Basil cuttings, find a good plant and free forever

[Smokensalt]

Hey folks,

My main love and career was horticulture, specialising in arboriculture before the body gave up. Here's a wee trick to get free basil. Take cuttings. Very easy, quick and if you love pesto or grilled tomatoes, halloumi and a handful of basil or use loads in your pizza sauce this could be for you.

Find a plant you love the taste of (I finally found the Isabella variety which is super aniseedy so great for cooking with as opposed to adding at the end of) and took cuttings. Just get some scissors, cut just above a leaf node, where the leave come from the side, stick in water and wait a week or 2 (the pic is cuttings I took and the roots appeared about 10 days after. A drop of tomato feed into the water and they were healthier than the stock plant I took them from). Plant into good compost and you will never run out of basil again as 6ou just keep doing it. It's also much more reliable than growing from seed especially if you've found the plant you love the taste of.

 

[chopsaw]

I started 3 Aero gardens right after Christmas .
One has 2 types of Basil . I also bought some " Herb savers " that get filled with water to hold the cuttings . I noticed that the Genovese Basil sprouted roots like you show above , so I planted it . I'll never use this many fresh herbs , but nice to have it when you want it .

finally found the Isabella variety which is super aniseedy

Is that the same as Thai basil ? I have a plant of that too . It's smells just like anise and I've been drying it and using it in sausage .

 

[DougE]

My main love and career was horticulture, specialising in arboriculture before the body gave up.

Hello from a fellow worn out arborist. Loved the work, but getting beat and banged around in trees will put some wear and tear on the old body.

 

[Smokensalt]

I started 3 Aero gardens right after Christmas .
One has 2 types of Basil . I also bought some " Herb savers " that get filled with water to hold the cuttings . I noticed that the Genovese Basil sprouted roots like you show above , so I planted it . I'll never use this many fresh herbs , but nice to have it when you want it .

Is that the same as Thai basil ? I have a plant of that too . It's smells just like anise and I've been drying it and using it in sausage .

Nice going. Wish I had the room to hydroponics. Always loved the idea of a full on veg up top and fish underneath system.

Nope, Isabella is spanish i think, def not Thai basil, which has slender pointed leaves, not the rounded rolled leaves of Western Basil's. The Thai varieties, like Holy basil, keep the flavour strong no matter how long you cook them for.

 

[Smokensalt]

Hello from a fellow worn out arborist. Loved the work, but getting beat and banged around in trees will put some wear and tear on the old body.

I hear that Doug. Going for neck surgery soon c5/6 blown out, titanium fusion frame thing, terrified. Had the lower back butchered 15 yrs ago which went horribly wrong but still here and walking against all the odds I was up against when the infections took hold. Love every day now and make sure I cook as much as I can, whenever I can ;)

Still miss the swinging about the canopy. Good days.

 

[chopsaw]

I have them in my laundry room . I bought one for my kids to share , then decided to get them each one . Then it turned out they bought me one . Lol . 6 holes each . Not that big , but they really produce . I've been drying dill for months , and picking Jalapenos and grape tomatoes for at least 6 weeks .

 

[chopsaw]

Doc wants to do back surgery on me . I told him no way .

 

[DougE]

I hear that Doug. Going for neck surgery soon c5/6 blown out, titanium fusion frame thing, terrified.

I had c5/6 done mid 1990s, went back to climbing, then blew out c2/3 in the early 2000s and had to go in for a second round. I gave up tree work after that. The surgery isn't horrible, but it isn't fun either. I definitely don't want to to it a third time.

 

[Smokensalt]

I have them in my laundry room . I bought one for my kids to share , then decided to get them each one . Then it turned out they bought me one . Lol . 6 holes each . Not that big , but they really produce . I've been drying dill for months , and picking Jalapenos and grape tomatoes for at least 6 weeks .
View attachment 630297

That's my next project. I do chillies in soil pots, mainly habs and cayenne, and then ferment them for 6 months. They are amazing and shelf stable for years. Just chillies and salt brine. Amazing flavour profies. Add in some thyme or caraway for extra oomf. 2 years back I got 4 kilos.of fresh chillies, sauce didn't last long once fermented. Last year was terrible though as we had a scorching march, freezing April, may and windy June so nothing really took off. Only got a few tiny under developed habs. This could be the answer if you're says jalapeños work. Never even thought of it. Thanks dude. :)))))))

 

[DougE]

Doc wants to do back surgery on me . I told him no way .

If it were just a pain thing, I would have passed as well, but I was losing use of my hands and legs, so I had to do it. I'm nowhere near 100%, but I can manage to do most things within reason.

 

[Smokensalt]

I had c5/6 done mid 1990s, went back to climbing, then blew out c2/3 in the early 2000s and had to go in for a second round. I gave up tree work after that. The surgery isn't horrible, but it isn't fun either. I definitely don't want to to it a third time.

My first L4/5 didn't work so they did it again but he cut my spinal lining. Went back for a kevlar repair which didn't work, then had csf pouring out so a few days later had another repair, then almost died it when staff, meningitis and other infections hit my brain stem. Was so delerious and effed up from infections i don't remember much other than waking up lying there see my wife crying and the Dr saying i won't walk and may not survive. Haha, beat them all, still walking and survived. Life is good.

 

[Smokensalt]

If it were just a pain thing, I would have passed as well, but I was losing use of my hands and legs, so I had to do it. I'm nowhere near 100%, but I can manage to do most things within reason.

Yep, same, got foot drop, couldn't bend, move, sit, stand. Was years of just pain and immobility. My Dr said I was making it all up and want until the foot drop they finally mri'd me and said oohhh, bad prolapse. Emergency op and as it's been like that for years you'll prob not use left leg again properly. Then see above for outcome of that op. Pppfft. Am.assured by this neurosurgeo that the neck one will be a great success...............fingers, toes and 2 veg crossed for that!!

 

[Nefarious]

I have them in my laundry room . I bought one for my kids to share , then decided to get them each one . Then it turned out they bought me one . Lol . 6 holes each . Not that big , but they really produce . I've been drying dill for months , and picking Jalapenos and grape tomatoes for at least 6 weeks .
View attachment 630297

Thats a good idea, laundry room. We just put the plants on the back patio after we.use them,.they die because we don't take.care.of them and when we need more we just.replace them. Laundry room is an excellent idea.

 

[Nefarious]

I had c5/6 done mid 1990s, went back to climbing, then blew out c2/3 in the early 2000s and had to go in for a second round. I gave up tree work after that. The surgery isn't horrible, but it isn't fun either. I definitely don't want to to it a third time.

I had l5,s1fused. My hips were so bad I couldn't walk for longer then 2 to 3 minutes. That was an easy decision for me. I can't golf very well, but I couldn't before either.

 

[DougE]

My first L4/5 didn't work so they did it again but he cut my spinal lining. Went back for a kevlar repair which didn't work, then had csf pouring out so a few days later had another repair, then almost died it when staff, meningitis and other infections hit my brain stem. Was so delerious and effed up from infections i don't remember much other than waking up lying there see my wife crying and the Dr saying i won't walk and may not survive. Haha, beat them all, still walking and survived. Life is good.

Damn, man, that was a rough one for sure.

 

[bauchjw]

Another hobby/passion for a future date! Very cool and impressive!

 

[DougE]

That was an easy decision for me. I can't golf very well, but I couldn't before either.

Man I always loved working on golf courses. If you happened to be up in a tree within range of a tee, it's a given that at least one golfer in every group was going to purposefully launch a golf ball at you.

 

[chopsaw]

If it were just a pain thing, I would have passed as well, but I was losing use of my hands and legs, so I had to do it.

Yeah , I'm there too . Just depends on the day .
My legs are getting pretty bad , and he's telling me it's because of my back . I'm just gonna hold out 'til I can't .

 

[Nefarious]

Yeah , I'm there too . Just depends on the day .
My legs are getting pretty bad , and he's telling me it's because of my back . I'm just gonna hold out 'til I can't .

My brother in law needs knee replacement really bad and he keeps putting it off, year after year. The problem, at least what I tell him is, every yearn is painful until he gets the surgery. No quality of life, and the older he gets, the harder recovery will be.

 

[Nefarious]

Man I always loved working on golf courses. If you happened to be up in a tree within range of a tee, it's a given that at least one golfer in every group was going to purposefully launch a golf ball at you.

Only good thing is, most golfers have a hard time hitting the tree let alone someone in it.