Basil advice please

[pjh75]

Have given up growing basil outside but do have a few pots of it over the summer on window ledges. I find that it gets too much wind and rain damage outside.

Is there a known problem with growing basil outside? I started mine from seed in the greenhouse and it was doing really great... I moved it outside last week (at the same time as my other herbs) and it has keeled over and died, but everything else seems to be thriving outdoors.

[borage]

I've tried from seed both inside and out it never lives very long before dying, I get better luck with basil bought in the supermarket, potted on and kept on the kitchen windowsill

[Washington State Observer]

I can't speak for growing basil inside, but here in Western Washington State basil requires warm soil. I normally don't plant basil outside until late in May or early June due to the chance of frost. Here is a link that may be of help:
Basil

As others have written, light may be a factor for plants being grown indoors.

[Novice Gardener]

Well I sowed another batch, this time sowing outside in a patch that I'd put some potting compost on, then placed a plastic lid over it to warm it up for a few days before sowing, and hey presto, they've come though and are looking fine. I also sowed some coriander too and thats just started to come though. Fingers crossed they go ok

[SMS6]

Well I sowed another batch, this time sowing outside in a patch that I'd put some potting compost on, then placed a plastic lid over it to warm it up for a few days before sowing, and hey presto, they've come though and are looking fine. I also sowed some coriander too and thats just started to come though. Fingers crossed they go ok

Watch the weather very carefully, any sign of a cold spell and I'd cover it over again if I was you.

I have loads of trouble getting basil to establish healthily either indoors or out. If I grow it indoors it goes very leggy because we don't have enough light even on windowsills so I then put it outside only to find it gets cold and withers.

I have some succeeding in the greenhouse at present and one or two plants in my herb bed which I cover over with an old 5 litre water bottle at night and on cold wet days

[muslimgrower]

This is the first time I've tried growing basil from seed. I sowed the seeds about 3 weeks ago, and they started to come through about a week ago but they're looking kind of spindley. I've got them in a pot on the window sill, that I did have covered till they sprouted, then I left it off. They're now at the 2nd leaf stage, but they look so thin and weak. Is this normal? I was planning on hardening them off eventually and growing outdoors, but they just look so feeble??? The leaves are TINY - not even as big as my little finger nail

the roots of the basil get really big quickly.. you should pot each basil individually.. check out the roots to see if they intertwined with each other...

[Alison]

I always scatter a few seeds in a pot and then thin out as necessary but would never thin out to a single plant, for standard basil that would be far too sparse.

[madmax]

Any advice I give on Basil would only be fawlty...

[percy charlie]

to get the best success with basil ive found really moist the compost with warm water sprinkle the seeds evenly over the surface cover with a very fine smatering of compost and water again with warm water approx 16-20 degrees celcius then place on the window sill do not cover water with warm water until plant appears then switch to normal water temperature warm water helps germination. dont be tempted to put too much compost over seeds otherwise they dont do well. i follow these rules i sowed some 3 weeks ago and have strong health basil growing on the window sill will put in garden about early june, these rules are good for most herbs especially parsley, i also never cover them even while germinating as this causes sweating especially when starting off in the house. good luck.

[nilling]

Very frustrating - started with 8 plants in 4 pots I'm now left with just 3 plants. I may have overwatered them, so watering from the bottom now. Thinking it might just be better to buy from supermarket.

[zanussi101]

i've also found that the variety has a big effect on how well basil grows. Last year I used organic seeds and never got a plant big enough to use. This year i got some sweet basil seeds as part of a B&Q multipack and they're so much better. I've used both varieties this year in the same conditions and the organic ones have done very little while my sweet ones are over a foot tall.
I also agree that you shouldn't put them outside- those that i have just keel over and die within a day or 2! It's much better to have it on the kitchen window sill- i always add it and the end of cooking and it saves me having to go outside just as I'm dishing up!

[Pootle]

I always let my Basil go floppy before watering again - I think they're quite prone to waterlogging and seem to prefer this rough treatment

I would also never grow a single basil in a pot - they seem to like it relatively conjested and it seems to work for the supermarkets...

[Raven]

I sowed some basil only yesterday. They are in a plastic greenhouse & as I am a complete beginner I was wondering whether I should put a clear lid over them too or will they be warm enough without? Sorry to ask such a silly question but I only started GYO on Sunday.