A few months ago, some of our old Basil plants showed signs of deterioration. They kept producing flowers and weak branches and leaves. We still tried to revive the plants, but after doing some research, I decided to try growing new plants from their cuttings and seeds too.
From the existing plants we have, I harvested Basil flowers (which contained seeds) and I got a few cuttings to propagate. In another post, I’ll share how the seeds turned out. But for now, here are some tips on how to grow Basil from cuttings.
FIRST: SNIP
Using a pair of scissors, cut 4-6 inches of stems with leaves. Make sure that there aren’t flowers growing on the stems. These stems will least likely produce its own roots, because having flowers is a sign that the plant is reaching the end of its life and is preparing for seed production.
SECOND: TRIM
Remove the leaves at the bottom part of the stems (2 inches from the bottom).
THIRD: WATER
Add clean water in a glass jar, enough to cover the bottom 2 inches of the stems.
FOURTH: REFRESH
Place the Basil cuttings in the glass jar. Every two days, change the water to make sure the cuttings stay fresh.
FIFTH: TRANSPLANT
Once the cuttings produce long roots (maybe 3-4 inches), you may now transfer them to small containers with loose potting medium. This step can be stressful for the cuttings, so make sure to carefully handle the roots and to add water and fertilizer to the soil after transplanting them.
SIXTH: TRANSPLANT AGAIN 🌱
After a few weeks, the cuttings will begin to grow taller and have more leaves. During this stage, you can transfer the cuttings to bigger containers with loose potting medium, so they can continue to expand.
It’s amazing how we can produce new and healthy Basil plants from dying ones. I will still take care of our old Basil plants, but they’ll be used mainly for seed production. On my next gardening blog post, I’ll be sharing tips on how to grow Basil from seeds.
Are you growing anything now? Feel free to share your adventures too!🌱
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