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dinajean_gw

Strange question

dinajean(SCzone7b)
10 years ago

I got 2 basil plants from a big box store & they are in my windowsill doing well. They are separated by a window frame if that matters. Every morning I wake up & open the curtains, the one on the left has black "seeds" scattered all over the windowsill. The right one does not. I googled basil seed info and I thought that seed only comes from the flower. THERE ARE NO FLOWERS on my plants. I rarely dab in growing fresh herbs, so I figured y'all would probably know in an instant. Are these seeds and how if there are no flowers? THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP!!

Comments (23)

  • CaraRose
    10 years ago

    How long have you had them? It's possible you bought them and they had already flowered and were developing seeds.

  • chaman
    10 years ago

    CaraRose seems to be correct.

  • dinajean(SCzone7b)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have had them about 3 weeks. There are no flower stalks anywhere, so where are the seeds coming from?

  • theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
    10 years ago

    A picture of both the plant and the "seeds" would help to figure out what's going on.

    Rodney

  • dinajean(SCzone7b)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Pardon the dog hair & dirty windowsill :)

  • goodearth
    10 years ago

    Are u sure they are seeds, and not bugs or caterpillar droppings?

  • wally_1936
    10 years ago

    I have never seen seeds fall off a basil plant ever. They stay on the plant even after it has died completely.

  • dinajean(SCzone7b)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have not seen any bugs or caterpillars. They are hard and about the size of poppy seeds. Hmmm..

  • nickl
    10 years ago

    I can't tell you what those are, but they are definitely NOT basil seeds.

    Basil seeds are brown and slightly curved and pointed, with stripes. Very different from whatever that is.

    Here's an enlarged view:

    (My bad - original post pointed to the wrong photo - that was photo of caraway seeds- - this is basil - got to be more careful before I hit the submit button)

    This post was edited by nickl on Wed, Jul 17, 13 at 23:07

  • dinajean(SCzone7b)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Right! not even close!!! I put the plant outside on the patio table.....I'm real curious now as to what the heck they are! Wonder if it is some kind of critter that I carried home from the box store?? I will check the sill in the AM and see what is there. It is raining now outside, so I don't know if I will find anything on the patio tables in the AM around said plant. The other plant has nothing. BTW the plant in question seemed to be more weakly than the other, so maybe it is a little critter of a sort I cant see??

  • zzackey
    10 years ago

    So Weird! My basil seeds are small and black. Yours look like wheat or barley seeds. I have grown them from these seeds, so I know I'm not freaking out! How the heck can a basil plant have seeds that big???????

  • gvozdika
    10 years ago

    Those are no basil seeds, they are droppings from someone who's eating your basil. If you don't see anyone during the daytime, try to catch the culprit at night.

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    possibly mouse (?)DROPINGS !!!, agree withgvozdika

  • dinajean(SCzone7b)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am pretty sure there is not a mouse in here, my dog would go nuts, but I agree it may be something eating on the plant, there are a couple chewed leaves, but only on the one plant (which is now outside). What other kind of critter (bug) could make droppings that look like that?

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    â¢Posted by dinajean upstate SC -Zone 7b (My Page) on
    Thu, Jul 18, 13 at 5:59
    I am pretty sure there is not a mouse in here, my dog would go nuts
    ................................................................
    Even cats cannot cope with the mice, never mind a dog.
    Just set up a trap(with some yummy cheese and peanut. You will find out. (somewhere that your dog can not reach)
    The evidence is there. Probably it was a baby one..hehheh

  • dinajean(SCzone7b)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    HA! Rained all night but did not wash away evidence. If it was a mouse...why would he follow plant outside instead of staying inside with the other basil plant (which still has no "seeds" or "droppings". So I found a leaf chewed even more, some droppings on the leaves & some "whatever" on the table, which are not hard & black like they were inside, but rather squishy & yucky green when squashed. Still don't see a critter though. Now what do y'all think?

  • dinajean(SCzone7b)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Guess who lurked out into the open?? I sure am glad I did not make a protein shake with basil "seeds"!!!LOL

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    Ho ho ho. I was wrong for blaming the mice. Innocent until proven guilty. Sorry !

  • joanaldrich
    6 years ago

    did you ever find our what these black dots are , I have them !

  • theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Joanaldrich- The "black dots" were caterpillar poop. A couple comments above yours the OP posted a pic of the caterpillar that was responsible for them and the chewed leaves.

    Rodney

  • Rebecca Goldthorpe
    6 years ago

    You have no idea how relieved I am to find a fat caterpillar on my cyclamen plant!


    Thank you so much for your helpful photos and information, folks. Thank goodness it's not a dying mouse lost in the house!


    I've been discreetly Googling "green rodent droppings", not wishing you alarm my husband, until I had confirmation of the cause; and a plan!


    I was starting to think it must be mouse, haha, but I took a look at the plant again just now, and found that huge green beastie, munching away - with a fresh poo attached to its tail end,

  • piersitter
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I found these same things on my basil plants today - same stuff - looks like poppy seeds but squishable! And I could shake them off. I've been harvesting and drying basil for over a month THIS YEAR (and for years prior) and have NEVER seen anything like this - they were all over the leaves and windowsills! And they were not there 3 days ago!!! YIKES! I thoroughly washed the basil I cut today (warm soapy water with multi-rinses) and it's in the dehydrator - should I throw it away?

    Geez - I just reread all the comments above and today - for the first time - I FOUND ONE GREEN CATERPILLAR like the one in the picture! LOL.... would it be additional protein? AND I CAN DEFINITELY TELL YOU - THIS WORM WAS 'FULL OF IT'!