Needing basil tips!
- Thread starter ninikins
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Just what I was going to ask. 
Basil needs a lot of sun and it has to be fairly warm too, for it to grow well. Also the soil is a factor. You might try growing some in a container where you can make sure the soil is nice and rich ( mix some manure in with the potting soil, that should do it) and also so that you can move the container into the sunniest area and even perhaps move it around from place to place if no one spot gets enough sunshine during a day.
Basil needs a lot of sun and it has to be fairly warm too, for it to grow well. Also the soil is a factor. You might try growing some in a container where you can make sure the soil is nice and rich ( mix some manure in with the potting soil, that should do it) and also so that you can move the container into the sunniest area and even perhaps move it around from place to place if no one spot gets enough sunshine during a day.
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I agree with Kyla.. basil needs a lot of sun.. It is one of the easiest plants to grow as far as I am concerned.. the thing self propagates and grows like a weed if you are not careful. Everyday I have to spend at least ten minutes pulling out these plants that have grown like weeds in other containers.. Give them sun, water and a rich but well draining soil and they thrive.
Wow! I'd love to live somewhere warm enough that basil grew like a weed! When I retire, maybe I definitely have to grow basil inside, if its going to grow in anything except high summer (I'm in the south of England).
I'm terrible at growing anything from seed - I tend to overwater, and everything drowns, or I get a white mould growing on the surface - or, even worse, fruit flies throughout the house! The only solution I've found is to buy a pot of supermarket basil, and split it up into separate pots - in this country, you usually get 8 - 10 rooted plantlets in that kind of deal, and if you grow them separately like that, and keep cropping, you can get a *lot* of basil for your £1.49
I definitely have to grow basil inside, if its going to grow in anything except high summer (I'm in the south of England).I'm terrible at growing anything from seed - I tend to overwater, and everything drowns, or I get a white mould growing on the surface - or, even worse, fruit flies throughout the house! The only solution I've found is to buy a pot of supermarket basil, and split it up into separate pots - in this country, you usually get 8 - 10 rooted plantlets in that kind of deal, and if you grow them separately like that, and keep cropping, you can get a *lot* of basil for your £1.49
I live in Florida and my basil grows like crazy because it's so hot and sunny here. But, as other posters have said, make sure to water well and have good drainage. I missed a couple of days of watering because I was busy and I forgot. The basil immediately started to sag a little from the lack of water.
Actually it might be time to repot it. Usually when a plant is that sensitive to not being watered, it means the container is one big ball of roots.
Basil grows so fast that I think mine is outgrowing the container.
Actually it might be time to repot it. Usually when a plant is that sensitive to not being watered, it means the container is one big ball of roots.
Basil grows so fast that I think mine is outgrowing the container.
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My guess would be that the problem is with your soil. I have and have had several basil plants. What I've observed is that the plants that were very slow to grow were the ones that didn't have adequate drainage. Basil likes water and sun, but it can't take too much water, especially during winter/cool weather.
Here in Alabama, it grows well outside all summer,too. A year or so ago, Lowes had some Boxwood Basil on clearance , and I got about 20 of them, and put them in the front of my garden. They do not get as tall as regular basil' and the leaves are tiny. They have the most wonderful spicy smell, and I just snipped some off with my scissors' and then snipped the tiny leaves into whatever I was making, and threw away the stems. Last year, I just had the regular basil, but I do like the boxwood basil a lot better, so you might want to try it if you see some. I love it in salads !
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I have never heard of boxwood basil. I have some lemon basil growing right now that I will be transplanting outdoors soon. I love basil; it is so handy to have and it just smells wonderful!
If you look at the picture I posted, you can see it peeking out from under the cucumber plants at the front of the tomato plants. It looks more like a boxwood shrub than a basil plant , with its little tiny leaves. The fragrance is almost like cinnamon, just really spicy. I loved using it in salads and in the fall, I harvested all of it and dried it for winter. I have not seen any since that one year when Lowes had it, but I am hoping I will find some again. I would definitely grow it if I find some again !
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You didn't save any seeds from it? That's the great thing about basil, once it flowers you can have basil plants forever. Be careful planting Thai basil though, it's very aggressive and will end up yards away from where you had the first plant, lol. Now when I have it growing at the same time as other varieties I clip the flowers back so only one variety flowers at a time.
My basil is flowering right now, but I don't know how to collect seeds from a flowering plant. Do I wait for the purple flowers to die? I wouldn't mind having basil plants forever.
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My basil is flowering right now, but I don't know how to collect seeds from a flowering plant. Do I wait for the purple flowers to die? I wouldn't mind having basil plants forever.
After the flowers fall off you'll see the seeds. Your plant may be a little different, but it should look like this:
Pluck the entire "stalk" and let it dry. You can then separate each seed and plant it. It's very easy to collect, dry and store the seeds. I got some lemon basil from the farmer's market a while back and it came with seeds attached. I found it odd at first that they'd give away the seeds, but now I'm glad.
After the flowers fall off you'll see the seeds. Your plant may be a little different, but it should look like this:
Pluck the entire "stalk" and let it dry. You can then separate each seed and plant it. It's very easy to collect, dry and store the seeds. I got some lemon basil from the farmer's market a while back and it came with seeds attached. I found it odd at first that they'd give away the seeds, but now I'm glad.
Thanks, Chanell. That is really helpful advice and the picture clearly explains what to look for. My basil plant does have those stalks so I'll just wait for the purple flowers to fall off. Yay, endless basil plants!