How to make basil last forever

A beautiful life is not only a life that looks good, it’s also one that feels and tastes good. One of my favorite ways to solve both problems is to decorate with herbs. Any kitchen instantly feels more inviting and beautiful with fresh herbs. So in this blog post, I will teach you a fail-safe way to make your basil last forever.

I make basil propagation from cuttings and this is very simple to do. I think that it might be more of a survival skill than a decorating skill.

There are only upsides to having your own supply of basil, you always have a nice smelling and looking kitchen. Not to mention an everlasting source of last-minute-gifts. One of the main reasons I hoard basil is because I cannot live without always having homemade pesto in the fridge. It is just one of those things that makes life worth living.

Let’s find out how to make basil last forever!

Supplies:

• Store-bought basil plant.
• Medium size planter.
• Quality potting-soil whit a good degree of drainage. Ordinary garden soil is too moist for basil.
• Drainage, like stones or clay pallets.
• A glass bottle.

Instructions:

1. Make sure you pick a healthy and strong basil plant from the store.

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2. To propagate the basil steam, you want to cut an 8cm or 3-inch basil cutting below a leaf node. You should cut the stem 3cm or a 1-inch below the leaf node.

3. If you have any leaves on the leaf node of your cutting, then remove those.

4. Place your basil in a glass vase or bottle. I find that glass bottles work best since they stop the cuttings from falling into the water. Use a transparent bottle so you can see when the roots start to grow.

5. Place your basil in a sunny spot until the roots have grown to about 3cm or 2-inches. Depending on the amount of sun it usually takes more than 7-days for the roots to start growing. Please keep in mind that not every cutting will start to grow roots. I find that I usually lose one of five cuttings. Try to keep the leaf nodes above water and change the water every other day.

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6. Once the roots on your basil have grown to size, you can plant the cutting in an indoor planter. Make sure the basil is well-drained, I usually put stones in the bottom of the planter. Place the planter in a sunny spot, basil wants direct sunlight. In the beginning, the basil might look a little strange as you add in more cuttings it will start to take shape.

7. Maintain the plant by watering richly every 5 days and then let the soil dry out completely before watering again.

I can’t stress the importance of using a well-drained planter and waiting to water until the soil is completely dry. In my first attempts at growing basil, I caused the roots to start decomposing… it was not pretty.

Also, remember that basil does not last forever. I take cuttings and regrow basil continuously. Because at some point, usually after a couple of months the original cutting will not be able to regrow any more leaves.

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Happy basil growing superstars!