I've stopped trying to raise basil from seed unless I want something special - Thai or Opal for example. I bought a supermarket plant and when I want more I cut a few stalks. These were in water for a week! 
I plonk the whole bunch in a pot of fresh compost and off we go again. You can keep doing this more or less indefinitely. When you nip out the tops to use they get bushier and eventually you take another few stems to root again. I do love a bargain!
11 comments:
I've often wondered if this would work - off to attack the latest basil with scissors!
That's such a good idea!
Thanks for sharing it.
Celia
oooh! I've got to try that! I have given up growing basil as well. It's just too cold here. never thought about rooting them.
Humph, stamping foot, it's not fair. Ive tried it a number of times and it's never worked.
Nice bargaining! I am growing 'Minette' basil this year from seed, it is supposed to grow in a ball form with little leaves.
I posted a commment yesterday, but it didn't turn up.
I was stamping my foot and going humph, cos I love basil, but that never works for me.....s'not fair.
Hi Sue - both your comments turned up - eventually! Just plain water on a windowsill - honest. Try it again. As you can see from the hairy stems, it's just bursting to root itself. Have another go!
I've not heard of Minette Dan. However, I've never tasted a basil I didn't like! You could try rooting bits of that when it gets big enough.
Fabulous idea! How do you stop the sticky white-fly from infestating basil?
Constant vigilance! (And a squirty bottle with soapy water!) I check over every day and squish the odd one by hand. If I've missed them and they've got a hold, it's the detergent.
Excellent basil-growing tip taken on board here too - and passed to fellow allotment holder when I saw her poorly seed-grown basil plants in her greenhouse yesterday, so Julie says 'thank you' too.
It's a great method isn't it, we rooted some just the same as you about a month to 6 weeks ago, we now have two pots on the kitchen window ledge and 4 plants in a greenhouse.
I have grown lettuce-leaved basil from seed in previous years, I just love coming across them in a salad bowl, but we'll still have the flavour from Basilicum Tescorum.
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