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51 Comments
KittyKat
September 6, 2020
Great article, thank you! I store my basil cuttings as a flower bouquet, uncovered and on countertop, out of direct sun. Basil leaves get stored as lettuce, wrapped in paper towel, ziplock, fridge, but they need to be used the same day or maybe can make it to the next, maybe. This summer, Iāve been having fun growing roots on some of my basil cuttings while siting in water and planting them back into the same pot they came from, with their mama, who was a super scrawny Safeway gal that I saved from a sure death back in May. Iād love to keep my basil plant alive over winter and since Iām in NorCal, it shouldnāt be a problem, but Iāve never succeeded beforeādo you guys recommend I leave the pot outside but protected from the rain, out in the rain as if it were in soil, or bring it inside? I donāt have a very sunny location inside, is my concern. Sorry for the long postāenjoy your long weekend, everyone!!
Picholine
September 7, 2020
I do the same thing here in NY and I have basil growing in a pot all year.
I plant some outside in summer and Pots on my porch . I keep pinching and put in plastic bags and freeze. I will pinch healthy looking tops with long stem put them in water to root in a sunny window in a clear glass. When rooted I pot up and bring indoors after it gets cold . They hate cold weather .
My frozen basil stays as green and tasty as when bagged for the freezer.
Pinching back basil makes it a bushier plant. Pinch before it flower.
Best luck
I plant some outside in summer and Pots on my porch . I keep pinching and put in plastic bags and freeze. I will pinch healthy looking tops with long stem put them in water to root in a sunny window in a clear glass. When rooted I pot up and bring indoors after it gets cold . They hate cold weather .
My frozen basil stays as green and tasty as when bagged for the freezer.
Pinching back basil makes it a bushier plant. Pinch before it flower.
Best luck
J
September 5, 2020
Yes, definitely, just bouquet it after slicing off the very bottom of the stem ends. But carefully, in a small glass, not a tall glass: just tall enough to hold the bouquet. If you leave it at room temperature (NOT in the sun), it will perfume the house for a couple of days and looks gorgeous if you leave off the plastic! Basil HATES the cold, so never in the refrigerator!
Christene
September 5, 2020
I have found the best option in my kitchen is to keep it in a plastic bag, with a lightly damp paper towel, folder over. Lasts at least a week, Iāve even gone ten days. Remove the odd blackening leaf. No mold, not slime. I have had success without the paper towel as well.
Bosco123
August 19, 2020
when you store in the quart container, did you add a little water? no mention of water, but looked like some was in the bottom?
Mike C.
May 26, 2020
I have found the best, as first described, trim the ends like a flower, place in a vase. Change water often. Soon the roots will appear and this keeps them going for quite some time. Continue to change water. Plant in a container if you like to grow later.
LGT1986
November 16, 2019
I would like to first say Thank you for your time in this research! It was VERY helpful. I work at a family owned brick oven pizzeria and our basil was going bad way before we would get to use it. This info will save my boss and our company some money! We were storing our basil in the walk in cooler inside the box and plastic bag that it was shipped inš Needless to say, we will not be storing it there anymore. It was dead in just a few days but now we might be able to make it last all week! I'm presenting him with your research tomorrow. I will let you know what the improvement is on our Basil waste in two weeks. Thank you again!!āš
Susie
June 29, 2019
I put my freshly picked basil (with rather short stems) in water and covered it with a ziplock bag. Itās been several days and they are still good!
Tim
June 21, 2019
Hi Sarah! Thank you so much for this research and article! I was having a very hard time finding a solid way to store basil for bar/cocktail usage and Iām excited to apply your method. Thank you again!
Lynda W.
September 8, 2018
Basil will easily root in water. Buy or cut it as fresh as possible.
Remove all the lower leaves and stand it up in water so that no leaves are underwater. Keep in a place with some light but not in a sunny place. Pretty soon you should see little rootlets forming. When rooted, plane each one in a pot, fertilize, and increase the light exposure gradually until the plant is strong. I haven't seen any other comment that explains why the ones at room temperature and in water were more successful.. They are trying to grow!
Remove all the lower leaves and stand it up in water so that no leaves are underwater. Keep in a place with some light but not in a sunny place. Pretty soon you should see little rootlets forming. When rooted, plane each one in a pot, fertilize, and increase the light exposure gradually until the plant is strong. I haven't seen any other comment that explains why the ones at room temperature and in water were more successful.. They are trying to grow!
Sandi L.
August 23, 2018
Thanks everyone for the advice. My original question was for the abundance of herbs I grew outside this season..and trying to preserve them for winter. I usually grow them inside in the winter but had zero luck this past winter...and NO luck with basil at all inside, anytime. So, I am delighted it is flourishing outside. I bought my spice grinder mainly for whole seed coriander, whole cloves, cinnamon bark and also an Indian salt that Iāll be exploring ( as well as different kinds of Indian black pepper.) Since I have an overabundance of mintā-and it will still continue to grow for another month or soāIām going to explore drying it and will report back. Iāve taken a clipping of basil and, following the recommendations of this article, will root it with the idea of growing it inside during the winter. I have a very hot southwest window and live in a sunny state. I had an indoor tomato plant there for three years that continued to fruit. I never had the size or volume that comes from outdoors, but it was nice picking a fresh tomato off the vine in January....
Sandi L.
August 22, 2018
Loved this article! This year, Iām going to try to dry some basil, mint, oregano and thyme. And, I just bought a spice grinder. My question is: is it better tovdry the herbs, store them and then grind as I need them or store them already ground??? Thanks in advance.
Smaug
August 22, 2018
Thyme and oregano dry pretty well- it's better to store them whole. Ground is convenient for some things, but for most uses it's quite sufficient to crumble they dried herbs with your fingers right before using.
Picholine
August 23, 2018
I would just dry them and crush , no need to grind. I ādryā small bunches on paper plates with a piece of paper towel in microwave using 15 sec intervals till dry and crisp. Then crush in paper towel and store. I do not dry basil as I feel that once dried it has very little flavor left. I freeze it. And when ready to use just crumble in the bag and drop in my sauce or dishes.
Smaug
August 23, 2018
I don't think that any of the soft herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, chervil) dries at all well. Unless you count dill in that group- it does pretty well. I have no experience of drying mint, but I have my doubts- it's not something you hear much of people doing.
Picholine
August 23, 2018
Agree, they dry but no flavor. Funny though I dry flat parsley to put in salads and soups mostly for the look of parsley sprinkled in. Never com-ares with fresh!
Inga W.
August 21, 2018
What has worked best for me is placing the basil in a plastic bag, not sealed, but loosely closed and leaving on the counter.
Kathy
August 18, 2018
I went camping for 2 weeks and picked some of my fresh basil and fresh mint to flavour salads and iced tea. I keep both herbs in separate zip top storage bags on the counter of my trailer. No water, no special treatment and they stayed fresh and tasty for the entire trip!
zapatera
August 17, 2018
Just got lucky with a grocery store basil plant. But if you have the cut stuff, Iāve had great success with things like mushrooms and the cute little cukes by putting them in hard-ish plastic containers and covering with waxed paper, held in place with those ubiquitous USPS rubber bands, with making a few air holes in the paper with a two-tined fork. No more slime!
Nancy L.
August 17, 2018
I've had a LOT of success with storing the basil in a bit of water in a jar, in a bright location. I cut slits in a plastic bag and place over the basil and it will last at least 6 days.
Monica B.
August 17, 2018
Did you test Debbie Meyer bags? I have a bunch of mint that is still green from 2 weeks ago.
Lynne W.
August 17, 2018
i just get a new whole potted basil plant from Trader Joe's on occasion. Cut back old growth when necessary. It should be good for at least a couple of months.
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