Nothing Beats Fresh Basil. As a member of the Mint family, this tropical herb is as easy to grow from seed as it is from rooted cuttings. Equally at home indoors or outside, today we’re going to deep dive into the world of Basil!
In this video, we’ll explore basic care, general requirements, seed planting, germination, container growing, watering, soil types, harvesting, and of course re-growing from cuttings. Sit back, relax, and let’s talk some Basil!
Other herb videos of interest:
5 Herbs To Grow From Cuttings: https://youtu.be/qfCko3W2HNQ
Top 5 Herbs For Indoors: https://youtu.be/BbtqtVZjhPI
Indoor Herb Growing Guide: https://youtu.be/uHLChW4R5vw
Easiest Way To Plant Herbs: https://youtu.be/aUCprKd5Me0
Top 4 Perennial Herbs: https://youtu.be/LcQQpUbb90Y
Unlimited Thyme From Cuttings: https://youtu.be/TCu2UWfDsoo
Growing Cilantro Indoors: https://youtu.be/LlqsR8TidjQ
Saving Cilantro Seeds: https://youtu.be/VwbAh4poLSI
Unlimited Basil: https://youtu.be/y9L3NZPHfsY
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Planting Tomatoes – The Mega Guide!: https://youtu.be/YchH7X3HrL4
Complete Guide To Direct Seeding: https://youtu.be/2hzEFe26FUY
10 Easiest Crops For Beginners: https://youtu.be/fMQwUXNpHnE
8 Rosemary Growing Tips: https://youtu.be/c4TFfMfRpls
DIY Seed Starting Soil: https://youtu.be/7N1PYb-0r5E
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Fertilizing Strawberries: https://youtu.be/vZdsdcWCdOw
How To Grow Garlic: https://youtu.be/UgbWxSqpqws
Baking Soda Aphid and Insect Spray: https://youtu.be/320D-41xt-M
6 Benefits Of Hydrogen Peroxide!: https://youtu.be/jU4N5PLKX7M
Pruning Pepper Plants Experiment!: https://youtu.be/s6jh_tcMfVw
Direct Seeding vs Starter Plant: https://youtu.be/TQWWtQu-r9U
100% Germination?: https://youtu.be/FqZ8tFrhWv0
Seed Starting Soil: https://youtu.be/OlLHCtHI6JY
Seed Starting 101, The Basics!: https://youtu.be/bRWac1OpxPY
Starting Tomato Seeds: https://youtu.be/qlEp0iDfB-k
Starting Pepper Seeds: https://youtu.be/mNqS1FpPWW8
Starting Cucumber Seeds: https://youtu.be/7aWeBavfubE
Starting Zucchini Seeds: https://youtu.be/LgHKLftASTQ
Starting Corn Seeds: https://youtu.be/2t2A2ZrdZ3k
Starting Pumpkin Seeds: https://youtu.be/kT_WR0e2EjI
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#basil #herbs #gardening
34 Comments
If you're just starting out gardening in 2023, please check out my Amazon Affiliate links below to get the right tools for the job! It doesn't cost you a cent, but this channel receives a small incentive for any items purchase through Amazon. Happy Gardening!
Seedling Trays!
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3xiKAgi
Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3DWD2DR
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3RRlrCQ
pH/Water/Light Meter
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3yafmrV
Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3OKRW30
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3nvEIM4
Composting Tumbler!
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/39CgtYw
Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/39Dha49
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Handy 12-piece Garden Tool Set!:
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3jsNIyk
Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/2YZhFwx
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3qapNql
Hand Pruners:
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Ughh, I've been doing my basil dirty for so long. No wonder it always bolts, wilts, and doesn't get healthy. I just got a new healthy plant and now that I've watched this video, I know my basil will finally be healthy. Thanks so much for your informative videos
What is the best natural pesticide & fungicide for strawberry plants?
I planted about a half dozen basil plants in small pots. Early on, I fertilized them with blood meal for the nitrogen. I harvested them as described in this video.
But the basil is bitter, even though it hasnt gone to seed yet. Any idea as to why this is happening?
I had no problem growing basil in a 3 x 3 metre (c. 10' x 10') hot air heated stone base bed in a 30 x 9 metre (c. 98' x 30') polytunnel in temperatures up to 50C (120F) near Oban on the west coast of Scotland. I had inter-planted garlic with it and onions, strawberries, amaranth and sunflowers.
Basil has become a weed to me. I planted it one year and now theres random plants coming up all over my yard. 50+ feet away and across the pool from where i planted it. But its the biggest bee attractor i got so i leave some of them up. Stuff is like crack to them. I would just suggest trying to manage its size cuz if you dont youll basically have a basil tree on your hands
I love basel, I didn't know u can get a node and regrow, will do. 2 plants died from heat :/
Btw u said one plant that grows above 8 months.
I had a single plant that survived for 3 years!
I've been loving the information in your videos but haven't been able to apply it, except today! Basil was the first plant I grew this year, along with parsley and oregano and the basil is thriving! Now I know how to harvest it properly and keep it going for years to come ❤
Hi Jeff. I haven't started any herbs at all. I'm still sticking to my few veggies that are coming along, so so. Lettuce is growing, I guess, especially fast. Green pole beans don't seem to be moving along as I would have hoped. Cakes are ok. Tomatoes are
good. Carrots, well, I have to watch your video again. I'm not sure when they'll be ready. Spinach is right there with the lettuce. So, all in all, you taught me well.
Now, as for herbs. I have seeds. I just have my hands full since coming to Geogia. My grandsons are a handful. And November 1st is the frost date. Gee, I'm all over the place with this comment. But I have 2 little boys literally jumping on my back. Lol. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some basil going in the next couple of days. Thanks, Jeff. You're a great help. Take care, and God bless ❤
I bought a pot of rootbound basil in a supermarket. I unsuccessfully tried to separate it but in the end decided to just stick it in the potting soil using a cut 6 liter bottle as a container. I pruned all the smaller shoots, and watered it, and just left it on my sill positioning it in the spot where the sun could reach it at 5pm (my apartment is on the shadowed side). It’s been a month and it survived! One of the shoots closer to the window glass even bolted 🙂 I plan on gathering seeds from it. I’m not risking to eat it because I live very closely to a busy road, but my room smells amazing!
Basil seeds require heat to germinate, which is something I didn't know before. I would always sow them in pots and end up waiting forever. This year I sprinkled them lightly on a damp paper towel and placed them over the pilot light. (A heat mat will work too.) I got germination practically overnight. Since the seeds are tiny, rather than picking them out, I lifted the paper towel out and laid that on the soil, then covered it with a dusting. Got a lot more surviving plants this year.
Almost all kinds of basil that I've grown from seed were supposed to not be covered for germination.. The classic genovese big leaved green definitely is a light germinating seed
I planted some seeds indoors at the beginning of the year. Now I have basil everywhere! In pots and rooting in mason jars outside. Jars and jars inside. It’s so easy to grow here in OK even tho it’s 110 here today. I have it in the shade of my porch and it’s prolific. I love basil ❤
Idk why when I try to get roots from cuttings it never works.
Best basil video ever! Thank you!
My basil this year looks like they got some kind of fungus and is killing the entire crop! I dont understand why! 2 weeks ago they were beautiful and now all black spots and the under leaves are discolored!
Awesome guide Jeff! Any tips on fending off aphids? They love my plants inside too🥲
Well gotta go kill some basil flowers I thought looked cool…..uuuuug thank you.
I have always struggled with basil… this info should help 🪴🪴🪴 Thanks!!
Do you have favorite varieties for flavor or performance? I’ve been considering a hybrid compact variety, but would rather not sacrifice amount of harvest. We really enjoy freezing pesto!
You are the best educator, very knowledgeable, above all you love what you do,add honesty as well
I think it would have been to talk about other varieties. I really like Thai Basil. In Asia they use Holy basil a lot. Purple basil is beautiful also. So next time get a bunch started and do a video on the many varieties, and maybe describe the flavors and how to use them. I tried the cutting method and didn't have much success.
i planted basil with almost everything this year .. this is my first time of ever growing it, or even smelling it fresh … and OMG – i absolutely love the smell of the basil in the garden .. when the breeze blows you get a hint of the wonderful fragrance .. when i water, i can smell the basil .. just brushing up against it gives off a wonderful smell that fills the senses and brightens my day .. i will always grow basil now
have you ever heard of dill adversely affecting or stunting tomato plants? i recently read an article that said it would, i've never heard this before. The same article said basil is a good companion plant for tomatoes, which i have heard
Growing a few varieties but i have a question in regards with propogating basil by cuttings. I notice my older plants stems gradually grow woody/brown. I guess i dont use the brown sections but the remaining green part of stem with nodes to use as cuttings?. Also i notice on my greek minette there seem to be lumpy nodules on each of the stems – are these nodes where roots could come out if i used those sections as cuttings?.
What do you do when they get small brown spots on the leaves? Especially after a lot of rain.
I have not had good luck getting basil to grow roots from cuttings. I'm not sure if it doesn't like my water or if I'm harvesting the wrong age of basil (on old plants vs new) or something else. I am at about a 50/50 success rate on if they grow roots or just die and rot in the water. Fortunately seeds are cheap and I can grow them that way.
I don't have 8-9 month old Genovese/sweet basil, but I do have some that's about 5-6 months old (I bought it about 4 months ago and it was already well established) and is turning woody on some of the stems. I harvest it a lot and heavily. It is still tasty! I honestly am surprised it hasn't bolted yet. I bought it from the grocery store and uppotted it into a 5 gallon grow bag. It sits outside in horrible Houston weather (107F air temp yesterday, ugh) but sits facing east with a fence behind it, so it gets afternoon shade. I do have to water it every day, because even with tan grow bags, it is very dry by the end of the day. Curse this heat.
There are other varieties of basil that are perennials (at least here) – Thai basil is a good one. My Thai basil is HUGE. One thing I am curious about – for Gen/sweet basil, flowering is bad and means the plant is done and the leaves won't be tasty anymore. But for other varieties, such as Thai and cinnamon basil, that's…not the case? Because they seem to flower and stay that way. Am I understanding that right?
Great video! Very informative. Have you ever grown Emerald Tower basil? I hear it is like Genovese Basil. Thoughts? (Before I invest in seeds). Thanks!
Can I grow it by any window? Even north facing that never gets direct sunlight but gets plenty of indirect light?
Great info! And it’s not too late for me to have basil, basil, basil!!!
Do you think basil can share a pot with dills and cilantro successfully? Thanks for the video.
What causes the leaves to stay small? I have some basil that started off with big leaves but now its leaves are growing only to a certain size about half an inch X half inch and not getting any larger. They seem a bit wrinkled and dusty too even though they are mulched at the base with straw.
Hi Jeff, you always mulch which definitely shows how advantageous that is for plants. Unfortunately I'm a city girl & mulch like yours isn't quite easy to find. Can you please do a video on mulch from big box stores like Home Depot & Amazon. There are so many choices & I've read labels & I'm so confused. What's rubber mulch, colored mulch? So many. Thanks & be well.
My pests love it as much as I do