Most gardeners grow basil by sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings into their garden beds or containers. There is a third option, however, and it’s far quicker than waiting for seeds to grow! Growing basil from cuttings is a fast, easy, and cheap way to maximize your crop of homegrown basil. You can root basil stems in water or in a high quality potting mix. Keep reading to learn all about growing basil from cuttings. 

Basil is one of the most popular herbs grown by gardeners thanks to its clove-like flavor that is essential in pastas, pizza, sauces, and pesto. This is a perfect herb to grow in summer as basil plants thrive in warm temperatures. Plant it in garden beds or containers ensuing you pick a site that provides at least eight hours of direct sun each day. There are different types of basil you can grow, and all are easily rooted from cuttings including Genovese basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, and Greek basil.

To learn more about growing basil from cuttings watch this video: 

Why growing basil from cuttings is a great idea!

Growing basil from seed takes time. In gardening zones 2 to 6, basil seed is given a six to eight week head start indoors under grow lights. The seedlings are then hardened off and transplanted into the garden in late spring. In zones 7 to 10 basil can be direct seeded outside but still takes about eight weeks before the plants are large enough to begin clipping. Growing basil from cuttings cuts growing time by about half. It takes a few weeks to root but once the roots emerge, the plants quickly push out fresh growth for harvesting. Plus, you can grow basil from cuttings year round!

Where to get the basil for your cuttings

There are several sneaky places to find basil for cuttings. My main source in fall, winter and early spring is the grocery store where there are usually at least five plants crammed together in a single pot. Clip those plants back by half with the tops rooted to make new basil plants and the bottoms pushing out fresh growth for future harvests. Of course, you can also root basil from your own garden. Here are five places to source basil for cuttings:

1. Grocery store – Many grocery stores sell pots of fresh herbs year-round. If you look closely at the pots of basil, you’ll see that there is more than one plant in each container. In fact, there are usually five or six plants in each pot. I’ve tried to divide up these pots of tightly packed basil plants to transplant into my garden, but the rootball is such a tightly woven tangle I end up damaging or killing at least half the plants. Therefore, I prefer to take cuttings. 
2. Garden center – You can buy basil seedlings at garden centers, but they often have large pots of more mature basil plants too. You can take these home for your deck or patio and trim them back to encourage fresh growth. Root the trimmings for new plants. 
3. Your garden – I clip cuttings from mid-summer basil to root for a late summer and autumn crop.
4. A friend’s garden – Got a gardening friend with a big pot or clump of basil? Ask for a few cuttings. 
5. Farmer’s market – Many farmer’s market stalls sell bouquets of just-cut basil. Take these home, give the ends of the stems a fresh trim, and root. 

Growing basil from cuttings: Two methods

There are two main ways to root basil; in water or in potting mix. For each method, you’ll need basil cuttings. To take a cutting from a basil plant, use clean garden snips or scissors to cut a four to six inch long stem. Clip it just below a leaf node (the spot on the stems where the leaves emerge) and at an angle to increase surface area for water uptake. Remove any leaves on the bottom third of the stem. This is especially important if you’re going to be rooting the cuttings in water because you don’t want any leaves submerged and rotting. 

How to root basil in water

Fill small glasses or mason jars with filtered or spring water. If using tap water that is chlorinated, leave it out for 24 hours first so the chlorine can evaporate. Once the jars are filled, take the prepared cuttings and place them in the water, but double check to ensure no leaves are underwater. 

Place the glasses or small jars in a spot with bright, indirect light. Change the water every few days to prevent bacteria or algae from growing and you can expect to see little roots in about 10 to 14 days. I keep a spritzer filled with water nearby so that I can mist the cuttings daily. 

When the roots are an inch or two long remove the cuttings from the water and pot them up into a container filled with pre-moistened potting mix. 

How to root basil in potting mix

To root basil cuttings in potting mix you’ll need to gather a few supplies:

• Four-inch diameter pots (you can also use recycled containers like yogurt containers but add drainage holes)
• Potting mix, moistened
• Large clear plastic baggies (such as those used for fruit and vegetables at the grocery store) or plastic plant domes
• And of course, the basil cuttings

Growing basil from cuttings in potting mix

Fill your pots with the moistened potting mix, gently firming, but not compacting it into the container. Clip the basil stems and insert them into the soil medium, firming the potting mix around the stems to ensure good soil-stem contact. Place the planted cuttings where they will receive bright, indirect light. To increase humidity around the cuttings, place a clear plastic bag overtop the container, or, use a clear plastic plant dome. I slip the covers off daily to mist them with water from a spritzer. Also keep an eye on soil moisture and water when the growing mix feels dry to the touch. Aim to keep the soil lightly damp, but not super wet.

Roots have formed when the cuttings begin to push out fresh growth, but, after a few weeks, you can check by gently tugging on a cutting to see if it feels anchored. If it does, harden it off and transplant it into a garden bed or container. 

More tips

You may wonder why I don’t recommend dipping the cuttings into rooting hormone before I insert them in the potting mix. Rooting hormone is not recommended for use on edible plants, especially if they will be consumed in the short-term. 

There are other culinary herbs that root easily in water or potting mix. These include soft-stemmed types like mint, lemon balm, oregano, marjoram, and bee balm. Even woody rosemary cuttings root after about a month in water. 

For more information on growing herbs, be sure to check out these awesome articles:

• How to trim basil for big plants and even bigger harvests
• The best herbs to grow from seed
• How to grow and harvest lemongrass
• Growing a culinary herb garden
• The 7 best herbs for container gardening
• Learn how to use and preserve homegrown basil with these 16 recipes from Garden Therapy

Are you ready to try growing basil from cuttings?