If you let herbs like basil and parsley "go to seed," the plant itself will die off. It's fulfilled its mission of blooming and setting seeds. If you let those seeds dry before planting, they usually germinate better. YMMV
Basil takes a little TLC. I use regular potting soil and haven't had to do any PH adjustments, but I start from scratch every spring. If you've had the plant in the same pot for more than a few months, it's probably time to repot it. Use a bigger pot and fresh soil, loosening the roots as you transplant.
You can dig up outdoor basil plants and put them in a pot before the weather gets cold. Don't wait for the first frost because they will just die off. I always leave one or two to go to seed.
When the seedlings are about 2" high, pinch off the top few leaves. This will make it branch out and produce more leaves on the new growth. If you see flowers, cut the plant back or it will go to seed.
This is really important: never take more than a few stalks of leaves at a time. Make sure you leave most of them on the plant - a garden center woman once told me to leave at least half the plant intact.
I had a beautiful pot of basil indoors until this past January when we had an greedy idiot come to visit. I made fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, adding a few leaves of fresh basil. He decided that I didn't use enough and he hacked off a ton. The salad tasted terrible after he added the leaves (most were tough and old) and the plants died within a week.
Salad: Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh romaine lettuce, fresh basil (chopped)
Toss with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little dried oregano.
Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, if desired.
My new favorite herb is fresh greek oregano. Delish!
Basil takes a little TLC. I use regular potting soil and haven't had to do any PH adjustments, but I start from scratch every spring. If you've had the plant in the same pot for more than a few months, it's probably time to repot it. Use a bigger pot and fresh soil, loosening the roots as you transplant.
You can dig up outdoor basil plants and put them in a pot before the weather gets cold. Don't wait for the first frost because they will just die off. I always leave one or two to go to seed.
When the seedlings are about 2" high, pinch off the top few leaves. This will make it branch out and produce more leaves on the new growth. If you see flowers, cut the plant back or it will go to seed.
This is really important: never take more than a few stalks of leaves at a time. Make sure you leave most of them on the plant - a garden center woman once told me to leave at least half the plant intact.
I had a beautiful pot of basil indoors until this past January when we had an greedy idiot come to visit. I made fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, adding a few leaves of fresh basil. He decided that I didn't use enough and he hacked off a ton. The salad tasted terrible after he added the leaves (most were tough and old) and the plants died within a week.
Salad: Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh romaine lettuce, fresh basil (chopped)
Toss with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little dried oregano.
Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, if desired.
My new favorite herb is fresh greek oregano. Delish!