By MG Pat Kenny
On an impulse, I recently bought some healthy looking basil plants that were crowded in a pot for sale at Trader Joe's for $4.49. I was inspired to see what I could do with them! Could they be transferred to the garden? I hope my adventure may be of interest to my fellow Master Gardeners.The basil I bought appeared to be Ocimum basilicum 'Genovese', a popular green garden basil. It is not known for its resistance to the wind-spread downy mildew, but we shall see how it does this summer. Here are the steps I took after I got it home:
June 18: I watered the pot, unpotted the plants, wrapped the rootball paper in a towel soaked in drained water, and harvested the top leaf clusters for dinner. I hoped that topping the crowded plants would slow above-ground foliage production and encourage them to concentrate on new roots. I began loosening the root ball with gentle hand massage and use of a fork. Then I rewrapped it and protected it outdoors in a dark, high tunnel.
June 19: I did more gentle but determined work with the fork to make space between the plants and find the ones with the thickest stems. Then I gently laid the strongest seedlings on a damp paper towel. I figured they could grow new roots if separated into their own pots and nurtured for a while before being transplanted into garden soil or larger pots.
June 19: I potted these individually into potting soil amended with some perlite to mimic the original growing medium. When potting or planting basils and many other mint family members, the lower leaves are gently removed and the plant is settled lower in the soil to develop roots at those sites. I watered the chosen 13 plants with a little warm water from above to allow root-soil contact and also spritzed them a bit. Then they were allowed to rest in a dark, cool basement overnight.
June 20: I set the newly potted plants in trays under lights in a warm half-attic crawl space for a day. I watered with about 1/2-inch water from below only.
June 21: The seedlings were set outdoors in shade for a while, because fresh air and breezes are known to strengthen plant tissues. The next day I moved them to bright partial shade.
July 11: The plants were moved to new locations, some in clay pots, some in plastic pots, and some in garden soil to compare growth and watering needs under different conditions. Notice the new top growth, showing that the plants have firmed up a bit. The tallest seedling was chosen for a special plastic pot, with surface stones added in an attempt to discourage diggers.
The first serious harvest was to happen soon afterward, taking a good 1/3 to 1/2 of the above-ground plants. The strongest plants were shared with neighbors, while the less robust ones were used in culinary creations.I've had my fun with this experiment—I feel fulfilled!
All photos: MG Pat Kenny
