Basil

I placed this question in Herbs & Wildflowers originally but did not have any answers, which is why I have placed it, perhaps inappropriately, here.

I have grown basil for a long time, and without thinking about it I simply pick off the leaves as I go. The next day the leaves have been replaced. Sometimes there are tiny leaves growing in the leaf axil of the existing ones, or else other dormant buds elsewhere along the stem, but the exact ones pulled off also seem to be replaced.
I have just pulled a small leaf from a basil plant now. This leaves a tiny fleshy "stub" (the redundant petiole or leaf stem) but I cannot see any more along the stem, though it has certainly had leaves taken from it in the past. Can the new leaves simply grow back on the same leaf stem? Or does this stub die down and disintegrate?

Thanks.

 

I can't say I've noticed my basil plant replenishing itself lately. It's been on my windowsill since last summer and is beginning to look a bit skinny as some stems have died back over time (and use). I will plant new seeds in due course, although I believe you can also propagate cuttings in water.

 

I've had a Basil plant on the windowsill for a couple of months now. Although it was just a supermarket purchase, like SimonZ, it replenished itself when leaves were plucked. However, over the last 2 or 3 weeks it has been looking decidely sickly and I think I know the reason.

Basil, coming from warmer climes, likes heat, and the windowsill, once a warm spot all day and reasonable temperature at night has become chilly nearly all the time, owing to the recent continued drop in temperature. Therefore, I think its days are numbered and it's probably not worth getting another unitl the temperature goes up a bit. (It probably won't work moving it away fromthe cold windowsill as it needs a good amount of light).

Sorry SimonZ, I suspect yours will suffer the same fate:(.

Chris

 

I think I konw what your asking ...and I dont think new leaves do re grow and the stem...I think its just giving the impression of doing that as it grows quickly in summer.....you could be right though ....ill watch next years crop more closly..... for the reasons stated above i dont have any on thew go now....but the dried stuff from November is still pretty potent