overwintering basil?

[rainbowgardener]

Believe it or not it will soon be time for me to harvest basil or bring it in. I plan to do some of both.

I've never tried over-wintering the basil before, so I had some questions.

I have one basil plant already in a container on the deck that got huger than any of the others, 4' tall and bushy. Would that be a good one to bring in because it's already in a container? Or might it already be reaching the limit of how big it can get in the container and I should use one of the smaller ones (which would mean transplanting it into container). Either way should I cut them back to bring them in?

Any other tips about how to get basil to survive the winter indoors?

thanks everyone!

[applestar]

I always cut them back before bringing in. The ones in the ground will lose a lot of the root mass when you dig them up so they definitely need the pruning, but with less light inside, it's better to prune them back anyway so new shoots will start lower down the plant.

I ALWAYS plant some of the pruned stems as cuttings for backup. Usual practice is to pot them in 3.5 or 4" pots (I think the deeper ones are better but I'll use what ever's handy) Typically 5 to a container, with two leafless leafnodes buried, and at least two leafnodes above ground. larger leaves are cut in half. I think mid-stem cuttings are stronger, though I do use some pinched stem tip cuttings as well.

Basil is sensitive to cold drafts so keep away from doors and windowpanes. I think they do better in 60ºF or higher so most of mine go upstairs though I'll keep a few in the kitchen for ready access. They get scales, red spidermites and whiteflies.

[Susan W]

Last year the 1st time I thought about having basil inside for the winter. I tried a few cuttings from existing plants, rooted well, etc, but had that tired tuffish older basil quality. A couple of the box stores had fresh basil starts, and I went with that. I had 2 in a 10" clay pot, east window, did great. A couple of the starts I had by another window, but that one prone to drafts. Not good as apple said!

I also some basil in small enough pots to bring in, but again is the older tuffer, not so pretty. I'll try a couple inside anyway.

I am not good with starting from seed, and don't have a good set-up, so went with the starts from the store. Next summer may get some basil seed early, when available, and direct sow in pots July-August for the wintering plants. If it doesn't work, can still buy starts.

Also as Apple said, is prone to those inside pesty things. So you may want to give it a soapy shower now and then.

[microcollie]

I've often overwintered basil cuttings, (I just start mine in a glass of water) but not the plants. It's my understanding (and I may be wrong here, so feel free to correct me) that most common cultivars of basil are annuals, so don't have it in their genes to be long-lived. I've always figured that it's not worth trying to bring the whole plant inside.

There are some Thai, Chinese, and African types that are indeed perennial, but I'm not sure if any Mediterranian cultivars are.

It might, however, give the spider mites something to eat besides my rosemary and lavender, which are invariably infested by mid-winter.

[applestar]

You're right, they barely last through to the end of the winter for me. But winter growth is pretty meager and larger plants have more growth points. Still not enough for pesto, perhaps, but plenty for garnishing pasta, sandwiches, and soup.

[soil]

I usually just start new seeds for the winter in small pots, they stay small and don't grow as fast but its still good basil for winter pasta and all those canned tomatoes.

[gixxerific]

I will either be bringing in a cutting or a small plant I have basil seedlings popping up all over. I sure hope they do good. My wife won't mind she even sometimes put the basil I has set to dry out for spice in a vase and puts them on the kitchen table.

They will will root well in water I do know that. I have some upstairs that has a massive root system on it that has been in a vase of water for a few weeks now. But it was a somewhat woody cutting and flowering at the time so I'm probably going to do anything with it, I was just experimenting.

[Susan W]

FWIW, was at Lowes today and there was a fresh shipment of herbs. Well, a few basil, parsley, cilantro. These are 'bonnie' out of Alabama, 3 starts in a peat pot. I picked up several basil and will pot up in the next few days for the over-wintering project. Now on the staging table, dappled shade. For this area can be outside for another month or so, which will give them time to get established.

[WinglessAngel]

I containered mine last year and only grew 3 plants and am still using the dried basil from last year and wintered mine indoors well into november and I also live in ohio as u do. they did just fine....this year I am planting them in a larger container with more sprouts...I just put my pot in a sunny window and let it hang and clipped back the flowers as they sprouted.