How do you trim basil off a plant? And why are the roots only dry?

Answer 1

How do you know the roots are dry? You're not supposed to be looking at the roots. What do you do, pull it up & inspect the roots? Are you crazy? You've got to be kidding.

To trim basil off a plant --- I guess you must mean removing some leaves to cook with -- you can either snip off some sprigs with a scissors or pinch them off between your thumbnail and finger.

My basil here in South Texas is still flowering, and the only trimming I do (besides picking some for cooking) is to pinch off the seed pods every morning when I pass by it. You don't necessarily have to do that every day, but do it fairly often or the plant will "go to seed" -- meaning that when it grows enough flowers & seeds (the "brachts") it will think it has done it's job and will stop putting out new leaves.

Answer 2

Tulsi or Basil - is a shrub with intresting life cycle; is generally grown in warm and Tropical climates Basil suffers from several plant pathogens that can ruin the crop and reduce yield. Fusarium wilt is a soil-borne fungal disease that will quickly kill younger basil plants. Seedlings may also be killed by Pythium damping off. Basil can also be propagated very reliably from cuttings in exactly the same manner as Busy Lizzie (Impatiens), with the stems of short cuttings suspended for two weeks or so in water until roots develop. If a stem successfully produces mature flowers, leaf production slows or stops on any stem which flowers, the stem becomes woody, and essential oil production declines.To prevent this, a basil-grower may pinch off any flower stems before they are fully mature. Because only the blooming stem is so affected, some can be pinched for leaf production, while others are left to bloom for decoration or seeds. Once the plant is allowed to flower, it may produce seed pods containing small black seeds which can be saved and planted the following year. Picking the leaves off the plant helps "promote growth", largely because the plant responds by converting pairs of leaflets next to the topmost leaves into new stems A common foliar disease of basil is gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea, can also cause infections post-harvest and is capable of killing the entire plant. Black spot can also be seen on basil foliage and is caused by the fungi genus Colletotrichum.

Answer 3

If you are harvesting basil during growing season pull off as many leaves as you need. If it is growing large snip off a branch and then run your fingers up the branch like pinchers to strip the leaves.

If you pulled it out because the frost killed it, pull all the leaves off the branches with that pinching action.

I have no idea why it is dry - maybe you didn't water it.

Answer 4

Always cut off the top portions of the branches. The leaves are the freshest and strongest. This also helps the plant to fill out with more new growth which is what you want to cook with. Give it more water. Being a sun loving plant it should get plenty of water.