Monday, September 14, 2009

Bringing in Basil cuttings

After seeing Daves post on sustaining fresh basil through the winter I decided to try it on my own and see how it goes. So far so good. First I started by taking a few cuttings from my plants outside. I washed them up, removed the lower leaves, and put them in a glass of water. It took about a week for mine to get these roots, and this one is the best one out of about 5 or 6. This is Spicy Globe Basil. I don't know if others root faster or not.
Doesn't he look pretty?
Now I don't get a lot of light since the sun goes over my house from the NW corner of my house to the SE corner of my house, but maybe when the leaves fall from the trees I might get enough. Or I can take them and put them under the grow lights. We'll just have to see how it goes!
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No, you are not looking at giant tomatoes! These are TINY MELONS!!! I think that after the squash bugs and cucumber beetles did their number on all my squash and pumpkins and cucumbers, they went to work on my Ambrosia melons and watermelons!
The vines are dead, and these melons just fell off. There are two more of each out there but the vines are dead and one of the Ambrosia melons appears to be rotting on the bottom. So I don't have any hope for any of them!
I think they are about the size of a baseball and softball! I'll have to cut them open today and see what I find! I am kind of doubting there will be anything edible!
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I was so excited to see a RED serrano on the plant until I picked it and saw that something else has been enjoying it before me!
But their are a few more begining to turn red out there and should be ready soon!
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In other gardening news...I am afraid pregnancy has given me a black thumb! LOL!
All the pretty flowers I got this summer appear to be dead! Monarda Pink Lace, Limerock Ruby Coreopsis,  and a couple of others. We are gonna try to put them in the ground anyways and see if anything comes back, whether it is this year or next. I will have to look for new ones next year if they don't come back. And I will be sure to get them planted right away!
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Edited to add:
The melons were not bad after all! The Ambrosia was good, smelled good, and my daughter ate it. The water melon was not real sweet but still tasted fine and my son ate it! Not too bad for a couple of TINY melons!

2 comments:

  1. Mini Melons! I had a few in my garden this year too. What a great idea to root Basil to try to grow inside. I think I will take a few cuttings when I get home and try this.

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  2. Pregnancy sorta gives all aspects of daily life a "black thumb" near the end, doesn't it? ;)

    I was wondering how the melons would taste... Glad to hear they were edible. They were so cute!!!

    Thanks for the tip on the basil. I didn't have success with growing sweet or Thai basil this season, but your post is giving me ideas of trying them indoors now...

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