Winter basil

[Babru]

I grew some beautiful red basil from seed and kept it in the greenhouse over the summer. It's too cold in there now for basil sadly. Has anyone had success sowing basil at this time of year to grow indoors on a windowsill?

Just wondering if I'd be wasting my time!

[ameno]

I suspect there wouldn't be enough light now.
You can overwinter mature plants indoors, though, so have you considered digging up your greenhouse plant, potting it up, and bringing it in?

[muckdiva]

I suspect there wouldn't be enough light now.
You can overwinter mature plants indoors, though, so have you considered digging up your greenhouse plant, potting it up, and bringing it in?

My indoor Basil always looks sad...is there a secret to healthy plants over the winter?

[ameno]

My indoor Basil always looks sad...is there a secret to healthy plants over the winter?

Not really. They're not long-lived plants, and there isn't really enough light indoors in the winter, so they're always going to slowly deteriorate.
Apart from feeding them periodically, there's not much more you can do. Unless you eat loads of basil, they should still last you into the new year before they finally give up.

[Babru]

Sadly too late for the greenhouse plants. The overnight temperature was about 4 degrees and they all shrivelled up. My indoors basil is always rubbish and short- lived too, which is why it's been so great having these lovely purple ones in the greenhouse. Free seeds off a magazine too

Thanks for your answers anyway, roll on next spring.

[Bren In Pots]

I've got basil growing indoors on a windowsill it was originally pinched out tops from my GH plants, they've been potted on a few time and should lasts a few months before giving up. I do get a few leaves for salad from them though.

[SarrissUK]

I bought a 10p pot of basil a couple of weeks ago and put it in amongst my house plants in the bay window. It's not only recovered but is actively growing! I don't eat a lot of basil, so this might see me through the winter

[puss_n_shoots]

Pinching?

I usually have pretty good luck with my windowsill basil as long as I water from the bottom, keep the growing tips pinched back and never have more than maybe 6 stems in a pot. I usually wait until a supermarket plant is on sale and then re-pot it to space them all out and they last a very long time. Not tried growing them from seed yet tho. Try it and post a pic! 😁

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Puss n shoots

You're right watering's the secret to overwintering basil mines on a self watering mat, that seems to work fine for me.