Basil seeds

Hi everyone !!!

I just came back from Argentina (where the fall is starting) and brought back with me some basil seeds from a plant that was almost done for the season.

My question is: can I plant those seeds here now or do they have to rest or dry for a period of time before I plant them???
Usually I get seeds here from the previous year harvest so mother nature does her thing; right?

Thank you !!!
Willy.

Go ahead and try some now. If they don't germinate, sow the rest in a month or so.

Thanks Stephanie !!!!
That sounds good.... I did not think of that. That's what I'll do then.
Is there anything special I should do with the ones I'm saving for later like let them dry under the sun for a couple of days or something like that? or just keep them like any other seed?
Thank you for your response !!!
Willy.

I let mine dry on the counter on a small paper plate until I get around to doing something with them. Then I store them in medicine bottles or envelopes.

I have always failed with basil. But I have some seeds sprouting right now. Any hints?

I just stick it in a pot and water it. Last year I grew plain basil in full sun and purple basil in partial shade. Maybe it was beginner's luck!

Steve - sprinkle some vermiculite around the stems and keep that area damp, not wet. Basil has a nasty habit of rotting at soil level.

This is a photo of last year's "Summer Long" basil (the big bushy one closest to the camera)

I'll have to get a photo of my current crop of seedlings.

Thank you both! I think maybe the first time I tried I planted it in soil that was too heavy. Then last year it just roasted in the sun. I missed a day of watering and it was history. I think both of your ideas will be very helpful. My ambition is to grow three or four kinds including the the lemony kind, the dark leaved kind, the pesto kind, and the Thai basil that I can't get enough of in Thai cooking.

Here's a photo taken this afternoon of my basil transplants. They will go into larger pots tomorrow.

Cool! Mine have leaves not quite so big as a pencil eraser.

Steve - these were sown under lights on March 20th which is why they are so big. The volunteers in the garden-pots from last year are about the same size as yours.

Hi guys, I planted Basil seeds in March. The package says it takes 2l days to germinate. They never came up. Was it maybe too cool. outside.

That's a possibility. Also may not have kept them wet enough.

behillman - which zone are you in? I'm in Zone 7b and my volunteer basil is still teeny weeny! However, the ones I grew indoors under lights are already about 3" tall. I've started to set them outside against the house to keep them warm over night, and will probably transplant them next week.

My ignorance was bliss! I just threw basil seeds all along the edge of the tomato beds last year, along with marigold seeds. To my astonishment, they both grew and grew and were unbelieveably prolific. I will try it again this year to see if I can repeat the luck. We had a lot of rain last summer, so that might have helped.

Fenwick Farm,,,Speaking of Marigold Seeds. Have you been saving seed from your marigolds or do you buy them packaged. ? I am trying to save mine, but this is the lst. year I have tried that. Those seeds are few in the packages.

@Behillman, I used plain old Marigold seeds last summer and I will plant my dried seeds and packaged seeds...just in case! I will save all of the seeds this fall if I see that I was any good at drying them. I will really do a better job of it this summer. I seemed to be just overrun with weeds last summer and I spent hours every day at that great task!

I have 7 little basil plants I am keeping indoors, I am somewhat afraid to plant them outside, I want lots and lots of basil, and I worry they need more sun than the window provides but I plan on eating tons of it and worry about them wilting if I miss a day of watering or getting eaten completely by pests! I think I will start putting them outdoors on sunny days while I am at work, I am still nervous about that though!

prettymess - I think the secret to having enough to share with the neighbors and bugs is to grow more than you can possibly eat yourself. Your basil will have a deeper flavor if grown outdoors in full sun.

I set some basil outside a week or so ago, and it's now transplanted here and there around the garden, with some behind a fence to keep the dogs away. They already have a few holes in their leaves, but I know from past experience, there will be enough for me too.

Maybe you could grow more basil from seed - it grows fairly quickly.

Thanks Honeybee~! I grew my plants from seeds! I have more seeds so I could start a few more to make sure I have enough. I am planning to give away two of the plants for mothers day gifts and I guess I should plant the rest by my tomatoes. I plan on eating lots of pesto and I also really like home made basil ice cream. YUM!

I have a dog too, Selena hasn't tried to eat much of my garden yet but she did poop on my lettuce last week so I put up a fence finally. I think she saw me standing in the raised bed and decided that made it okay for her to as well.

My plants are all outside today soaking up the nice weather. I am at work and a little nervous that I am not there to make sure they are okay. I had some fresh basil on my pizza last night and I felt a little bad eating the basil in front of the basil plants... I know if basil has feelings I am probably basil hitler for putting that pizza in the oven right in front of them, but it was the best basil I have ever tasted!

If I recall correctly, basil has very small seeds. So I think the trick is to bury them very shallowly. This is my only his second year growing basil. But both last year and this year I have had success with loosening up the dirt on the surface sprinkling in a few seeds; then mixing the dirt and the seed keeping the seed as shallow as possible. Then afterwards I will sprinkle some more seeds then water liberally the first time to try to get them started. I think because the seeds are so small that they need to be close to the surface or perhaps even on the surface itself for them to have a reasonable chance of surviving.

I use basil as a companion plant tomatoes to try to deter pests and much like a living mulch the basil helps shelter the freshly tiled soil around my tomato plants. Though my planting method may be somewhat haphazard and probably only about 20% of the seeds make it to adult, once it gets started it grows like a weed and reseeds itself by the end of the season if you let it. At least that's the results I've had.

Basil seeds are incredibly tiny! Also, basil is not cold hearty at all. It really likes warm weather, so it won't germinate until the temps warm up and stay warmer. I've planted three types of basil this year, Ararat, Holy, and Genovese, interspersed with my tomatoes. So far, everything's looking good!

prettymess -

I guess I must have got the jump on you guys with Basil. I planted mine in a pot, can't remember when, and it is about a foot tall. Last year was a first for me with Basil and I didn't have a clue you could plant it out in the garden.

Thank you all for your responses.

As it turns out the little seeds did just fine. They took a little long to germinate but I have now several seedlings.
Here's what they look like.

Willy.

Yay! They look great!

Thanks !!!!

I can't wait to make some pesto...... hahaha......

Willy.

Willy - I bet by now your seedlings are getting quite tall. They will re-seed themselves if you let some of them flower for next year's crop.

You do need to remember to trim the tips, regularly, even if you are not going to eat it, or it will go to seed and not taste as good.

well at least i knoe what a few of the herbs are that are that are comeing up in the herb roll never grew many of them and the packs all show grown ones so seeing little ones help this is cool . thanks every one so far I have ID'ed Basil, chives,dill, and calantro

Woo hoo ;>)

I have been eating lots of pesto pizza lately, i am not getting all the pesto from my little plants just yet, they are still small and just one batch would require all the leaves! I am very excited for the day they are big enough to use more and more.

I think of the jar I have purchased from Sams Club, then think how many leaves it would take to make that!