Growing Basil on a Tropical Balcony

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Basil can grow up to quite tall but it needs to be harvested regularly, otherwise it will start to flower and then die. I try to keep mine growing for as long as possible by cutting long stalks and replant them.


It's really pretty easy. All I do is pluck off all the leaves (for cooking or drying purposes) at the bottom, leaving top most 2 or 4 leaves of each stalk, then place them into a glass of fresh water. Over the period of a week or 2, they will start to root. Once the roots are about 2" long, I will transfer them into soil.


I also do the same when the bottom of the basil plant start to turn woody. This would be the time I prune it all down, root the upper part that is fresh and green, and uproot the woody part to refresh the soil to be ready for new plants.

Planted: 15 July 2017


7 days later:



7 weeks later, after several cuttings:

6 Sep 2017

23 Oct 2017


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