Once you've taken in the spicy-sweet scent and flavor of
fresh basil, you won't want to do without it in your garden or kitchen. While
basil plants can go to seed quite quickly if you don't vigilantly remove their
flower stalks, you don't have to wait to produce a new crop from seed to get
more of the annual herb. You can root cuttings in water to get a new supply of
the culinary favorite to grow in your garden or on the windowsill in a week or
two. The resulting plants are clones of your successful garden basil.
Selecting Basil Cuttings
Basil cuttings may be taken at any time during the season,
though those taken in spring propagate most reliably, according to "The
Herb Companion." It only stands to reason that the healthiest cuttings
produce the strongest new plants, so search your basil patch for a disease- and
insect-free plant with good color and no flower stalk. Plants that are
flowering can be used if that is all that is available, but select a stem with
no flowers. Cut a 3- to 4-inch piece from the end of the stem with a sharp knife
that has been sterilized with rubbing alcohol or diluted household bleach. Cut
just below a node, where leaves attach to the stem. Cuttings from multiple
plants give you the best chance of success.
Rooting Basil Cuttings
Strip the leaves away from the bottom third of the cuttings.
Fill a sterilized jar, glass, disposable cup or other clean, watertight
receptacle with water. Place as many cuttings as can fit without overcrowding
into the jar, letting the upper leaves of the cuttings rest on the rim of the jar
to support the plants. The water should cover only the bottom two-thirds of the
cuttings, pour out any excess water. Put the jar in bright, indirect light and
change the water every day to keep bacteria from developing, or your cuttings
may rot instead of growing roots. Your cuttings should develop roots in seven
to 10 days.
Planting Basil Cuttings
When roots are clearly visible, it's time to remove the
cuttings from the water and pot them up individually in 3- to 4-inch pots
filled with sterile potting mix. Roots can be stringy and tangled it you let
them remain in the water too long, so detach the cuttings from each other
carefully. Removing the cuttings when roots are from 1/4 to 1/2 inch long
avoids this problem. Care for the new plants in a protected area in indirect
light for a few weeks while they establish roots before planting them outdoors.
If you plan to keep a basil plant on your windowsill, plant several cuttings in
the pot you're using as the plant's permanent home.
Basil Plant Care
When your new basil is ready to plant outdoors, select a
site in the sunniest part of your garden. Soil should have a pH level from 6.0
to 6.5. Keep the plants well watered, particularly after planting, and only
fertilize in poor soil or if the foliage is light green. Basil that grows too
quickly, usually after being fertilized, is not as flavorful. Pinch the tips of
the stems to encourage bushier growth and remove flower buds. You can begin
harvesting anytime, so long as you never remove more than a third of the
plant's foliage.
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