Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi I have some basil in a pot outside which I have had a couple of weeks and already its looking a bit poorly. I have been on holiday for a week and left my son in charge of watering - which he did even though it rained. I have now moved it to a more sunnier position. Do you think it has been overwatered - how often should I water? I have previously tried growing on windowsill with no success. It looks limp. My first post on here and any help gratefully received. I do not have a greenhouse,

Basil is the one herb I grow indoors. I just keep it on the kitchen windowsill and use as needed. I find it actually quite temperamental outside. It will eventually get leggy and start to flower, then just sow some more seeds and start again (although they can take a while to germinate). The pot should last for months though, so does sound like it might be over-watered. make sure all the water has drained out and bring into shelter to allow it dry off a bit.

You can trim it back if its getting leggy - after all herbs like to be cropped, so don't be afraid to pinch the leggy bits out, and it should re-shoot and start again.

One question though? Was this a pot of 'ready-grown, ready to use herbs from a supermarket?? I've never been able to keep any of those going - I'd almost believe the s-markets put something in the pot that make sthe herb die - to make you buy another one!!

Welcome to the vine, by the way.

LCG

I got it from the garden centre.

OK, should be more robust and able to cope with being chopped back! Good luck

LCG

I think its been overwatered, let it dry out, if you're not sure leave it, its leaves will droop if its too dry and so you can tell. Basil hates being cold and wet (like me!), it loves sunny weather (like me!) - it'll grow big given the right conditions. We grow ours in the greenhopuse border in front of the toms and aubs, it loves it and grows a couple of feet high. I love pesto!

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

I've lost basil in the past by overwatering and planting outside. The best way for me to keep them going is to keep them on the kitchen windowsill and only watering when they have dried out. I usually grow from seed but on the occasions I have bought plants I have found they survive better if potted on.

Yeah, whats the deal with basil!? Is it because it's from tropic climates... that it just gets manky in England?

1. yes... no one can keep supermarket basil (or any herb for that matter)- evil crafty tescos!

2. i grew 5 basil plants from seed- they germinated and i replanted them in their own pots. two i kept in the kitchen, one outside, and two in the greenhouse to see which would work best... and they ALL died!! Do you think I will have better luck buying a fully grown plant and keeping it inside/the greenhouse?

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"Excellently observed," answered Candide; "but let us cultivate our garden."

The only thing basil really hates is being cold & wet - here's a picture taken last year, it shows basil growing in the g/h border, sown before the toms, etc get going!

- green basil bottom left & right, red basil rhs above green.

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

I didn't water last night and it looks a bit better now! Thanks for all your help.

Has anyone grown Thai Basil? I used it when I went to a Thai cookery class and have only managed to buy it a couple of times in a Chinese supermarket which is 20 miles from where I live so just wondered if it would be possible to grow.

Thanks for the picture/advice... I'm so envious!
I'll try again hopefully with better results.

x
M

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"Excellently observed," answered Candide; "but let us cultivate our garden."

I bought a packet from Dobbies ( Shrewsbury) at the weekend - by accident really , I just went for a conventional one ,but was in a hurry and didn't read the pack !! I'm going to give it a go though. Is it quite hot ?

I grew it last year and it was great. Didn't manage to get any sown this year though.

One thing I learnt (on here) about watering basil is that it doesn't like getting water on the leaves, so you need to make sure the nozzle of the can goes into the root area and not water from above. I have to grow mine in a greenhouse as it is definately too cold here.

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Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

See, I thought the supermarkets do something evil to their Basil, so it won't survive at the customer's home. Then I went to my b/f house and his dad's just "forgotten" about his basil and now it's about 4" high and quite wide as well. He said NEVER water it from top, but use a tray and feed it from underneath.
I tried it - works a TREAT.
Give it a go.

Just germinating my first basil from seed - will probably not look as impressive as sbp's but, there's hope. Will update progress later.

Think Basil also like free-draining soil. Rich, but free draining.

If you buy a pot of supermarket basil, when you get it home, cut out the tops (more than just the tips) and place in a bowl of water. The taking out of the tops of the plants will encourage them to bush out. The tops of the plants will readily root, and you can pot them up.

Repeat the process throughout the Summer. Trust me, it works. You only ever need to buy one pot of basil from the supermarket, and with the above process you can have basil all Summer. Much easier than trying to grow from seed.

valmarg

Ooh, thanks valmarg, I was just about to post to see if cuttings from basil were ever worth trying and you've answered my question. Off to do it now now now!

Watch out for greenfly on your basil, too. They are virtually invisible, being the same colour as the plant, but will suck the life out of it.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

I have been growing basil from seed and keeping it in an unheated greenhouse with great success. Water only when dry and I find they don't like to get too hot so shading is essential to avoid scorching.

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Come on! When does it ever get scorching in Scotland?

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

My purple/red basil looks great but my 'normal' basil is tall and leggy - shall I cut the top off?

I've got two plants per pot on my windowsill - one pot of each. The leaves are lovely and big and healthy, it's just a bit tall and straight rather than nice and bushy.

Basil is one thing I'm actually doing ok with this season! I have 2 pots of very productive basil and another 2 pots of up and coming seedlings ( a mix of sweet, purple and lime); they're in the greenhouse.
Question: I've got tom plants in the g/h border, so should I direct sow some basil in front of them (the compost is very rough) or bung some small plants in that I've brought on from seed in pots? My aim is to have enough basil for pesto because I love it!

We've done both, but basil isn't always happy being transplanted. If you sow direct into the g/h border a good way to mark the area is use a plastic mushroom container with the bottom cut out.

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

got to agree what valmarg says does work. i've been doing this since valmarg told me over a year ago and it works

just discovered a few leaves of basil with boiling water poured on them makes a lovely drink1 it seems it is very good for bloating ( to cure it not to cause it))
it,s the firse year I have grown it and have gone mad with 8 different kinds in my cold greenhouse
marg

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