Hey community! Does anyone know what these little white mites are swimming around in my live basil plants? also, the plants are dying. Can’t keep these suckers alive no matter what I do….
Yep - Basil isn't a wetland plant! Grow it in well-drained, well-aerated soil, something like coconut coir-based compost.
Oops, so, what’s the deal with live basil? A bit of a scam? They tell you to keep it in water, I thought. Anyway, what the heck are those tiny little white mites in there? thanks for the response!
Hmmm, I am seeing both initiating roots from cuttings via keeping a plant in water (this method works for many plants) and I am seeing some sites discussing actually keeping plants alive in water over the long term (presumably as a type of hydroponic system with fertilizers). The latter, I suppose, might be possible if you are keeping your basil trimmed so that the plant isn't attempting to impossibly invest in root growth to meet the needs of the aboveground (above water) plant. As for the arthropods, impossible to say without specimens mounted in a water droplet and looked at under a dissecting microscope. That size reminds me of water fleas: Daphnia - Wikipedia or copepods.
