Ok, so my parsley and basil are growing like crazy in their starter pots and I transplanted the parsley the other day. It did NOT work out the way I thought it was supposed to. When I was younger and watching my mom, I remember her pulling the dirt out as a whole, it stayed together and then you kind of pushed on the end of the dirt to open up where the roots are and then you put the plant into the new pot. Well, I tried pulling out the parsley from their individual starter containers and the dirt was just faaaaaaaaaaaaalling apart. I think some of them died in the transplanting. My husband says I must not have packed the dirt hard enough the first time I planted the seeds....but the packets said NOT to pack the dirt hard. Either way, I'm at a total loss!! I need to transplant my basil SOON and don't want to screw it up. Any advice on transplanting? Thanks everyone!!
I think the problem with your parsley Hope was more the fact that the root systems hadn't had enough time to grow and hold the soil in the starter pots together. Maybe you'd be best leaving the basil for a little longer before you transplant it. I'll keep my fingers crossed that some of your parsley survives for you. :-D
It was starting to get tall and lean over and look wilty...how tall can I let them grow in the starter pots before they becme TOO tall?
Basil and parsley love to be pinched back. If they are looking too tall, just trim them back a bit. It makes them a chunkier healthier plant in the long run.
I thought pinching wasn't good unless there were about 6 leaves growing on the stem...I only have a few on each one (like 3). The stems are soo tall it's like it can't support the plant. Am I supposed to pinch off a leaf still?
