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Aerogarden Gourmet Herb 5 week old question?

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Ny_man  Send Ny_man a private message!


Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - 09:30 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Hello I have a newbie question about my plants. I have this aerogarden pro and my plants are growing pretty nicely. But now that they are growing I have no clue what I am doing. I am supposed to trim some stuff on my basil. What do I cut. The top of my plant started leaning over becuase the lights need to be moved up or the leaves are so big their pulling the top down. Anyway they told me to trim them so everything will grow more evenly. So I snipped about an inch (down the stem)or so right off the top of the basil, is this bad? Please tell me what to trim and how to take care of these plants. Also my mint is growing all over the place is this ok to let grow like this?

Thank you for your help sorry I am a newbie I live in NYC.

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"
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Ny_man  Send Ny_man a private message!


Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007 - 06:51 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Is anyone out there (echo echo)

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"
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Potager  Send Potager a private message!


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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007 - 02:56 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I'm not sure that I understand what the smart part of the Aerogarden system is, but both basil and mint are rather vigorous plants. They are both hard to kill no matter how much you trim them, I guess they'll survive.

If the problem is that space is limited, I guess you have no other choice than to trim. Anyway that's what you normally do with herbs: when you need some for the kitchen, go cut some.

I suppose growing in soil in a garden or greenhouse is not an option for you in NYC?

Potager - Denmark, Zone "7"
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007 - 08:21 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Na no dirt here. I love the aero garden so far. Everything is pretty big. I just dont really understand the trimming part. They say to trim the third set of leaves. What the heck does that mean. third set from the top? Bottom? The directions are not to clear for newbies which is what the aerogarden is for. Or people who have no access to dirt. Thanks

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007 - 09:22 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I just googled an image of the aerogarden system. It looks a little small to be growing basil and mint in. For basil you probably would be better off with varieties like Globe Spice. The mint you can cut back as hard as you need to in order to keep it under control. It is very forgiving and leaf count doesn't matter much.
You count the leaf sets from the bottom of the individual stems. So in the case of basil, a young plant with a single stem will have leaf sets grow one on top of the other as the plant gets taller. When the third set of leaves form, they are telling you to pinch the growth off the top. From that point, the plant will start branching out from the side buds near where the leaves connect to the stem. So now you will have two stems. When those stems produce three sets of leaves, you can pinch again. Nothing horrible will happen if you miscount. Of course, you don't want to pinch off all the buds though.

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Mimi  Send Mimi a private message!



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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007 - 10:47 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

My friend grew the lettuce first with this system and then the tomatoes. She loves it

Mimi - Wisconsin, Zone "4b"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 07:32 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Well if tomatoes work, then basil and mint will.

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Ny_man  Send Ny_man a private message!


Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 03:19 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Does pinch mean cut? So I count up from the bottom one branch big leaf I leave it alone, second branch same thing, thrird branch little leaves are growing I cut them off? It is Italian basil and purple basil. The leaves are huge I think I will cut them for some pesto. I dont get why the third set of leaves is so important to cut. Does it take nutrients or something?

Thanks a lot everyone

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 04:28 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Pinch if its the end of growth, cut if you go down the stem - same concept. They are just helping you keep the plant in shape and compact, leaving enough space and places for the stems to continue. That way it will fit under the light better and longer. Also, if you take off too much, the plant will have less energy to recover, making it take longer between meals.

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 10:57 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

SO I count up to three branches and then snip the top part? This is a big chunk of the plants is that cool they will just grow back? I dont get this pinching thing. If I pinch the stem wont it crack? MY leaves are bushing out so much at the top i would like to cut the top and use the leaves for some pesto but I dont want to kill these plants. The book shows cutting the stem of the main branch. Is this what you meant not the leaves that are starting in like the armpit (you could say) of the stem? Please help I am lost. I count up one two three and snip the whole thing?


thanks

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 11:18 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Forget the pinching thing then. Its just a term to use instead of cutting or snipping when you just pinch off the top growth. And that would be through the stem. The growth is soft enough there so the plant wouldn't crack.
You count up to three sets of leaves, not branches and then snip above it. Those armpit leaves will branch out.
I will see if I can take some photos at some point tomorrow and make it more clear.

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Ny_man  Send Ny_man a private message!


Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007 - 11:02 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thanks a lot so you wouldnt say to cut the whole thing from the top. I am freakin a retard when it comes to this. I will wait for your pictures.

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007 - 02:05 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I haven't taken the pictures yet but...
Even if you did cut the whole plant down to about three sets of leaves, the plant would grow back unless you kill it some other way, like overwatering it or underwatering it. Just snip the stem above a leaf node (like the neck instead of the armpits). Anyway, you would need some volume of basil to make pesto, right?
As a side note, don't let your basil flower or the leaves will stop developing and you will get a stalky plant.
The mint - you could cut the whole thing down and it would grow back , it is so aggressive. With mint, all you need is a little piece of white root to keep it going.
Finally, basil and mint are not expensive plants or hard to get. Go for it! Cut it! You can do it! I will try to post pics by tonight.

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 - 09:37 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I cut them down some and made some pesto. Pretty good stuff. I just hope everything grows back. The book says never more then 1/3 of the plant. I would say I easily cut less then that. I guess we will see. I still dont really get the pruning.

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007 - 10:33 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Nothing better than fresh basil. Sorry to make you wait but the worst that could happen is you replace the plants. You will replace the basil eventually anyway as it will get woody.
So here it goes.

This is a leaf set on a neglected basil I happen to have laying around:


This is me cutting above the leaf set:


The basil has been cut:


Here is an old cut that shows how those "underarm buds" - really more like shoulders, wouldn't you say? - Grow into two new stems. If I were to cut later on only to leave one or two leafsets, my plant will still live and grow. Three leafsets isn't etched in stone:

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007 - 10:40 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Here is an end starting to form a flower bud. At some point, the plant gets aggressive about doing this. But you can just keep pinching.


Simply pinch the soft growth off the end.


Pinched end.


A cut piece and a pinched piece:


That's it. Any questions?

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Lovinlife  Send Lovinlife a private message!




Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 03:51 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Ny_man wrote on Thursday, October 18, 2007 - 06:51 pm:

They are both hard to kill


True, but remember that basil is an annual, is not winter hardy, and will die with the first frost.

Lovinlife - Utah, Zone "5"
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Growit  Send Growit a private message!




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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 04:37 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Great tutorial Loretta.

Growit - Hampshire, Zone "8/9"
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Loretta  Send Loretta a private message!



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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 04:47 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thanks Moira!

Gloria, I think the aerogarden is an indoor light system.

Loretta - NJ, Zone "6"
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Ny_man  Send Ny_man a private message!


Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 03:19 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Ok so the pinching is the top part of the plant right? I pinch the little bud off with my fingers? Thats what I did. Great pictures and thanks for the help. The aerogarden is real cool and my plants are freakin huge now. I made pesto and need to cut more already. Thanks much. I am sure I will be back soon.

Ny_man - new york, Zone "111"

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