SWEET BASIL

First acquired: October 21, 2012, Mahogany Market, Tagaytay City.
Last acquisition date: January 14, 2017.

BASIL AND ME

I know that this is the first herb that I bought.

My wife and I saw this way back October 2012, when we went to Tagaytay and we were drawn to it because of its smell (relaxing minty smell).  Lanie (my wife), knows its uses in the kitchen,  I do not know anything about it except for those that she had told me when we bought it, but before that, I didn’t even know that a plant like that existed.  I do not know how to cook, and most of what I eat, I do not even bother to ask what it was made from.

The one that we bought back then was in a plastic seedling bag, just like the ones that we can buy today.  I think we got two or three bags.  I transplanted those to different pots.
I cannot remember for how long we had those plants.  The stems became woody after some time and they have eventually all died.

I do not have any Idea on how to propagate them back then.  We do not have any internet connection, and I am not a fan of books.  In any case, I do not think that there are many books about it at that time.

We bought this plant several times, even when I already know how to propagate them, there were still times when I would lose all my plants, due to neglect.

I have tried using the seeds that I got from the plants’ flower.  I was able to do that only once.  But when I tried it again and took some pictures so I can post it on my blog, I did not succeed.  I know I have tried it again (I cannot remember how many times) but I was always unsuccessful.  Maybe I should try it again, just try and try until I succeed.

I had a post entitled ‘Back to Basil’ last August 2015 and that probably was when I learned about propagating them through cuttings.  I know I saw that in a YouTube video.  But I have already forgotten who made it, but many thanks to him or them (I think I saw a couple of videos about it).

Today, all the Basil plants I have were propagated through cuttings.  And they are doing really good.

I am putting them in seedling bags so I can also sell some.



PROPAGATION

The system that I am using for now is propagating through cuttings.

It is really easy to do. 

Just take some cuttings, around four to five inches, put it in a bottle with water, tap water will do, no need to add any growing solutions.  You will start to see some roots growing in four to five days.  And in two weeks, you can plant them in a pot.  That easy!

I will still try to use the seeds and just update this, ones I succeeded.



MY POSTS ABOUT BASIL (SWEET BASIL)

1.  Planting Sweet Basil Seeds

2.  Planting Sweet Basil Seeds Part II
3.  Planting Sweet Basil Seeds Part III (a failed attempt)
4.  Back to Basil
5.  Propagating Mint and Basil Through Cuttings