Basil

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…

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…

I've been growing Basil for a full year now and want to capture what each season offered. sowing and planting out after last frost in spring was the clear high point — everything you're told about Basil at that time of year is true. But the plant has something to offer in every season, which I hadn'…

Someone gave me Basil as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit. The key discovery was dividing clumping herbs like chives every two or three years — once that clicked, the plant tran…

I don't have a garden so a terracotta pot collection on a sunny patio is my only option for Basil. It absolutely works — with the right attention to dividing clumping herbs like chives every two or three years you can get excellent results in containers. attractive to bees and other pollinators whe…

People describe Basil as easy and I'd push back on that slightly. harvesting regularly to prevent plants going to seed needs consistent attention and powdery mildew on basil in cool damp conditions can undermine progress quickly if ignored. Where Basil is genuinely underrated is the beauty. attract…

I nearly gave up on Basil after three months of mediocre results. Then I focused properly on pinching out flower buds on basil to extend leaf production and within a few weeks the difference was dramatic. It now lives in a terracotta pot collection on a sunny patio and has genuinely transformed tha…

I planted Basil primarily for ornamental reasons. What I didn't anticipate was the wildlife it would attract. attractive to bees and other pollinators when in flower seems to be particularly appealing to bees and butterflies during the main growing period. I grow it in a hanging basket with trailin…

I started with one Basil and now have four, all from propagation. The process is straightforward once you understand planting in free-draining soil in the sunniest spot — something I picked up from trial and error rather than any guide. I display them in a hanging basket with trailing herbs like th…

I've been growing plants seriously for over fifteen years and Basil remains a reliable favourite. For anyone starting out: the most critical thing is pinching out flower buds on basil to extend leaf production. Everything else follows from that. powdery mildew on basil in cool damp conditions is th…