I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
it producing too. TIA

Kalmia wrote:
> I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
> is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
> it producing too. TIA


Just keep pinching it back, and don't let it freeze. Even a light frost
will kill it.

Bob

On Jul 5, 7:59*pm, zxcvbob > wrote:
> Kalmia wrote:
> > I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
> > is for basil. *I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
> > it producing too. *TIA
>
> Just keep pinching it back, and don't let it freeze. *Even a light frost
> will kill it.
>
> Bob

It's in a windowsill pot. Do I pinch from the top, bottom, .....where?

On Jul 5, 4:54*pm, Kalmia > wrote:
> I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
> is for basil. *I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
> it producing too. *TIA

Like said, keep pinching it. Mine always bolts here, so I am not a lot
of help! I have oregano or marjoram all over the place- the previous
owner must have planted some somewhere, but it's like a weed, along
with the lemon balm.

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>it producing too. TIA

Do not let it go to flower. Pinch off any flower buds and it'll last
much, much longer. In fact, when you want leaves, lop off the top of
the biggest stem. It should send out side shoots in response. That
too, will make it last longer.

It'll do better outdoors if you can keep it there, too.

By the way, standard basil grows like a weed, so if you have any room
in the garden at all, or a 6" or greater flower pot, toss in some
seeds and stand back.

I have 4-5 different basils growing out there right now.

Boron

On Jul 5, 8:14*pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
> On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>
> > wrote:
> >I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
> >is for basil. *I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
> >it producing too. *TIA
>
> Do not let it go to flower. Pinch off any flower buds and it'll last
> much, much longer. In fact, when you want leaves, lop off the top of
> the biggest stem. It should send out side shoots in response. That
> too, will make it last longer.
>
> It'll do better outdoors if you can keep it there, too.
>
> By the way, standard basil grows like a weed, so if you have any room
> in the garden at all, or a 6" or greater flower pot, toss in some
> seeds and stand back.
>
> I have 4-5 different basils growing out there right now.
>
> Boron

Green with envy. Does is like sun, partial or what?

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 17:18:45 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>On Jul 5, 8:14*pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
>> On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>>
>> > wrote:
>> >I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>> >is for basil. *I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>> >it producing too. *TIA
>>
>> Do not let it go to flower. Pinch off any flower buds and it'll last
>> much, much longer. In fact, when you want leaves, lop off the top of
>> the biggest stem. It should send out side shoots in response. That
>> too, will make it last longer.
>>
>> It'll do better outdoors if you can keep it there, too.
>>
>> By the way, standard basil grows like a weed, so if you have any room
>> in the garden at all, or a 6" or greater flower pot, toss in some
>> seeds and stand back.
>>
>> I have 4-5 different basils growing out there right now.
>>
>> Boron
>
>Green with envy. Does is like sun, partial or what?

As much sun as you can give it. Keep it damp, but not wet.

Boron

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
> is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
> it producing too. TIA

I dunno. I think you need to have the right plant karma. I was given
a basil plant from Trader Joe's last year that I kept going until I
went on vacation and then it died at the plant sitter's. I bought a
pot of parsley a few weeks ago and it started getting leggy & brown
immediately - under the same light and heat conditions the basil did
well in (my kitchen window). So, I'm as clueless as you are. My
advice is to get a violet.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>it producing too. TIA

Basil is shallow rooted, so never let it get dry. Pinching it back is
probably a bad example. You need to cut useable stems from the plant.
in the beginning you cut the main stem just above where you see leaf
nodes on the stem. The leaf nodes will produce additional stems.
Continue cutting the plant just above the leaf nodes to keep the plant
branching out. Definitely cut the plant back before it goes to
flower. Basil likes sun and warm earth. You can keep your cutting
fresh until use by putting them in a glass of water just as you would
cut flowers. The same rules apply here -- do not fill the water so
that leaves are under water. Change the water every several days.
Soon you may see that some of the stems have roots. You can allow
these roots to develop and plant the stem. Keep the newly planted
stem out of the sun for a few days to harden off. Basil is an annual
plant and as such has a limited life -- you cannot make it last
forever. Your rooted stems will have the same life as the main plant
that you took them from. You may be able to keep the plant going to
mid winter. Good Luck
Janet US

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>it producing too. TIA

All my basil died this year! :-( Except for two plants:

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos...65819040_n.jpg

I think it's Christmas Basil.

I had Italian Large Leaf and several other kinds and this is all that
survived. I have no idea why.

John Kuthe...

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 17:00:51 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>On Jul 5, 7:59*pm, zxcvbob > wrote:
>> Kalmia wrote:
>> > I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>> > is for basil. *I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>> > it producing too. *TIA
>>
>> Just keep pinching it back, and don't let it freeze. *Even a light frost
>> will kill it.
>>
>> Bob
>
>It's in a windowsill pot. Do I pinch from the top, bottom, .....where?

From the juicy new leaf tops! The basil plant will replace these. If
you minch from the botton the basil plant will not replace bottom
leaves.

John Kuthe...

"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
>I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
> is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
> it producing too. TIA

Lots of sun, warmth and water. Clip the flowering buds or the leaves tend
to go bitter.

Paul

On Thu, 05 Jul 2012 18:23:07 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:
>
>> I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>> is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>> it producing too. TIA
>
>I dunno. I think you need to have the right plant karma. I was given
>a basil plant from Trader Joe's last year that I kept going until I
>went on vacation and then it died at the plant sitter's. I bought a
>pot of parsley a few weeks ago and it started getting leggy & brown
>immediately - under the same light and heat conditions the basil did
>well in (my kitchen window). So, I'm as clueless as you are. My
>advice is to get a violet.

Parsley likes a little bit of shade during the day from the intense
sun. It doesn't have to be complete shade. I put it with other
plants or another pot nearby so that it get some dappled shade during
the brightest, hottest part of the day.
Janet US

On Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:32:30 -0500, John Kuthe >
wrote:

>On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:
>
>>I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>>is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>>it producing too. TIA
>
>All my basil died this year! :-( Except for two plants:
>
>https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos...65819040_n.jpg
>
>I think it's Christmas Basil.
>
>I had Italian Large Leaf and several other kinds and this is all that
>survived. I have no idea why.
>
>John Kuthe...
If you had a lengthy cool, gray spring, basil will not do well at
all. It needs bright sun and warmth to do well.
Janet US

John Kuthe wrote:
>
> From the juicy new leaf tops! The basil plant will replace these. If
> you minch from the botton the basil plant will not replace bottom
> leaves.

Yes, cut the top stem off just above a pair of leaves. If you remove the
bottom you get a tall empty stem with a few leaves on top and then it dies.


--

Reply in group, but if emailing add one more
zero, and remove the last word.

On 05/07/2012 8:18 PM, Kalmia wrote:

>> By the way, standard basil grows like a weed, so if you have any room
>> in the garden at all, or a 6" or greater flower pot, toss in some
>> seeds and stand back.
>>
>> I have 4-5 different basils growing out there right now.
>>
>> Boron
>
> Green with envy. Does is like sun, partial or what?
>


Basil is finicky. I had a number of basil fails until I put it full all
day sunlight. This year I bought a couple pots each of purple and
regular green basil and I relocated my herb garden abut 20 yards. t has
the same soil and the same sunlight. I don't know what happened. The
purple basil all died. One green basil plant has sort of survived/
Meanwhile, back in the old herb garden, which is now a flower garden, a
couple basil plants have popped up on their own and seem to be thriving.
Similarly, dill and cilantro that were planted are disappointing, but
there are some popping up in the old herb garden.

Dang. If I had not spent the money to buy the new plants I am sure the
other stuff would not have appeared and I would have none. I find it
hard to spend $1-2 on a bunch of herbs and then thrown out 90% of it,
but I do like fresh herbs.

Kalmia wrote:
> zxcvbob > wrote:
>> Kalmia wrote:
>
>> > I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>> > is for basil. *I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>> > it producing too. *TIA
>
>> Just keep pinching it back, and don't let it freeze. *Even a light frost
>> will kill it.
>
> It's in a windowsill pot. Do I pinch from the top, bottom, .....where?

Pinch it to shape it like a bush. Whatever shape you like your bushes
to have. Mostly around the outside with some internal snipping.

Kept warn basil is supposed to be a perennial. Ours have either died
because we put them outside in the cold or they grew too big and bolted
while we were out of town.

On Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:21:55 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

>On Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:32:30 -0500, John Kuthe >
>wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:
>>
>>>I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
>>>is for basil. I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
>>>it producing too. TIA
>>
>>All my basil died this year! :-( Except for two plants:
>>
>>https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos...65819040_n.jpg
>>
>>I think it's Christmas Basil.
>>
>>I had Italian Large Leaf and several other kinds and this is all that
>>survived. I have no idea why.
>>
>>John Kuthe...
> If you had a lengthy cool, gray spring, basil will not do well at
>all. It needs bright sun and warmth to do well.
>Janet US

Lenthy, warm and plenty of sun!

Someone told me she heard that store bought basil plants may have had
a disease or somehting. I bought mine from a nursery. Not raised from
seed. I tried from seed last year, outside, and something ate all the
seedlings when they were very tiny. So this year I got well
established plants and the mostly failed too. I feel basil-cursed! ;-)

John Kuthe...

On Sun, 08 Jul 2012 12:51:38 -0400, Ross@home wrote:

> Parsley is a biennial and will bolt the second year. Potted parsley
> plants from a nursery probably think (or know) they're already in
> their second season.

That doesn't make any sense to me. Pure economics would dictate that
they start the plant from seed and sell it ASAP.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Jul 5, 5:18*pm, Kalmia > wrote:
> On Jul 5, 8:14*pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 16:54:11 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>
> > > wrote:
> > >I have had parsley producing for months, but wonder what the technique
> > >is for basil. *I bought a full plant in supermkt tda, but want to keep
> > >it producing too. *TIA
>
> > Do not let it go to flower. Pinch off any flower buds and it'll last
> > much, much longer. In fact, when you want leaves, lop off the top of
> > the biggest stem. It should send out side shoots in response. That
> > too, will make it last longer.
>
> > It'll do better outdoors if you can keep it there, too.
>
> > By the way, standard basil grows like a weed, so if you have any room
> > in the garden at all, or a 6" or greater flower pot, toss in some
> > seeds and stand back.
>
> > I have 4-5 different basils growing out there right now.
>
> > Boron
>
> Green with envy. *Does is like sun, partial or what?

Full sun. Ours is about 2 feet tall and tons of leaves. Pinch back the
tops when they look like they are going to flower. Keep watered but
not soaking wet.

Three years ago I bought a basil plant at Lowes. Every time it bolted,
I'd cut off the seed and let them drop onto the ground. I now have a
bunch of basil plants that have grown up from the original. When the
heat here kills one off, another sprouts. I have "wild" basil, I guess.

Just bought a basil plant that is not supposed to grow seeds. Planted
it and "topped" the other plants in the garden.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:02:54 -0400, Boron Elgar
> wrote:

> I just potted up a batch today, but don't know
> if they'll ever make it to full fruit before frost. Ya never know.

I don't know what full fruit means, but it won't be too bad if you end
up with a batch of green tomatoes.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 18:16:34 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

>On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:02:54 -0400, Boron Elgar
> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:36:57 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

>>
>>I had so many volunteer tomatoes this year I could have refrained from
>>starting any by seed.
>>
>>One particular cherry variety was so anxious to return that it put out
>>lots of multiples from one fruit. I'd get a mini-forest of seedlings
>>from a dried up skin. I just potted up a batch today, but don't know
>>if they'll ever make it to full fruit before frost. Ya never know.
>>
>>Boron
>>
>Because I am in a sling for 9 weeks, I made an entire deck garden
>before surgery. On a 'what the heck' whim, I bought a tomato plant,
>var. Delicious, at Costco. I knew it was a determinate plant and
>figured I would be safe planting it in a very large pot on the deck. I
>thought that I could constrain it with bamboo sticks and string. Huh!
>Damn storm wind slammed and twisted the thing apart and down. I have
>a tomato cage I can still put around it, but I don't want to gouge the
>Trex decking (husband is watching, don't you know) The nice part
>about a deck garden is that you can move things around as they outgrow
>their space. In an effort to have a garden despite my handicap, I may
>have been over zealous in the amount of stuff I put in pots ( The
>walking space is narrowing. . .
>Janet US


As you know, I do much of my gardening on the deck in pots. It is now
almost impossible to get between some of the pots as the tomatoes and
cukes have grown so large.

These photos are from a month ago. so do not show the true size of
things now, but take a look:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2564880...7630220986498/

I hope the surgery is a success and you get your arm back soon.

Boron

On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 07:38:48 -0400, Boron Elgar
> wrote:
snip
>
>
>As you know, I do much of my gardening on the deck in pots. It is now
>almost impossible to get between some of the pots as the tomatoes and
>cukes have grown so large.
>
>These photos are from a month ago. so do not show the true size of
>things now, but take a look:
>
>http://www.flickr.com/photos/2564880...7630220986498/
>
>I hope the surgery is a success and you get your arm back soon.
>
>Boron
That's pretty amazing. I can tell that you have had much warmer
weather there because your plants are so much more advanced. I don't
have any perennials in my deck garden except one mum that got 'heeled
in' for the winter some years ago. It liked the pot so I left it
there. My garden is just beginning to bloom. I've set some hot
peppers, a winter squash and some tomatoes. Thanks for the pic.
Janet US