Rooting a Thai Basil sprig

[TheWaterbug]

I ate at Pho Kobe about two weeks ago, and after I'd finished my noodles I had some Thai Basil left over. So I thought I might bring it home and try rooting it.

So I put a sprig in a styrofoam cup with about an inch of water, and promptly forgot all about it. I was going to put some rooting hormone on it, but I just never got around to doing it.

Today I took a look, and here's what I've got!



You can't really tell from the photo that it's spiraling around, but the root is probably 3.5" - 4" long. Pretty amazing!

I'm going to plant it when I get some time this weekend.

If only my passion fruit cuttings would root this easily.

[PunkRotten]

If you use that clay or whatever it is they commonly use in hydroponics you can get better rooted cuttings. This is how they "clone" plants. I did this with celery and got some roots and now put it in a pot. Too soon to say if it will work. These roots that sprout in water are very delicate and not the same as roots that sprout in soil.

[TheWaterbug]

I put in some regular soil about a week ago, and it's still green and fresh, so I think it "took."

We ate at Pho Kobe again last week, so I've got another few sprigs in water right now.

[PunkRotten]

I have seeds for this kind of basil I think, I might give it a go. I have been trying to clone some Genovese Basil just like this but too soon to say if It has worked.

[applestar]

This is fun! You could start a Thai cuisine theme garden
I have lemongrass and ginger but not galanga. What else? I think there's a kind of lime.

[TheWaterbug]

So it's been in the soil about 2 weeks, and it's growing!



That tall part is almost entirely new growth; the shorter parts are pretty much the original sprig at about its original size.

[applestar]

Hey this is great! I love the idea of bringing home part of your dinner to grow at home

[PunkRotten]

I have Thai Basil seeds and hear good things about this kind of Basil. I just don't cook enough Asian dishes and feel like I'd let the plant go to waste. But still wanna grow it.

[TheWaterbug]

So it's been in the soil about 2 weeks, and it's growing!

I'll probably let it grow in the pot for another few weeks and then put it in the ground.

Do I need to keep this far away from my regular sweet basil to prevent it from crossing?

I'm hoping they'll both just self-seed and provide for me forever

[rainbowgardener]

"Do I need to keep this far away from my regular sweet basil to prevent it from crossing? "

Yes, if you are talking about seeds and next generations.

Thai basil is just a variety of the same plant, Ocimum basilicum. Therefore it can cross with sweet basil. That wouldn't affect the mother plants that you put in the ground, but it would affect future generations.

[PunkRotten]

Yeah if you want them to self seed and keep true, keep the sweet basil away from it. I think Basil is self pollinating but I do see bees visiting the flowers.

[Jake23]

Yeah if you want them to self seed and keep true, keep the sweet basil away from it. I think Basil is self pollinating but I do see bees visiting the flowers.

What do you think about keeping one species indoors and the other outside? Would that work?

[TheWaterbug]

I'm not going to be too paranoid about them crossing. Maybe I'll like the result I'll probably keep the sweet basil in the front yard and the Thai basil in the back yard.

My plant is now about twice the size of that last photo, but it's not very dense. The leaves are pretty far apart.

Anyway, I went back to the Pho place and brought home two more sprigs about two weeks ago to sit in some water. They did absolutely nothing for the first week, and then one of them started putting out roots about a week ago. It was pretty sudden--nothing at all, and then a significant amount of root growth in 48 hours. After 4 days it looked like this:



By today the roots were 3-4 inches long, so I potted it.

Curiously the 2nd sprig starting putting out roots only yesterday. I don't know why it lagged the other one by 4-5 days. What gives something the signal to start putting out roots?

Anyway, I'll probably pot that one up next weekend.

[applestar]

LOL TheWaterbug has been bitten by the propagating bug.