leggy basil

[annastasia76]

I was starting some basil seeds indoors since I have so much troubles growing it, this weekend we had to go on a 3 day trip to utah to visit my grandfather, and I was worried about it drying out so I put it in a gallon size plastic bag and left it on the counter not thinking that it would sprout so quickly while I was gone, well we got back last night and it is leggy at about 3/4" in length, is there anything I can do, will it be fine, will I have to start all over with new seed??

[applestar]

As you discovered, it doesn't take basil long to sprout so you could easily start another batch. I think putting it in the plastic bag must have helped, so you could do that again, and this time, watch like a hawk for the first sign of germination.

That said, you might also be able to salvage the sprouted seedlings if you carefully add moistened soil all around up to the base of the cotyldons (seed leaves) and set them in good strong light. Don't use bone dry soil because they might suck moisture from the fragile stems, and additionally mist the soil until thoroughly saturated and while at it, make sure the rest of the soil in the container is watered, then don't water again until the surface starts to dry.

[annastasia76]

great, thank you, I will do that.

[GardenRN]

potting up and planting deeper doesn't seem to help basil, but it doesn't seem to hurt it either so yeah, give it a try. I tried both ways when transplanting this year with no real difference inresult. So if it got leggy on you, burying it deep would be good just to give it a better chance of not toppling over.