Grow Basil from Cuttings

If you've ever bought a little basil pot at the grocery store, they typically go for $4.99 or thereabouts.  The soil isn't very good so they tend to get leggy. 

If you want to make the most of your investment, you can take cuttings from your store-bought plant (or from an existing basil plant in your garden or that of a generous friend) and grow a dozen bushy plants.  Here's how.

What you will need:

- a basil plant
- a clear glass
- a grow lamp (optional)
- some potting soil
- a pot

1) Cut just below a node and remove the existing leaves at that node and one node up with fingers or scissors; make sure you have 4+ good-sized leaves at the top.

2) Put cutting in a clear glass and fill with room-temp tap water so that node is 1-2" below the level of the water; you can put up to 3-4 cuttings in each glass.

3) Place glass on a windowsill where it will get some light (preferably South or SouthWest facing) OR place under a grow lamp and give it 8-12 hours of light per day.  The grow lamp will produce a greener plant and distance to new nodes (as the above-water part of the plant grows) will be shorter 

4) Check the water every few days and top it up if required - remember to use room temp water, not mid-January 8C water :).

4) After 1-2 weeks, you will notice little white root threads growing out of the nodes.

5) After 3-4 weeks, the roots will be a couple of inches long and it is time to transplant: can start with a small pot (3-5" tall, 2-3"diameter at the top, beer pong cups work well); make sure the pot has 1-2 holes in the bottom.  Put each cutting in its own pot, add potting soil so that is is above the highest roots.  Tamp down the soil to eliminate air pockets; this will lower the soil level so add soil if necessary.  Water your plant, which will again lower the soil level and add soil if necessary.

6) Place back in the sun/under the grow lamp.  Water every couple of days.

7) Fertilize?

8) Transplant (one or more plants) into a larger pot

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