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Basil Gets Wood?
Debbie from MD poses a query:
What does root rot look like? I have basil plants that are browning on the bottom stems but it looks like they are forming a think bark covering and I did not know if that was what root rot looked like. The plants themselves seem to be extremely sturdy and very full. Aside from the main stems, they look great.
Well, Debbie, considering that the plants are sturdy and full, I think you have healthy basil. The lower stems of basil naturally become woody over time - never tough wood like a shrub, but soft, yet covered in thin bark, like you've observed. This is perfectly normal. Root rot is another thing altogether, an organism that lives in the soil and attacks the feeder roots of plants when the temperatures are high and too much water is present. A brown lesion can grow on the lower part of the stem, but it doesn't look like wood.
You'll usually first see root rot on the leaves, which become yellow and droopy. then they'll start turning brown - not dry crunchy brown, but yellowy brown and spotty. Then you'll notice the crown of the plant (where the main stem and the dirt meet) getting slimy, then mushy, then the whole yellow, spotty, slimy mess will fall over. Since yours look great, I say no worries.
My favorite book on herbs is Lesley Bremness' "The Complete Book of Herbs-A Practical Guide to Growing and Using Herbs". It'll give you tons of info on every single herb you can think of, how to care for them, and their culinary, medicinal, and household uses. Enjoy!
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