Cuttings

A while ago, I bought some fresh herbs (three types of basil and mint) to grow myself some new plants for my garden. I found I have more luck growing strong plants from cut herbs than from the little plants with roots you can buy at the supermarket. Those roots were never meant to grow big plants, just to keep the herbs fresh.

Anyway, this is how I do it. Select the parts with strong stems, remove leaves, cut right under the little thickness in the stem where leaves used to be and put them in water. It’s as simple as that. Doesn’t work with all herbs, but I’ve done basil, mint, sage, lippia alba, thyme and rosemary this way.

This little window sill is right above my kitchen counter, so I can check easily and often if they need more water. That’s all I do. And two weeks later….

I have to admit this batch wasn’t the best one. I lost all the purple basil and the mint is iffy. But I put them in soil and I’m sure some of them will survive. If not, I’ll just try again.

While we’re here anyway, let me introduce you to my “nursery” on the back of the porch.

I finally got my act together and sowed some vegetables and flowers in the planters on the left. Not sure if it will work, I found that seeds I can buy here don’t necessarily grow here. Or maybe I did something wrong the last time I tried, I don’t know. But I have a lot of seeds so I’m just going to try and see what happens. I’ll keep you posted.