April 9, 2008
On my kitchen windowsill, I have an aloe vera plant in a terracotta planter. Every kitchen should have one of these plants, so if you don't, go get one.
The gel inside the leaves is so wonderfully soothing for burns. I tend to get burned when I'm putting something inside the oven, or taking it out, because I am always in a hurry. I bump my hand (top, side–you know, where the skin is the most tender) against the edge of the pan or the oven.
The other thing on my kitchen windowsill is a sad little basil plant. I bought it from the grocery produce section a week or so ago, in optimism that I could actually keep it alive for more than one harvest of the leaves.
Not a chance.
It must be the way they sow the seeds. The plants grow so thickly, and they're not thinned out. Then I cut off leaves, and there's nothing left but stem. I've tried to cut so that the plant branches out, but no luck. It never works. I end up with a pot and a bunch of leafless stems.
Ahhh! My kingdom for a potted basil plant!
What's the trick to keeping the plant growing, producing leaves, in a pot? I'd sure like to know. Are the stems supposed to get woody, and then the leaves keep off-shooting? Any horticulturists out there who can help?
Okay, so what else is on my kitchen windowsill? A bit o'clutter, to be sure. Some vitamins, a little saucer. A penny. That's about it.
Lots of sunshine, too, late in the day, as my kitchen window faces west. Like the sunshine. That's why it's a great place for a basil plant.
Sigh. I'll probably buy another one in a few weeks and try again. Wish me luck.
The second installment of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles takes Victoria to Venice and Rome.
My novel, 
April 9th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Cut off the top cluster of leaves & stem to make it more of a basil bush. Otherwise it’ll just get taller and taller and …
April 9th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I spoke to my mother, the plant whispered today. Here’s what she said:
“Only water the basil when it looks like it’s at death’s door. They like sun and warmth and must be potted in a pot with really good drainage.”
Seriously, my mother can keep literally any plant alive forever.
When she and my dad got married, she potted some of the ivy from her bouquet. It goes to every single house they own. They’ve been married 51 years in July.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Damnit! You need a preview button!!
My mother is the plant whisperer! Not whispered.
I’m a dork.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Thank you, Riley and Tiki’s mom and MK’s mom.
But…if I cut it off, and there’s just a stem, will it still grow? or do I have to cut it above the leaves, so there are still leaves?
MK, that’s SO cool about your mom’s ivy. Beautiful.
April 9th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
i understand your pain. i am known as “the death of plants.” and i don’t want to be! but it’s that black thumb that does it.
April 9th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Hmmm. If cutting off the top little bit means you’ll have no leaves left … Ida know. It may be too far gone.
They do grow really easily from seed though.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Colleen,
I love to cook with Basil! It is my favorite!! It requires a lot of sun. It last all summer long in my backyard in Arizona. It dies as soon as it gets a little cold. I just planted a new plant and it is coming up. But it has been in the 80’s, so very nice weather. I have a great Bruschetta recipe on my blog. You have that site. YUM!! But for now you will just have to buy it cut up in the store until it gets warmer. (tip-cut leaves from the bottom of the plant and let the new growth come from the top.)
Ruth
April 9th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I love basil too…I just wish I could keep a pot growing in the house.
When I plant it outside, though, it gets brown spots on the leaves and/or gets eaten by bunnies or deer or whomever.
I will try again, as I do every year. And it’s not as if I have a brown thumb…I don’t kill too many plants.
But nothing beats fresh basil with tomatoes. Oh yum.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Amazingly, it looks like basil
April 10th, 2008 at 8:23 am
LOL…yes, Sparky. It does look like basil. Unfortunately, that’s not a picture of my plant. Mine looks…rather spindly and forlorn.