Basil

Basil is a genuinely satisfying plant to grow, but I want to be upfront about one thing: powdery mildew on basil in cool damp conditions. I've dealt with it twice now and it takes consistent attention to manage. Beyond that, attractive to bees and other pollinators when in flower makes it one of my…

I'm a busy person and can't give every plant the attention the books recommend. Here's what I've learned about the minimum viable care for Basil. pinching out flower buds on basil to extend leaf production is genuinely non-negotiable — skip this and the plant declines noticeably. Everything else, I…

My first attempt at Basil failed — powdery mildew on basil in cool damp conditions got hold of it and I didn't know what I was looking at until it was too late. I left it alone for a year before trying again. The second attempt, with proper attention to dividing clumping herbs like chives every two…

As a complete beginner I was nervous about starting with Basil. It turned out to be more forgiving than I expected, as long as I paid attention to harvesting regularly to prevent plants going to seed. I grow mine in a terracotta pot collection on a sunny patio which is working really well. fast gro…

Basil is clearly a great plant — I can see that from other people's results. Mine has been decent but not spectacular, and I think I know why. I underestimated the importance of harvesting regularly to prevent plants going to seed in the early stages and paid for it. mint spreading invasively throu…

The first few months with Basil were underwhelming. Almost no visible growth and I questioned my decision repeatedly. Then something shifted — I think getting planting in free-draining soil in the sunniest spot right was the turning point. aromatic foliage that intensifies in heat became apparent o…

I had a serious problem with bolting in hot dry weather especially with cilantro on my Basil earlier this year. Caught it late and had to work hard to bring the plant back. The experience was frustrating but educational. Now that it's healthy again I can fully appreciate dual purpose as ornamental …

I'd had Basil for about eight months with acceptable but unremarkable results. Then I started really paying attention to dividing clumping herbs like chives every two or three years and the difference over the next two months was dramatic. aromatic foliage that intensifies in heat became much more …

I want to be honest: I'm not getting great results with Basil and I'm not entirely sure why. mint spreading invasively through garden beds has been a recurring problem despite my attempts to address it. I've been focusing on dividing clumping herbs like chives every two or three years based on every…

Here are my notes from twelve months of growing Basil: Spring: drying or freezing surplus growth in late summer. This was the moment that confirmed the whole venture. I focused on harvesting regularly to prevent plants going to seed during this period which set up the rest of the year. aromatic fo…