The newest growth turned black and even older growth did at the "crotches". I maintain indoor plants for a living, this is exactly the same reaction as over-watering does to a plant. My understanding in that event is that it is caused by root rot. In the case of my basil, I think the high growth areas soaked up so much water from the sink and had no way to drain it again, as there is an incomplete circulation system once cut.
The effect was the same as bruising, or early rot. I hesitated to use them in pesto, but they dried just fine. No recurrence since I have stopped washing them in a sink of water, just running water. From an article linked in a comment by Mike Perry :.
Your basil is turning black because it is oxidiizing [sic] My experience [not] following this advice leads me to believe bruising was the cause:. From your comments above, the heat drop seems like a very likely reason. Basil plants like the heat outside and a sudden drop in temperature from outdoors to indoors is sufficient to turn it dark. I don't know the chemical reaction, but it could very well be oxidation as in the link from Mike's comment. This page also mentions that leaves turning dark could be an indication of recent rooting and suggests that you repot it with with some good potting mix.
B[l]ack usually indicates that its under stress due to recent rooting. If you cut off leaves and chop them, they also turn very dark. A soilless mixture may be a bit too 'clean' for it too, as compared to a potting soil.
Suggest that it gets repotted again, and try to remove some of the soilless mix, and replace it with regular potting mix. Although in your case, they turned black only when you brought it inside, watch out for leaves starting to turn black on the plant, in which case you can try following the advice above.
I've grown heirloom basil for 5 years. I direct sow into the ground. Rotate where you plant them. I live in zone 7 and I plant basil mid-May. If basil turns black after harvest, what I've noticed, is that it turns black after I wash the basil and let it sit. I store it in the fridge wrapped in paper towel.
When I handle basil this way, it never turns black after harvest - unless it is a couple of weeks old. I have the same problem That's a great tip - thank you! There is also a technique called the "backslice" which is kind of like a reverse slicing motion with the knife.
Don't know why, but it seems to help the oxidation as well Don't push on the basil, just easily glide the knife across the board and the herb. Foodpump, coating your basil leaves with oil is a great idea. Now I have an experimental sort of question I'd like to run by you.
I've heard of coating your sliced apples with lemon juice in order to keep them from turning brown. Would lemon juice work on basil, as well? As much as I love basil it's one of my favorite herbs , I don't grow them at home and thus never had a chance to try and see how my idea would work out.
Questionably, Chef Ladybug. I am not foodpump, but I think I can help you. Stick with the oil, and not the lemon juice, YES, it works awesome on apples and pairs and suck, but thats cuz they have much more acidic enzymes in them than basil, so, although ive never tried it, and it may work stop the oxidation, it will alter the herb. Thank you, Chef Torrie.
We wrap ours very gently and keep it in a plastic "to go" container. We still end up throwing out some basil here and there, but generally this works for us. Yeah, so do I. I had noticed that the basil we buy from Trader Joe's comes in a plastic "clam shell" to go container lasts much longer in the fridge than any other method of storing. One other thing, if you are making pesto, blanching the basil for a minute or so first will keep the pesto nice and green longer.
Thanks all for your advice. I have an additional question: can I froze my basil? I have 2 actually: where do you buy your basil when you don't have your own? I have never seen the effects of freezing basil, but all my senses tell me that this probably wouldnt work. I will find out who provides our herbs, we always get it shipped very fresh. I will buy some fresh basil to make a dish, then for whatever reason, something comes up, the meal doesn't get made, and it sits in the fridge for a week, now it's black, and I'm mad at myself for having wasted my herbs.
Lay the leaves in a single layer on paper towels and microwave on low for up to 3 minutes. What is the best way to preserve fresh basil? Freeze Basil Leaves Remove basil leaves from the stem and toss them in a pot with boiling water for seconds.
Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice cold water. Dry the leaves completely and store in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. What can I do with too much basil? If you have gone overboard with this herb, there are solutions. Make some more.
The easiest way to tackle the problem is to make more of the dish without any basil in it. Physically remove the basil. Add a fresh bell pepper. Add cayenne. Add cheese. Add more garlic. Cook it for longer. Can basil make you sick? Basil herb and basil oil contain estragole. Estragole is a chemical that might increase the risk of getting liver cancer.
Can you use basil with brown spots? Use as a Dried Spice Imperfect basil leaves may be dried for spice even with a few brown spots as long as the leaf is not slimy and does not have an unpleasant smell. Crush the leaves or store them whole in a sealed jar in a dry, dark spot.
Is it safe to eat basil with bacterial leaf spot? Bacterial leaf spot is caused by the fungus Pseudomonas cichorii.
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