A Mess-Free, Pest-Free Way To Propagate & Maintain Healthy Basil Indoors

Basil tastes like summer. The scent of pesto is about as emblematic of August as pumpkin spice is to October. But there's no need to limit your basil harvest to summer's end. Cheat the seasons by bringing your bounty indoors. Savoring fresh basil indoors in February will make you want to have a year-round garden chock full of chives, parsley, rosemary, and more. It turns out that coaxing new growth from basil cuttings has loads of advantages. Larger plants and higher yields are reason enough to give propagating basil a try.

A snip or two from an established plant or even a sprig of basil from the produce aisle in water will develop roots that you can plant later for a year-round indoor supply. With just a few simple steps and a couple of weeks, you'll have a new plant ready to tuck into a pot for a steady supply at your fingertips.

Find a branch that doesn't have a seed stalk and isn't the crown. Trim a sprig that's 3 to 4 inches long. If you're using store-bought cuttings, find a similar-sized piece. Remove all of the leaves except the first one or two sets, and submerge the bare stem in water in a clear container. Place the container in a sunny window, and change the water every two to three days. In about two weeks, your stem should have a robust set of roots that's ready for planting. Once you've potted your cuttings, keep them healthy with our tips on how to grow and care for basil plants. You can begin harvesting your basil when your new plant produces three or more nodes on the stem (the structures that hold the leaves to the stem).

Since the cutting is relying entirely on water and sun, your water quality can be an issue. If you have tap water that's treated with chlorine, the U.S. Center for Disease Control shares that the added chemical amounts are not high enough to be harmful. If you want to err on the side of caution, you can off-gas the water. Fill your jar and let the water stand uncovered for 24 hours. This process allows the chlorine to evaporate from the water. Avoid using softened water, as the salts added to the water harms plant tissue. If you have a water softener, start your cutting in bottled water.

Basil is among the best indoor herbs for your kitchen garden, and it's delightfully easy to propagate in water. A 2019 study from Texas A&M University showed shockingly convincing data about growing basil from cuttings over starting plants from seed. Where only 90% of their seeds germinated, 100% of the cuttings grew roots. Plus, the plants grown from propagations produced nearly 50% larger crops and were ready to harvest two weeks before ones started from seed.

Findings like these are reason enough to get your cuttings in water ASAP, but the affordability of propagating basil seals the deal. All you need is a healthy plant or a package of basil from the grocery store and a glass container filled with water. With such reliable rooting rates, you can continue snipping and propagating rather than purchasing new plants each year or buying costly packages of basil from the grocery store. What's more, you can apply this same knowledge to propagate other herbs from cuttings. Lavender, oregano, thyme, sage, and rosemary all root well in water.