April 20, 2010: After 6 days, roots can now be seen emerging from the stems of the basil cuttings. Roots this short cannot be planted yet as they are not yet fully formed to help support the cuttings for proper growth. I think they are about 1/2-3/4 of an inch long. I should rejoice with the formation of roots on my basil, but I have encountered a couple of problems while the roots are forming.
My first problem? Birds. They are everywhere, these little creatures. Originally I started with 3 basil cuttings, and now I ended up with 2. I do not know which of the numerous birds that flock our veranda took the cutting; the aroma must be really enticing for them to nip the cuttings off the glass. I had to protect the basil cuttings from birds by placing a net around it.
Second problem is the formation of powdery mildew on the leaves of the basil cuttings. I could not find a small container that has a small lip, so the leaves are always wet. Make sure that you have one before you start creating basil cuttings. I do not know yet how to stop the progression of the mildew without using any harmful chemicals that poison the birds. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find an organic solution soon enough before I place them in pots.
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