Life expectancy of a basil plant

[Carol]

I brought a basil plant indoors in the fall and it has done/is
continuing to do well. Question is will it continue to do so or
should I think about planting a replacement? I grew it from seed,
probably started it last April or so.

Also on the basil subject - can I root cuttings from the plant? Has
anyone tried?

Thanks

Carol
carol @ kermode.net

[michelle]

You can root cuttings from basil. It's probably best if you do it in
the summer when the plant is actively growing in the sun, and the
cuttings are more easily stimulated to root in water. Your plant would
now be considered a grandpa long past due for retirement. I guess you
kept the old coot from producing offspring (flowering and pollination),
so that's why Grandpa is still around. I'd keep the old coot, but I
would also keep in mind that he's less productive than in his youth or
some new sprout coming up from seed.
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[Cyndi Norman]

In article <34c23930...@snews.zippo.com>, no.junk...@kermode.net
(Carol) wrote:

> I brought a basil plant indoors in the fall and it has done/is
> continuing to do well. Question is will it continue to do so or
> should I think about planting a replacement? I grew it from seed,
> probably started it last April or so.

I once kept two basil plants alive outdoors in San Diego for about a year
and a half. They were about 4 feet tall! and produced very well. The
secret is to keep those flowers picked off 100%. And of course, no frost,
as others have said.

> Also on the basil subject - can I root cuttings from the plant? Has
> anyone tried?

I don't know. I was going to say, well, just let some go to seed and plant
the seeds, but then the mother plant would die. I think you could root it
(I'm trying to remember if I've done this or not). Try layering it. Or
stick a couple of cuttings in water.

Cyndi

_______________________________________________________________________________
Oakland, California Zone 9 USDA; Zone 16 Sunset Western Garden Guide
Disabled, chemically sensitive, wheelchair user Organic Gardening only
_______________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me. Maybe there's Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG) cno...@best.com
__________________________________________________ http://www.best.com/~cnorman

[Gary Woods]

no.junk...@kermode.net (Carol) wrote:

>I brought a basil plant indoors in the fall and it has done/is
>continuing to do well. Question is will it continue to do so or
>should I think about planting a replacement?

Dunno about cuttings, but basil is native to India (which is why it
dies if there's even a forecast of frost in the next county), so
should last quite a while!

--
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[Gary Cooper]

On Sat, 17 Jan 1998, Carol wrote:

> I brought a basil plant indoors in the fall and it has done/is
> continuing to do well. Question is will it continue to do so or

> should I think about planting a replacement? I grew it from seed,
> probably started it last April or so.
>

> Also on the basil subject - can I root cuttings from the plant? Has
> anyone tried?
>

> Thanks
>
> Carol
> carol @ kermode.net
>
>

Yes to both questions. Basil is a perennial if it doesn't freeze to death
or die from other causes (which it seems to like to do, in my experience),
and will keep growing as long as it gets enough light and water and isn't
crowded.
Stem cuttings (with a few leaves at the top) can be rooted to form new
plants, or they can be grown fairly quickly from seed.

Gary