the highest leaves, it will force the plant to fork and produce new stems, doubling your harvest. I don't know much about gardening, but I do grow some nice basil:)
ReplyDeletespeaking of basil, what does it mean when people say "uch, my basil is getting all woody"? does letting your basil do whatever it likes affect the flavor or some such? i have basil that started out purple and has grown like crazy and turned green-purple over the summer; has my benign neglect compromised it in some way?
ReplyDeletemy basil stayed in such tiny leaves this year while my in-laws had the biggest, greenest leaves. i have a mind to try to sprout theirs!
ReplyDelete@ The French - Any and all gardening advice is appreciated! I've never had very good luck with plants, and I mostly attribute their survival to the SoCal climate. I'll definitely start pinching it back.
ReplyDelete@ lauren - My basil gets woody eventually. The bottom stalks look like wood instead of like green shoots. I still eat it and it tastes fine, but once it gets woody I notice that the production drops off. So maybe it's the end of it's life? I don't even know if you can prevent it. That purple basil is gorgeous. I think benign neglect is just fine for plants. Any plant that can't handle it wouldn't last in my yard.
so beautiful. our basil plant got fried this summer while we were away for 6+ weeks. you've inspired me to start again ;)
ReplyDeleteI usually pinch mine back when it starts to flower. Don't know how true it is, but I was once told that too much of the plant's energy is sapped when it is in flower. Glad you got this to root!!
ReplyDeletei never do well with basil. between me and the snails...i have a black thumb
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot of energy for a plant to flower, so pinching off the flower buds is important. The other thing that does is take away the flower's floral and apical meristems near the tips of each stem...meristem cells are like a plant's stem cells, and when they're not there, the plant has to grow from somewhere else. This usually ends up being "lower" on the plant, hence getting bushier plants when you pinch off the tips.
ReplyDeleteOh the wonders of fresh basil!
ReplyDeleteLove Grace.
Great idea! I never thought to transport my quickly dying basil into a cute little indoor cup. I bet that makes your bedside area smell lovely!
ReplyDeletebrilliant. who doesn't love fresh basil?!
ReplyDeleteif you end up with too many cuttings...i rooted a dozen or so cuttings when we were in joshua tree, let them grow (still just in water) all fall, potted them in wee pots, slapped a ribbon around the pots and gave them as presents in the late fall just when everyone was feeling blue and herb-less. made AWESOME surprise prezzies for some friends that needed a little pick-me-up.