Planting out basil

[moggssue]

Hi again all, the queen of the daft question returns! I sowed some basil seeds in a seed tray on the kitchen windowsill a few weeks ago. They're now starting to grow reallywell. My problem is that they're starting to get very leggy and spindly, and are close to crowding out the tray at around 2" tall each but are nowhere ready to go outside I wouldnt have thought as they only have their two seed leaves each. Any thoughts as to how I should treat them now?

[TEB]

I potted on from seed trays into individual 3" pots or as a group hug into 5 - 7" pots whatever was available.

[moggssue]

Oh right, I'll pot them on then - wasnt sure they'd like it before they have 'real' leaves but obviously it'll be okay thanks.

[Alice]

Have you grown it outside before Moggssue. It's never done well outside for me, but you are a bit further south. I grow it in the greenhouse and on the kitchen windowsill.It likes to be watered from the bottom and reacts badly to getting it's leaves wet. You could keep one indoors if you put them out - just in case. Or maybe other grapes in that area will let you know if it does well outside for them.

[moggssue]

ALice, I've never grown basil before at all! They're currently on the windowsill in a seed tray, over the weekend I'll pot them into 3" or so pots, then I was going to put them out next to my tomato plants, even in the growbag with them if poss. But if they dont like wet leaves, that might not be a good idea given our current weather - maybe I'll keep a few indoors and the rest by the front door under the porch roof. I love basil so dont want to lose them.

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks Alice - I didn't know they didn't like getting the leaves wet. Probably why mine have never done very well. I like the idea of planting a "group hug"! I find mine are more successful this way.

[witch-1]

LOL I didn't know they didn't like getting wet either - with all the rain we've had mine have had one heck of a soaking... still they are looking ok!! I put mine in the ground once they had 3 leaves!!

Poor Basil... named my new kitten (who I haven't got yet as he's only 4wks old) Basil!

Jan

[moggssue]

I like the group hug idea as well! Listening to you all, I think I'll keep my basil in a pot near the front door instead of near the toms - when they're big enough to cope with the great outdoors that is, into their ikkle pots first!

[Flummery]

I keep mine indoors in a little bunch in a pot too. Never had room for them in the garden!

[Earthbabe]

We have but they've never done well for us outside so I keep them on my kitchen windowsill. Might try again this year as I have a seed surplus despite slug encroachment when I tried to put them in the growhouse.