Help my mint and basil is wilting!!?
Question:I went out of town for 2 days and my sister did not water my herbs and they are wilted. They were flowering now they are wilting how can I bring them back to there full health?
Answers:
Cut them back a little and water them well. They should recover just fine.
don't cut them
water them when they are out of direct sunlight
they will fully recover
THEN trim for fresh herbs as needed
I must say, you can dead head them or simply water , they will come back.However so you will know, when my basil starts to flower, i pinch the flowers off..for after they start flowering the leaves get tough and stiff to use, they are still good to use, just tough..The mint...well hard to kill it for it is good, but very invasive..it can take a yard over..I moved in a place was nothing but mint in the whole yard becuase a lady planted it outside and lived in this house for 15 years..I really didnt mind this for when I mowed.. it was extremely fragrant...
For your MINT: if it is not already in a pot, you should dig it up and put it in a pot. (To keep it from taking over your yard!!). I recommend a large shallow pot (like a bowl or platter shape). Put the pot in a saucer (the roots will escape through the hole in the bottom, if you don't!). Put the pot in shade (morning sun OK) and water well. Let the water stand in the saucer. It is very hard to OVER water mint. When your mint completely fills up the pot (like in Fall), you can tip the plant and roots out. Cut a square out of the middle of the old plant. Plant it in new soil in the old pot and water well. You can use remaining pieces of the old plant to start pots for your friends (Christmas presents??).
For your BASIL: Pinch out any flowers and water well. Basil likes full sun and lots of heat. You should pinch out flowers for the next several months to keep the leaves coming. Feel free to pick the leaves and use them -- this also keeps the plant growing. I cut back the long stems and then new stems come out!! About a month before frost in your location, let some of the plants set flowers and let the flowers go to seed. Cut off the dry flowers (seeds enclosed) and put them in a paper bag to dry in your garage. When they are completely dry, rub the flowers to separate the black seeds. Now you have seeds to grow for next spring! The seeds will be good for several years if you keep them in a dry, non-freezing location! (Like a jar in your garage).
Good Luck!
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