Shop bought herbs go smaller

[Marb67]

I have some supermarket bought basil and corriander. When they started to show signs of running out of steam I potted them on in multi purpose compost. The basil is no better, in fact worse even though I keep it in the windowsill in normal room temp. Ditto the corriander. Smaller, slightly mishapen leaves.

It seems a mystery how to grow decent, healthy herbs like these, even from seed as I have done in the past.





Again, uploaded from ipad normal way round but this site has placed them upside down.

[Scarlet]

Marb, the days are still a little short and dark for herbs to put on much growth on a window sill. I haven't even sown any herbs yet.i know that on the packet they say sow all year round but I believe basil needs much lighter, warmer conditions. Wait a month and pot up some more, you will have better results.

[Marb67]

Ok, will do. I'll try to keep them going though.

[Nicos]

I split my shop bought basil I to 3-5 pots and it lasts throughout the summer.
You really need to do this when they are growing strongly.
(You do realise they in a pot bought one from the supermarket there are loads of seedlings all in competition with each other?)

As Scarlet says though...it's a bit early for these summer herbs, and trying to rescue exhausted plants can be extremely optimistic!
No harm in trying though!

[Scarlet]

Also, the temperature on a windowsill can become quite nippy in the evening when we are tucked up in bed. So if you are going to try to keep going with the ones you have, it may well be worth taking them off the windowsills at night.

[veggiechicken]

This is a useful post http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...rbs_58340.html from the grower of supermarket herbs.
He says that most supermarket herbs should be used within 1-2 weeks although some can be grown on and planted out.

[Ocelot]

Nearly all my chives came from supermarkets.

[Kirk]

I bought a nice big Basil in a pot from a supermarket.
It had reached it's Sell By date so they had reduced the price to 50p.

Sometimes you wonder which idiot puts a sell by date on a plant?

[ancee]

I didn't Kirk, but I do now!!!

[Nicola.P]

Probably the same idiot that puts 'warning may contain fish' on a pack containing a whole mackerel. MAY contain fish, it better contain a fish since I bought A FISH.