Getting basil rooted for growing in the winter.

[pepperhead212]

I just put 8 basil cuttings in my cloner, to root some for the off season - much faster than seed starting, though one I have to start from seeds - lemon basil. As I noted on another thread, this is a basil I love, but it bolts quickly, and, unlike the others, if I cut it WAY back, I don't get clean cuttings - just more bolting. So this year I am going to try something different - succession cuttings! I'll take a cutting from the plant just before it starts bolting, and let it grow, while harvesting the original plant, and when that one is done with, pull it out, take another cutting, and start the cycle again. I'll let you know how it goes. I won't set my cloner up for just one cutting at a time, so I'll just put them in the regular hydro pots - maybe two at a time, and toss the smaller one each time.

Here are the cuttings - 3 Thai, 4 serrata, and 1 Dolce Vita - a new variety to me this year from Seeds 'N Such, that is very much like Genovese, in appearance and flavor, but smaller, and slower bolting. Not sure if it will replace Serrata as my favorite, as it did bolt sooner in the junior Earthbox, but not that much sooner, and it did come back after that severe trimming, to get cuttings. I'll see what it does in the hydroponics in the winter. Serrata has gone the entire winter w/o bolting!
DSCF0388 (2) by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[imafan26]

Interesting. I wonder how long the cuttings will last. Let us know.

I have tried making cuttings of annuals before and they always seem to know how old they are and they will die when the original plant dies. The only ones I have successfully cloned was the African basil which is perennial. I might try it with Ajaka basil, that one does not bloom and lives more than a year also.

[pepperhead212]

I have been cloning basils for years, and have never had that problem. The serrata and Thai basils outside this summer were from the inside hydroponics basil last winter - much easier and faster than seeds.

[pepperhead212]

Here are the roots after just 6 days:

Thai Basil:
DSCF0393 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And the serrata:
DSCF0390 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[imafan26]

Thai basils live longer in my yard than sweet basil. Sweet basil clones always seem to die the same time as the parent. Holy and African basil are short lived perennials and live more than a year.

[ElizabethB]

I have never started basil from cuttings. I harvest seeds and keep seedlings sprouting. When my plants start to bolt I have new ones to take their place.

I have 2 basil in my table height boxes and 1 in a pot - the same age. The 2 in the box are starting to bolt. I am pinching one. I want the other to bolt. I need seeds. I have 4 plants from seed ready to be potted up. I just keep starting new plants. When the old ones bolt I pull them out and replace them new plants. My climate makes it very easy to keep new plants started. I do the same with dill.

[pepperhead212]

Here is the basil just 10 days after taking the cuttings, with the roots growing out of the 2 1/2" baskets in the hydroponics. Definitely growing fast! I'll let them grow, then see which one seems best, and keep that one of each, as I only need one of each, they grow so well in this.
Serrata:
DSCF0402 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Thai Siam Queen:
DSCF0403 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the lemon basil, started from seed a day before the cuttings. This is why I go with cuttings!
DSCF0399 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The dill doesn't look like it is going to root, however. Oh well...

[applestar]

They really look great! Timing was right, too, pepperhead212. Cold morning coming up Monday night (Tues morning).

[Greywolf]

Some years ago I tried a seed packet of Genovese Basil - and I have never done anything special since.

They have come to be a comical nuisance in some ways - because everywhere I grew it the tiny seeds fell, and it now even comes up in my lawn...This does not disappoint me in any way however, since I have all of it I could want just by going outside and grabbing a few bunches. In an area where I set up several above ground large containers, I used an herbicide around the planters, and now almost the only thing that DOES come up around the containers/planters is Basil. I will be mulching that area rather deeply, but all of my tomato plants this year had one or more Basil plants as companions

I suppose if I wanted varied kinds, I would have to separate them rather far, but Basil to me seems to be one of the most trouble free and self maintaining plants I ever grew! it is self perpetuating, and there always seems to be something good a pinch of basil can be added to in the kitchen. But I will never waste time or money on a tiny jar of dried and denatured Basil spice again, I have been hopelessly spoiled by the real thing fresh from the plant...