Why does Basil keep dying on me?

TravellingAbuela

Help! Why can't I keep the supermarket pots of Basil alive? After a few days, no matter how healthy they look when I buy them, the leaves just shrivel up and die on me. I keep it on the kitchen worktop. I don't overwater, nor do I let it dry out.

I use dried Basil in soup recipes, etc but I do like fresh Basil on tomatoes and salad. I have tried growing my own from seed and, though it germinates well, as soon as it starts growing it keels over on me! I can grow and keep other herbs going with no problem but where am I going wrong with Basil?!

Meadows

Are you watering it enough?


I find herb pots need loads of water, not water logged but I sit mine in a tray and water a little at least once a day, but as you start to use the plant I find it does not keep growing new leaves like other herbs so tend to discard (well put outside to see if it re grows - it never does) as the leaves have been used.

caitybabes

The supermarket pots of basil are made by sowing lots of seeds in a small pot to ensure vigorous initial growth. This environment is unsustainable as the number of roots in the pot needing nutrition compared to the amount of soil is too high.

Next time you buy one, as soon as you get it home, try taking it out of the pot, pull apart the root system gently into a few different sections and plant these in separate pots with new compost. This way you get quite a few basil plants too!

TravellingAbuela

Good tip caitybabes. With a few pots on the go I can experiment a little too - one with not much water, one with a lot of water, another in a different room in case the kitchen is too cold at night for it. I am determined to keep a pot going! My next door neighbour has a big pot on her kitchen window bottom and she seems to have had it there looking healthy forever! I am so envious!

Lilyplonk

............ have you thought of asking her how she manages it .

mcja

Cos its fawlty.

(Sorry, saw it on the new posts and couldn't resist, I'll get my coat)

TravellingAbuela

Lilyplonk wrote: »

............ have you thought of asking her how she manages it .

I have!! She says she doesn't do anything special, just leaves it there, throws in a bit of water when it looks dry, and picks a few leaves when she wants them. Perhaps I am trying TOO hard!

[Deleted User]

mcja wrote: »

Cos its fawlty.

(Sorry, saw it on the new posts and couldn't resist, I'll get my coat)

you beat me too it :):)

pollypenny

I wondered what was the matter with him, too, Basil, that is!

Is Rosemary ok?

peachyprice

My thyme does the same. But as it's the same price as a small dried bunch I've given up trying to keep it going, it lasts 2-3 weeks then gets binned. I have tried to use the dead leaves too, but I've got soil in the food a couple of times, oops.

DigForVictory

We've tried basil live in the garden (happy slugs in less than an hour), supermarket stuff on the kitchen windowsill watered by all 3 sons (usually lasts a month) & dried. We now pretty much buy a small basil plant with each meter reading...
I'll suggest the lads carefully quarter the new one & see if we can keep the resulting growth green. And lasting longer than a month!