Save my basil!

[Fizzy Izzy]

Ok, so I live in a small flat with no balcony. Last week, I bought a couple of window boxes and got very excited and planted some herbs in one of them. This included basil...

I know that basil should not be planted outside until after there is no more chance of frost. Even the seed packet suggested April was the time to plant. But I couldn't resist! It was has been very bright and sunny here with temps of around 12/13 degrees. I put a cut up plastic bottle over them to help warm the soil.

But now they are predicting cold temps for this weekend... 3/4 degs in the day and around -2/-4 at night. Also a chance of snow. Any way I can save my basil? Will it die completely, or will its growth just be delayed? Should I just accept that I was silly to plant so early and try again next month?

(My DH suggests I should stand at the kitchen window with a hairdryer on it all night. I think a hot water bottle might be more practical! )

[MuddyWitch]

How big are your plants? You could try wrapping them in bubble wrap & popping the cut-off bottle back on if they aren't too big, just at night.


MW

[Fizzy Izzy]

How big are your plants? You could try wrapping them in bubble wrap & popping the cut-off bottle back on if they aren't too big, just at night.


MW

Thank you Well, so far they aren't plants at all, I just put the seeds in last week! But I could put bubble wrap over the soil... Would that help?

[Millymollymandy]

No! Either bring your window boxes inside or start again - sow the seeds in a pot inside in the warmth near a window for the light, as they won't germinate outside in these temperatures! Then you can prick them out into the windowbox outside in May.

[Clara]

....and only ever water in the morning, basil doesn't like to go to bed with cold wet feet.

[Fizzy Izzy]

No! Either bring your window boxes inside or start again - sow the seeds in a pot inside in the warmth near a window for the light, as they won't germinate outside in these temperatures! Then you can prick them out into the windowbox outside in May.

Thanks MMM. :) I can't really bring the window boxes in, so I guess I'll go and plant some more seeds in yoghurt pots and keep them indoors this time... Ah well, you live and learn!

Clara - I normally water in the morning anyway, but I will bear this in mind (I have a lovely picture in my head of a sad looking basil plant with wet socks on tucked up in bed... that should help me remember!)

[Millymollymandy]

I've just dug out one of my packets of basil (the bog standard stuff) and it says to germinate at 20-30C.

[JeremyinCzechRep]

Once germinated, I presume basil can withstand cooler conditions. How long will it last for? I'd love to grow some outside but we do get cold winters here. Will it die back and then grow back in the spring?

[Millymollymandy]

It won't survive a winter outside but you could always grow a few in pots on widowsills indoors. I still have two regular basils and three holy basils on my kitchen windowsill for picking.