Basil can look full and productive through late summer, then cold nights bring the growing season to a fast end. That does not mean you need to start over with seeds or rely on small packs of basil from the grocery store.
Before the outdoor plant declines, healthy stems can be cut and brought into the kitchen. Those cuttings have everything needed to produce roots and become new basil plants indoors.
Gardening creator Nicole from @gardenary shared the method as a way to keep basil growing after summer. The key is taking cuttings while the outdoor plant still has healthy stems and leaves.
Cut Healthy Stems Before Cold Weather Arrives
Choose healthy basil stems around 4 to 6 inches long. Make each cut just below a leaf node, the point where a pair of leaves grows from the main stem.
Remove the leaves from the lower section while keeping several leaves at the top. The bare portion of stem will sit underwater, so stripping those lower leaves also keeps foliage from decaying in the glass.
Instead of treating the cut stems as a final harvest, save them for the next stage. Each can become a separate basil plant.
Put the Bare Stems in Water
Fill a small glass or jar with fresh water and place the cut ends inside. Keep the upper leaves above the waterline.
Set the container near a window with strong light. Over the next few weeks, white roots can begin growing from submerged nodes along the stems.
Change the water as needed and watch the root systems develop. Once roots reach around an inch or two long, the cuttings are ready to move out of the glass.
Move the Rooted Basil Into Soil
Fill a small container with potting mix and compost, then plant the rooted cuttings around two inches apart. Handle the new roots with care as you cover them with soil.
The original outdoor basil may reach the end of its season, but these rooted stems continue the plant indoors. A sunny kitchen window gives them access to light while keeping them away from the cold conditions that bring outdoor basil growth to an end.
@gardenary Go to my bio for my guide to growing every herb! Basil is one of my favorite herbs, but it only grows in summer😭 Do this now and you can grow it on a windowsill all winter long so you can have fresh basil! That’s right, fresh pesto allll winter long🌿 #garden#herbs#basil#propogation#herbgarden♬ original sound – gilmoregirlstok
Several cuttings can also be rooted at once, giving you more than one new plant from a basil plant you already grew.
Pinch the Tops Instead of Letting Stems Keep Growing
Indoor basil can stretch toward limited winter light, producing long stems with fewer leaves. Pinching the growing tip just above a pair of leaves changes that growth pattern.
New branches can form below the cut, creating more growing tips and more leaves to harvest. Repeat the process as the plant develops rather than allowing a single stem to keep extending upward.
That means the last basil plant of summer does not have to mark the end of fresh leaves from your own plants. A few cut stems, a glass of water, and a bright window can carry part of that summer plant into the months ahead.
Leave a Reply