Propagating Basil can be fun and rewarding! As it is one of the easiest herbs to grow, anyone can do it without much difficulty!
Basil is a flavorful herb mostly grown for its aromatic leaves. Dried or fresh, it can boost the flavor of your cuisine. If you love it and want to have an unlimited supply of it, don’t worry—it’s not that hard to grow and make more of this edible plant.
You just need to pick the best method for you, and propagating basil becomes really simple. Let’s see how to do it!
Best Time to Propagate Basil
If you are growing it in your garden, make sure the temperature is at least above 50 F (10 C). But what most experts fail to mention is that basil grows best at 70 F (21 C) or above. This is usually around late spring or early summer!
And remember, the plant grows best in warmth and proper sunlight and is extremely sensitive to cold.
Ways of Propagating Basil Easily
1. Propagating Basil from Seeds
First, you need to get your seeds. You can buy them at a store or sometimes even get them from a dried basil plant. Next, find a place to plant them. You can use small pots or a seed tray filled with a good seed starting mix.
Now, sprinkle your basil seeds on top of the dirt. Don’t put them too close together, or they’ll get crowded, and gently cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. All that’s left is to water them, but again, be delicate. You don’t want to wash them away.
Use a spray bottle or a watering can with a soft sprinkle. Keep the soil moist, not soaking wet. Basil seeds like warmth, so put them in a sunny spot. You can even use a heat mat to keep them warm if it’s cold. After a week or two, you’ll see tiny green sprouts popping up! These are your baby basil plants.
2. From Cuttings
Propagating basil from seeds is easy enough, but if you ask us, you should definitely do it from cuttings. The best part is that you can grow them in water or soil! You can basically grow unlimited basil plants in a pot this way!
Take a 4-6 inches long cutting from a healthy basil plant right below the leaf node for water propagation. Remove the leaves from the end and put the cutting in a water-filled glass jar.
Place the jar in a spot where it receives partial sunlight. Remember to change the water every 2-3 days. Within a week, the cutting will form roots. You can then transplant it into a pot or garden.
All the steps remain the same for soil propagation. Instead of putting the cutting in water, you can let it callous for a few hours and then put it directly into the soil and maintain warmth.
3. From Layering
Growing basil from layering is also easy. Just find a long, bendy stem on your basil plant. Gently bend it down, like you’re giving it a little bow, so part of it touches the soil.
Then use a stick or a rock to hold the stem down. Make sure the part touching the soil is where a leaf grows. You can even scratch it a little to help roots grow faster. Cover the stem with soil, leaving the tip sticking out like a little flag. Water the soil gently and keep it moist. After a few weeks, roots will grow!
To check, give the stem a gentle tug. If it’s stuck, it has roots! Now, you can snip the stem from the main plant. You have a brand-new basil plant with its own roots!
Dig it up and plant it in a pot or garden. Water it, give it sunshine, and watch it grow. Easy, right? You can even grow it year round indoors!
Well, what are you waiting for? Once your tiny basil plants are ready, you need to care for them properly so they flourish! And if you want them to grow bigger and bushier; do this!
