Anyone know of any decent online references ?

I have several mature basil plants, but they have gone into flower.

Is this good ? I am trying to maximise crop and longevity.

Once cropped, will they regrow or should I replant more from seed ?

I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !) and some large Rosemary plants.

Should these be cut back or left to grow to maximise crop ?

Any herb help appreciated.

Thanks

Paul.

In article , Zymurgy
writes
Anyone know of any decent online references ?

I have several mature basil plants, but they have gone into flower.

Is this good ? I am trying to maximise crop and longevity.

Once cropped, will they regrow or should I replant more from seed ?

Basil likes hot dry mediterranean places. You'll find it difficult to
overwinter in UK. Best to grow new each year. But flowering shouldn't be
a problem.

I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !)

If it's mature it should be a tree! ;-)
No need to prune it, but you may want to trim it to keep it in shape.
Once it's a decent size, maximising crop doesn't come into it - there's
far too many leaves to use.

and some large Rosemary plants.

They should go on for a good few years but get straggly if you don't
trim them. I usually prune after flowering. Again, unless your planning
to be a commercial herb supplier, I don't think there's any need
consciously to maximise crop.

ISTR hearing about using rosemary twigs as skewers for kebabs. Seasoning
and cooking utensil all in one.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article ,
Kay Easton wrote:
In article , Zymurgy
writes
Anyone know of any decent online references ?

The Edible Herb FAQ on rec.gardens.edible.

Basil likes hot dry mediterranean places. You'll find it difficult to
overwinter in UK. Best to grow new each year. But flowering shouldn't be
a problem.

No, No, NO!!! It is NOT a Mediterranean herb, and does NOT like hot,
dry conditions!

It is a true tropical, and likes hot, DAMP conditions. It can just
about take Mediterranean ones, but doesn't like them. I agree with
your comments about how to treat it - just grow some more from seed.
A planting in August will last through much of the winter on a warm,
sunny windowsill.

I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !)

If it's mature it should be a tree! ;-)
No need to prune it, but you may want to trim it to keep it in shape.
Once it's a decent size, maximising crop doesn't come into it - there's
far too many leaves to use.

Er, yes. Surplus stems make good firewood, roof beams and so on.

and some large Rosemary plants.

They should go on for a good few years but get straggly if you don't
trim them. I usually prune after flowering. Again, unless your planning
to be a commercial herb supplier, I don't think there's any need
consciously to maximise crop.

I find that I need to layer them once every 3-5 years, as they tend to
drop dead in wet winters. That is about all the treatment they get :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
In article ,
Kay Easton wrote:
In article , Zymurgy
writes
Anyone know of any decent online references ?

The Edible Herb FAQ on rec.gardens.edible.

Basil likes hot dry mediterranean places. You'll find it difficult to
overwinter in UK. Best to grow new each year. But flowering shouldn't be
a problem.

No, No, NO!!! It is NOT a Mediterranean herb, and does NOT like hot,
dry conditions!

Yes, you're right - I wasn't thinking. I didn't know it was tropical,
but I know it doesn't like dry conditions. Wrong sort of leaves. When
was it first introduced into the med?


They should go on for a good few years but get straggly if you don't
trim them. I usually prune after flowering. Again, unless your planning
to be a commercial herb supplier, I don't think there's any need
consciously to maximise crop.

I find that I need to layer them once every 3-5 years, as they tend to
drop dead in wet winters. That is about all the treatment they get :-)

I've lost the odd one to that sort of creeping fungal disease that they
get. But the rest just keep growing. Odd that they should survive my
winters on cold wet clay and not yours - but them Cambs could well be
colder than W Yorks ;-)
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On 19 Apr 2004 21:12:38 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) said:

] In article ,
] Kay Easton wrote:
] In article , Zymurgy
] writes
] Anyone know of any decent online references ?
]
[]
] I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !)
]
] If it's mature it should be a tree! ;-)
] No need to prune it, but you may want to trim it to keep it in shape.
] Once it's a decent size, maximising crop doesn't come into it - there's
] far too many leaves to use.
]
] Er, yes. Surplus stems make good firewood, roof beams and so on.
]

A large tree, to boot. Don't throw the leaves on the fire, though, it spits
like crazy. Can't say I've tried cured wood though, I really just chop
enough out of mine to keep the path clear. It's, uh, vigorous.

] and some large Rosemary plants.
]
] They should go on for a good few years but get straggly if you don't
] trim them. I usually prune after flowering. Again, unless your planning
] to be a commercial herb supplier, I don't think there's any need
] consciously to maximise crop.
]
] I find that I need to layer them once every 3-5 years, as they tend to
] drop dead in wet winters. That is about all the treatment they get :-)
]

I've had that problem, most annoying. What do you mean by "layer"
exactly? Forgive my ignorance, but if you've a way to keep them alive,
I'd love to learn it. My two are just nice and big, and in full bloom now.
But about 5 years ago 2 others this size just quit over the winter...

A grilling trick with rosemary (or thyme) for those that don't know it:
it imparts a delicious flavour via the smoke, and smokes like crazy on
even a very hot fire. We often grill on an open wood fire (just in the fireplace)
and throw a couple of branches of rosemary on at the end. Adds a
wonderful touch to meat, fish, veg, whatever. (We also use sage clippings
this way, but the effect is less pronounced).

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies

In article ,
Emery Davis wrote:
[]
] I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !)
]
] If it's mature it should be a tree! ;-)
]

A large tree, to boot. Don't throw the leaves on the fire, though, it spits
like crazy. Can't say I've tried cured wood though, I really just chop
enough out of mine to keep the path clear. It's, uh, vigorous.

Only a medium tree - rarely above 50'!

] I find that I need to layer them once every 3-5 years, as they tend to
] drop dead in wet winters. That is about all the treatment they get :-)

I've had that problem, most annoying. What do you mean by "layer"
exactly? Forgive my ignorance, but if you've a way to keep them alive,
I'd love to learn it. My two are just nice and big, and in full bloom now.
But about 5 years ago 2 others this size just quit over the winter...

Where they straggle, pin the branches under the soil. You can use a
skewer, tent peg, stone or whatever. At that point, they will start
new roots, form a new plant, and it will behave like a youngster
(see Rackham). This works for most straggling woody plants and a
lot of straggling herbaceous ones.

The advantages for the amateur are legion. If it fails, you lose
nothing. The plant grows and flowers as normal, and may or may not
start some new roots. And you don't need to give it ANY attention
while it is doing so :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 19 Apr 2004 22:03:30 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) said:

] In article ,
] Emery Davis wrote:
] []
] ] I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !)
] ]
] ] If it's mature it should be a tree! ;-)
] ]
]
] A large tree, to boot. Don't throw the leaves on the fire, though, it spits
] like crazy. Can't say I've tried cured wood though, I really just chop
] enough out of mine to keep the path clear. It's, uh, vigorous.
]
] Only a medium tree - rarely above 50'!
]

OK, fair enough. I suppose ours is about 35 ft. Quite bushy, though, takes a lot
of space, so it seems large. And it does bush out in a hurry when cut back.

[]
] Where they straggle, pin the branches under the soil. You can use a
] skewer, tent peg, stone or whatever. At that point, they will start
] new roots, form a new plant, and it will behave like a youngster
] (see Rackham). This works for most straggling woody plants and a
] lot of straggling herbaceous ones.
]
[]

Brilliant, noted. There's a few places to peg after the heavy snow this
winter, too. Thanks Nick.

-E

--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies

"Emery Davis" wrote in message
. ..
snip
] and some large Rosemary plants.
]
] They should go on for a good few years but get straggly if you don't
] trim them. I usually prune after flowering. Again, unless your planning
] to be a commercial herb supplier, I don't think there's any need
] consciously to maximise crop.
]
] I find that I need to layer them once every 3-5 years, as they tend to
] drop dead in wet winters. That is about all the treatment they get :-)
snip
I find that Rosemary (along with Lavender) roots amazingly easy as a
cutting, from hard, semi hard or even softwood.
Just stick a piece of branch in the ground and stand back (well, perhaps not
quite that easy, but very easy to propogate).
So if layering takes up too much space, just shove some trimmings in the
ground and wait a bit.

Cheers
Dave R

The message
from (Zymurgy) contains these words:

Anyone know of any decent online references ?

I have several mature basil plants, but they have gone into flower.
Is this good ? I am trying to maximise crop and longevity.
Once cropped, will they regrow or should I replant more from seed ?

I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !) and some large Rosemary plants.
Should these be cut back or left to grow to maximise crop ?

Any herb help appreciated.

Hi Paul!

You should've asked Bear, when you had the chance! Isn't he the
acknowledged expert in all thing culinary? ;-))

In article , David W.E.
Roberts wrote:

"Emery Davis" wrote in message
. ..
snip
] and some large Rosemary plants.
]
] They should go on for a good few years but get straggly if you don't
] trim them. I usually prune after flowering. Again, unless your planning
] to be a commercial herb supplier, I don't think there's any need
] consciously to maximise crop.
]
] I find that I need to layer them once every 3-5 years, as they tend to
] drop dead in wet winters. That is about all the treatment they get :-)
snip
I find that Rosemary (along with Lavender) roots amazingly easy as a
cutting, from hard, semi hard or even softwood.
Just stick a piece of branch in the ground and stand back (well, perhaps not
quite that easy, but very easy to propogate).
So if layering takes up too much space, just shove some trimmings in the
ground and wait a bit.

The other thing is to do it in advance, so that you have one or two
ones of croppable size when your main one decides to die (as I think
mine is doing right now)

:L

--
Remover the rock from the email address

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote
"Emery Davis" wrote
snip
] and some large Rosemary plants.
]
] They should go on for a good few years but get straggly if you don't
] trim them. I usually prune after flowering. Again, unless your planning
] to be a commercial herb supplier, I don't think there's any need
] consciously to maximise crop.
]
] I find that I need to layer them once every 3-5 years, as they tend to
] drop dead in wet winters. That is about all the treatment they get :-)
snip
I find that Rosemary (along with Lavender) roots amazingly easy as a
cutting, from hard, semi hard or even softwood.
Just stick a piece of branch in the ground and stand back

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.

Best regards,

Paul.

On 19 Apr 2004 13:04:29 -0700, (Zymurgy)
wrote:

Anyone know of any decent online references ?

If you search on

growing basil

you will find many.

I have several mature basil plants, but they have gone into flower.
Is this good ? I am trying to maximise crop and longevity.

Good for producing more seed; not good for maximizing crop. Pinch off
the tips of branches the minute they look as if they're thinking about
flowering. Snipping the flower stem and about 2 pair of leaves below
*may* help. Harvest by pruning stems just above a leaf bud rather than
just picking off a few leaves. Unless all you need is a very few
leaves. This will encourage branching and more leaves, which is what
you want.

Once cropped, will they regrow or should I replant more from seed ?

They *will* regrow. You can prune 1/3rd of the plant with no damage.
Basil, as others have pointed out, enjoys heat, light, and humidity.
It is *extremely* frost-tender and usually grown as an annual in
temperate climates.

I also have a mature Bayleaf (shrub !) and some large Rosemary plants.

Should these be cut back or left to grow to maximise crop ?

I'm not familiar with growing simply as an herb source. I thought you
just picked a leaf off a mature tree/bush. Googling reveals that
snipping the branch tips will make bay branch, also.

I don't know of any advantage of cutting back rosemary. A mature plant
has plenty of leaves/stems for culinary use. Rosemary *is*
Mediterranean and likes sun and that familiar "well-drained soil." Do
not over-water. It is a perennial and hardy to around -12C.