Now what?
I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve learned by trial and error that the basil likes a sunny spot, does okay if I only water it every 2 or 3 days, and stays green over the summer. That’s an awesome plant to have in the desert!
It appears to be getting leggy (possibly from its little hiatus in the garage during Tropical Storm Hilary) and it looks like it’s trying to make some flowers.
I don’t really like the taste of Thai basil. It was purchased by mistake and labeled as sweet basil. But I like the smell when I’m caring for it and I think it would make a great potted plant someplace else so I can free up some prime real estate in my elevated planter.
This planter is awesome and I want three more. It keeps the soil really moist and it’s just the right height. Anything I have placed in here has done well. And with wheels on the bottom, I can position it anywhere I want. My only complaint is that it’s too shallow. I would love 5 or 6 more inches of depth for carrots and the like.
So back to the basil. I pinched off two leaf formations that look like they might develop into blooms. My thought is to keep this plant going a little longer I’ll need to continue doing that.
However, I kept the tallest plant as-is because being a beginning (budding?) gardener I want to see what it does and if I can get any seeds out of it. There’s no harm in this and no great loss to anyone since no one in the family likes Thai basil. Plus it will be fun for my kids to have some low stakes seeds to plant.
My plan is to wait out these 100 degree temps and then transplant the basil and sage into a pot so that I can prepare the soil in the elevated planter for something else. I read that herbs are so good for pest control and might even ward off mosquitos from my patio. Win-win!
Let's Stay Holmes 