What is wrong with my basil? :(

Blameless Cleric

Hey green thumbs,

I have grown basil successfuly no prob several times indoors, and decided a few months ago to grow some on my deck

Things were going great until about a week ago, when it started looking a little limp. Over the interim time, all of these little lumps like boils have burst through the basil's stems and are clearly killing it

I've isolated it from the other plants, none of which are showing any signs, but I still want to know - what is this? Some kind of fungus or disease? Any idea how contageous it is or if the basil is at all salvageable? How could I prevent this happening in the future?

Pics:

Cambiata

Our resident bug experts probably should be called in - @BugBoy - but it looks like aphids to me.

SwashbucklerXX

I had to do some tricky Googling to find anything, but it looks like it might be scale, if this other basil gardener's diagnosis is correct.

Here's some advice on dealing with scale. Sounds like it's pretty nasty when it comes to indoor plants.

This reminds me to go prune my basil and see if I can get it to survive the winter in this part of the world.

ceres

SwashbucklerXX wrote: »

I had to do some tricky Googling to find anything, but it looks like it might be scabies, if this other basil gardener's diagnosis is correct.

Blameless Cleric

Cambiata wrote: »

Our resident bug experts probably should be called in - BugBoy - but it looks like aphids to me.

I am fairly certain that the lumps aren't bugs, unless aphids lay their eggs inside stems? Hm

Blameless Cleric

SwashbucklerXX wrote: »

I had to do some tricky Googling to find anything, but it looks like it might be scale, if this other basil gardener's diagnosis is correct.

Here's some advice on dealing with scale. Sounds like it's pretty nasty when it comes to indoor plants.

This reminds me to go prune my basil and see if I can get it to survive the winter in this part of the world.

Oh man this looks right on the money, ew

Bleh, may just have to give up on my basil plant. It's pretty well covered. Thanks guys!!

Arch

Well, yeah, that is insect damage. Basil scale seems to be the correct answer, although my first thought was some kind of gall forming insect.

Either way, yeah, it's probably toast

Or...I guess a food aphorism isn't the best to use here....

Arch

Also, for the record, the leaves should still be fine to use. Pick em off, rub them gently to remove any bugs, and you can at least have pesto

darkmayo

Hmmm.. looks fawlty.

Blameless Cleric

Arch wrote: »

Also, for the record, the leaves should still be fine to use. Pick em off, rub them gently to remove any bugs, and you can at least have pesto

I have tasked Bones with salvaging what she can from it, then we will toss it.

How best can we dispose of the plant so as to not have the infestation spread to like, my neighbor's garden and stuff? She also grows basil. I figure just tossing the plant into the bushes may not be enough?

zepherin

Blameless Cleric wrote: »

Arch wrote: »

Also, for the record, the leaves should still be fine to use. Pick em off, rub them gently to remove any bugs, and you can at least have pesto

I have tasked Bones with salvaging what she can from it, then we will toss it.

How best can we dispose of the plant so as to not have the infestation spread to like, my neighbor's garden and stuff? She also grows basil. I figure just tossing the plant into the bushes may not be enough?

Bag it (Plant and soil) in a contractors trash bag (they sell them at Costco and are awesome) vacuum up the pot and area around it dispose of vacuum dust in contractors trash bag and pitch it. Wipe down the pot with vinegar and soap, let it sit for an hours then wipe it off with a wet paper towel.

Seriously though, I can't recommend the contractors trash bags from Costco enough. They are thick, and great for if you don't want to spread anything or have things poke through the bag. I think hefty makes something comparable for those without Costco membership. 3mm thick.

ceres

I read something that said gently rubbing with alcohol should get through the shields and kill the bugs, you just have to keep doing it as the babies grow up until it's gone.

Blameless Cleric

ceres wrote: »

I read something that said gently rubbing with alcohol should get through the shields and kill the bugs, you just have to keep doing it as the babies grow up until it's gone.

Yeah, but it is very bad. The bottoms of all the stems of the plant are pretty much dead and full of holes; I don't think that the plant will survive very long, regardless. Maybe a couple of stems are salvageable, but I don't want to risk the other plants. It's too cold outside now so they're all clustered together under a heat lamp, and the basil is quarantined in the kitchen, so it'll probably die of cold if not bugs before it'd be clean

darkmayo

Blameless Cleric wrote: »

ceres wrote: »

I read something that said gently rubbing with alcohol should get through the shields and kill the bugs, you just have to keep doing it as the babies grow up until it's gone.

Yeah, but it is very bad. The bottoms of all the stems of the plant are pretty much dead and full of holes; I don't think that the plant will survive very long, regardless. Maybe a couple of stems are salvageable, but I don't want to risk the other plants. It's too cold outside now so they're all clustered together under a heat lamp, and the basil is quarantined in the kitchen, so it'll probably die of cold if not bugs before it'd be clean

Sadly we go through Basil plants like crazy, we luck out with some types and they flourish, sometimes they just crap out in a week. I say dump the whole thing a bag and toss it, start again.