Mail-order plants should be watered immediately after arrival

Q. I plan on ordering some plants from a mail-order catalog. How should I handle them when they arrive?

A. Before they arrive, have an idea where they will be planted. This is particularly important to remember if you are creating a whole new bed. You don’t want to keep the plants waiting while you take a whole weekend to carve out the bed and prepare the soil.

As soon as the plants arrive, open the box and remove any plastic wrappings from leaves and stems. Read and follow any instructions about unpacking, caring for and planting that may have been included with the order.

If the plants are in pots and are in active growth, water them immediately and put them where they will receive very bright light and temperature that they require. If the weather is good and temperatures are suitable for the type of plants you have, they can be placed outdoors during the day and brought indoors at night if temperatures get cold.

Keep them watered until you can get them in the ground. Continue to monitor their water needs as they become established in the garden.

If the plants arrive as dormant plants or bare root (no soil around the roots), open the package and inspect the shipment. If you cannot plant them immediately, put the plants into a cool area (40-45 degrees) and keep the packing material that is around the roots moist. This keeps the plants dormant and in good condition for planting. If needed, they can be held like this for about two weeks.

Just before planting bare root plants soak the roots in water for a couple hours and then plant them.

If you don’t have a cool area indoors to hold the plants, you can also dig a shallow trench in a shady location in the garden, and temporarily “plant” the plants in this location until you can move them to their actual location in the garden.

Q. Is basil, the herb, a perennial?

A. In our growing area, basil is considered an annual because it cannot survive cold temperatures. In warmer climates, basil may be considered more a perennial, but in Midwest gardens, it is an easily grown annual from seed. In addition to sweet basil, there are two other varieties, African Blue basil and Thai basil that are easily grown and can add to the flavors used in the kitchen.

African Blue Basil does not propagate from seed; therefore, you must purchase the plant. It is a shrubby-type plant that can reach 4 feet high. It has pink flowers and a deep musky clove flavor. While some people complain it tastes too much like camphor, no one can deny it is a lovely, trouble-free ornamental for the sunny garden.

Thai Basil is a type of sweet basil native to Southeast Asia and is an important ingredient of many Asian cuisines. It has a more pronounced licorice or anise flavor. Thai basil grows into a vigorous bushy plant that can grow 3 feet, with reddish purple buds. It produces seeds that can be sown in spring for propagation.

Basil is also easily grown as a windowsill herb during the winter. You can have a fairly constant supply of fresh basil by sowing a new pot of seeds about every two weeks. Given a bright sunny window, the plants will produce plenty of leaves for cooking.

Q. Should I start seeds in cells, flats or pots?

A. Each container has its advantages. However, your choice depends on what you are growing, and how you plan to transplant your seeds.

Flats or trays are shallow, rectangular pans with no dividing lines. Flats are only a good choice if you’re planning to transplant the seedlings into the garden as clumps. You can scoop out a grouping of seedlings all at once and plant them in a large, wide hole together. If you plan on transplanting single plants, trays are not a good idea since you have to untangle the roots.

Cells are trays split into individual compartments. You can sow several seeds per cell, and then cut off the weakest seedling(s) leaving just one seedling growing in each cell. Each plant’s root system develops within its own cell, making it easy to transplant them individually. Their roots do not become tangled like in a tray.

Pots have mostly the same advantages as cells. You can sow the seeds and trim the seedlings to end up with one plant per pot, each with a distinct root system.

Plastic pots or containers are preferable to clay pots when starting seeds, since they retain moisture more consistently. Recycled plastic containers, like empty yogurt tubs, also work well. However, make sure you have poked holes in the bottom for drainage. No matter what type of container you use, make sure it is clean. To sanitize a container, soak it in a 10 percent bleach solution (1 part bleach to nine parts water) for 15 minutes and let it air dry.

There is also a fourth choice for seed starting — biodegradable peat pellets. These are pellets that expand into a pot when soaked in water. The added advantage of these containers is that they can be planted in the ground with the seedling; there is no need to remove the seedling first, because the container ultimately breaks down on its own.

Ÿ Provided by Mary Boldan, Mary Moisand and Donna Siemro, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. Send questions to Ask a Master Gardener, c/o Friendship Park Conservatory, 395 W. Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016, (847) 298-3502 or via email to cookcountymg.com@gmail.com.