Basil is a culinary herb that is easy to propagate. The easiest way is to share. We show how it works and what needs to be taken into account so that the plants grow as desired after dividing.
Why do you divide basil?
Theeasy propagation of basil is possible through division. In addition, dividing is a good care measure for basil plants bought in the supermarket, which usually have far too little space in the pot to thrive.
How to divide basil plants?
Whether you just want to propagate basil by dividing it or want to give plants in pots that are too small more space to grow - just follow these steps:
- Basil with the rootsremove from the pot.
- Cut the root ball with soil in half twice, i.e. divide it intofour parts. For a rather small basil plant, cutting it in half is sufficient.
- Plant the parts eachin their own pot with potting soil.
Alternatively, the small basil plants can be placed together in a large pot.
What do you need to divide basil?
To divide basil you needa knifeto divide the plant into even parts. This works just as well with a hand shovel or a flower trowel. If you don't have a garden tool at hand, a spatula will do. You will also need several newpotswith holes in the bottom to avoid waterlogging as well as goodsoilWe recommend using it when repotting Make sure to create a permeable drainage layer.
Can I influence root formation after dividing?
Root formation can bepositively influenced by shortening the divided basil before planting - leaving around 4 pairs of leaves is sufficient.
Which basil should you definitely share?
It is essential to divide basil plants that werebought in the supermarket. Not only do they not have enough space in their pots, but they also usually sit in poor soil, so they often die after just a few days. By sharing you can get ahead of this and soon look forward to a rich harvest.
What care measures should be taken after sharing?
So that the divided basil plants develop well, the following things should be taken into account:
- After transplantingwater vigorously from below.
- Avoid waterlogging, otherwise the basil can rot from below.
- After a few weeks, when the nutrients in the potting soil have been used up, start fertilizing - for example with anorganic liquid fertilizer.
Tip
Propagation of basil is also possible with cuttings
When it comes to propagating basil, in addition to dividing it, it is also possible to grow new plants from cuttings. To do this, shoot tips that are seven to ten centimeters long are cut off and then placed in a glass filled with water to germinate. Once roots have formed, the plants can be placed in pots and placed in a bright and warm place.
