Basil help please

13Kent

I bought some mint, basil and chives in small pots from the garden centre. Have repotted them and put them out. The mint and chives seem to be thriving but the basil looks very sorry for itself, the leaves are starting to go a bit yellow and some of them have holes in them. What am I doing wrong?

Callie22

I think it's probably too cold for the basil to be out at the moment. I've never grown it outdoors, and I've only ever managed to get it to thrive on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse, or outside during the peak of summer. It's a mediterranean herb that does best with warmth and sunshine so I'd guess that at the moment, it's just not getting the warmth it needs.

If you want loads of basil plants for not very much money, then you can buy one of the supermarket pots of basil and split it into half a dozen clumps. If you pot these up and keep them somewhere sunny they'll grow brilliantly - I once had one from Lidl that gave me six monster plants, we had loads of pesto that year!

Buggins

Another idea with the supermarket pots of Basil is to take a few cuttings and place in glass of water. They soon grow roots and you can plant them up. Perpetual Basil!

Farway

Agree with Callie, too cold to be outside now

13Kent

Thanks! will rescue it and put them in the greenhouse and if it doesn't survive I'll be adding basil to my shopping list!!

misspenny

I keep mine indoors almost year round. It sometimes gets a little trip outside on hot days but even in summer I find it looks sad if I forget to bring it in overnight. Even indoors it fails to thrive in winter due to lack of light, and its probably not worth a u.v set up just to grow basil, you can freeze it as pesto or in ice cube trays of oil

After lots of trial end error (basil murder) I've found that splitting and potting on when you get a plant home, then cutting back to the bottom couple of pair of leaves works great, leave those leaves forever - they are like solar panels to feed lots of lovely young growth on top.

13Kent

Thank you!! I've brought it in, but I don't hold out much hope!! The inlaws are visiting tomorrow and my mother-in-law is greenfingered so she might be able to revive it!!

diluvsdiscounts

Always keep a pot of basil in your greenhouse to prevent tomato blight. Works a treat, I don't know why but it does.

PlutoinCapricorn

misspenny wrote: »

I keep mine indoors almost year round. It sometimes gets a little trip outside on hot days but even in summer I find it looks sad if I forget to bring it in overnight. Even indoors it fails to thrive in winter due to lack of light, and its probably not worth a u.v set up just to grow basil, you can freeze it as pesto or in ice cube trays of oil

After lots of trial end error (basil murder) I've found that splitting and potting on when you get a plant home, then cutting back to the bottom couple of pair of leaves works great, leave those leaves forever - they are like solar panels to feed lots of lovely young growth on top.

All I have is a balcony, but it and my windows are high up and all face south so I get a lot of sunlight both in and outside. I have discovered the hard way how delicate basil is: I forgot to bring Basil the Basil's pot in a few nights ago and now it is drooping - Percy the Parsley and Charlie the Chives are fine!

I will remember the above tips as basil is a wonderful herb.