posted
Hello everyone , I have a question about a bunch of basil I brought at the market. The plasic type of packaging it came in has little holes in it for ventilation and there's a dirt around the roots. My question is should I keep it in the packaging or should I try to pott it? I want to pot it but I'm not sure I can or should or how. If there's a help already in here could someone leave a link for it. I didn't find anything that'd answer my question. ps. needless to say the basil isn't doing so well.
Plants: 4 | Registered: Sep 2006
| Seeded: 68.33.29.171
posted
I'm very new so I hesitate to give advice, but I have basil in a terra cotta pot with regular potting soil. I know it likes a lot of sun and i'ts considered an annual, but I will bring it in for the winter and try to get it as much sunlight as possible. I water it once or twice a week and let the soil dry in between. Hope that helps!
Plants: 68 | From: Latrobe, PA | Registered: Sep 2006
| Seeded: 71.240.17.18
posted
I kind of doubt if it would survive in dirt in a pot...My thinking is that since it was refrigerated at the market and possibly treated to keep it fresh longer...But you could try putting some of it into potting soil. Just make sure to sit it where it will get plenty of sun/light and Do not over water, water very sparely at first. Let us know what you do and how it works out for you. Another thing you might try is placing a rooted piece in a small glass of water and see if it perks up and then pot it up if it does.
posted
Amy if you want to keep your basil going for several years just make sure you don't let it bloom. I've had mine for quite awhile now and it is still growing and doing great. Of course I pinch blooms off constantly but since I don't work I have the time.
* * * * Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.189.97
I see no reason in the world why you couldn't plant that Basil in a pot & revive it! This past summer when I entered some of my purple Basil in the county fair, I yanked it up out of the ground ...instead of submitting a cutting, as I figured that even though it would be in a container of water, it would probably remain "perked up" if its roots were intact. (And, I wanted to try putting it back in the garden when the fair was over!)
It did just fine, there in the Floral Display Building for 4 days (& took 2nd place. I think the judges liked green Basil better!) ... And, it was still fine a week later, when I hadn't gotten it back into the ground yet! It did start getting droopy shortly after that, & I knew that it wanted to be back in the dirt. (See Weezie's bit of wisdom about "water roots" & "dirt roots".) I did replant it in the garden, where it wavered for several days, then it kicked right back in & is still going, today!
Basil is generally considered to be an annual, because it requires temps above 50* ...but it likes the heat (80's and 90's) best, & won't live through even a light frost. It can continue to thrive indoors during the winter, like TK's, if it gets enough direct sunlight. As Comfrey cautioned, don't overwater Basil... it should be in a pot with good drainage, so the roots don't stay too wet. (I wouldn't necessarily let it go completely dry between waterings, though...the leaves seem to have more vitality & are more tender with regular watering. Also, for a really lush Basil plant, be sure to fertilize it.)
TK has the method down pretty well for keeping Basil going, by not letting it go to seed. You can enjoy the pretty flower spikes for a while, but pinch them off after a few start dropping off (all the way to the leaf junction), & the plant will put out new leaves.
Basil is susceptible to spider mites (more-so when it's grown indoors, I think) but insecticide soap spray takes care of them real well, if you get them.
posted
Thanks for the advice, I didn't know about pinching it off and you probably helped me catch it just in time. I brought it in the house tonight because they are calling for possible frost in our area.
Plants: 68 | From: Latrobe, PA | Registered: Sep 2006
| Seeded: 71.240.17.18
(See Weezie's bit of wisdom about "water roots" & "dirt roots".)
I could not find those topics, or inside any of the other topecs I clicked on. Can you help me some more with please? What am I not see or doing?
* * * * Some hearts, like evening primroses, open more beautifully in the shadows of life. Shirley's Secret Room Plants: 9518 | From: Cincinnati Ohio | Registered: Nov 2006
| Seeded: 71.72.206.5
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It did start getting droopy shortly after that, & I knew that it wanted to be back in the dirt. ![[thumb]](graemlins/thumb.gif)
You can enjoy the pretty flower spikes for a while, but pinch them off after a few start dropping off (all the way to the leaf junction), & the plant will put out new leaves.
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