Basil

[shiney]

Anyone had a successful basil crop?

I have found that everything and everybody in the garden finds it delicious, hence I didn't my my share of it!

It's a bit precious to the weather, so would growing it in a pot be better?

[Millymollymandy]

I did when I was living in a warmer climate, in fact it was the heatwave summer I grew purple basil and it did really well, except it wanted to flower and went pretty tough after a while, so I sowed some more and let the older stuff flower just to be decorative.

This year my seedlings have only just been pricked out and are growing really slowly - probably because they are on windowsills and it's not very warm in my house. They only have 2 proper leaves so far. I'm also crazily trying Thai holy basil too but that's even tinier!

Perhaps do what my Mum does and buy those pots of herbs you get from the supermarket and then painstakingly prick out each one, then grow them on a windowsill? You could put them outside when the weather is warmer.

[Andy Hamilton]

Tried a few plants outside and ended up sticking to having them in pots inside, don't seem to last for five mins outside.

[shiney]

I did buy some purple basil to grow outside a few years ago and overnight it got gobbled up!

Makes you wonder how or where it grows really well. Certainly not in this country.

[Wombat]

Sorry Guys,

My basil is about a metre tall 8) and still going well, although winter is almost here and it will die back soon.

Nev

[shiney]

You lucky thing Nev!

I love basil, better move to Aus.

[Wombat]

Mate! It's the place to be!.....................well, I like it anyway!

[shiney]

I know....I didn't want to come back to the UK after being there.

[Wombat]

Well, when are you coming back?

Nev

[shiney]

Need wonga Nev. Even for four of us we'd have to spend a fortune. AND...I vowed if I ever went back to Aus I'd go Club Class! Even a short a*se like me couldn't hack having me knees up by me ears in economy.

Better win the lottery I guess.

[Wombat]

Fair enough Shiney, I can understand that!

Nev

[wulf]

Last year I planted out a pot of supermarket basil, which did last pretty well (in a pot with some supermarket coriander) although the leaves went a bit leathery (fine for cooking but not so good for eating raw).

This year I'm growing some from seed. From the 10 seeds I planted in late April (in my little greenhouse - one of those plastic covered frames), I've got 8 seedlings, which now have their first pair of true leaves and are just developing a second pair.

Yesterday, I thinned out the doubled positions in the original growing container (an upside down plastic milk container, intended for suspending on a trellis construction) into newspaper pots. My plan is probably to grow all of them in suspended containers - partly to make them a bit more inaccessible for slugs and snails, and partly because my northfacing garden is quite shady and gardening "up" is probably the best way to ensure they get enough sun.

Ask me in a month and I'll tell you how I've got on!

Wulf

[shiney]

'Wulf's Suspended Basil '~ Sounds like a great idea Wulf. Those pesky slugs and snails just love the stuff, sticking them up out of shells reach sounds just the ticket!

[wulf]

Let's wait and see what happens first! I'm basing my approach on what's described in this thread and I'm hoping for good results if:

a) I get the framework built securely enough so it doesn't all come tumbling down

b) I remember to give them enough water!

Wulf

[Dave]

I planted some giant leaf basil out last year and it thrived. My smaller plants did ok to but I've always found the window still to be the best place to grow them.