Another dying basil

[Marb67]

Why oh why oh why can I just not keep anything alive despite giving the correct care ? I bought a very healthy basil from the supermarket. Potted it on in high quality Nursery compost in the kitchen window. Gave water when only needed and yet it is slowly wilting and stems are going darker, losing more and more ground each day

The only success I ever had keeping basil alive for months was a Waitrose variety that had very small, pointed leaves.

[veggiechicken]

Its nothing to do with how you've treated them, Marb, but how they were grown for the supermarket.

Supermarket basils are meant to be eaten within a week or two, not potted on. They're the living equivalent of a bunch of fresh herbs which only last a couple of days. You can see how many seedlings are sown into one pot. To grow into individual plants they would have been split and potted on at an inch or so.

You could try cutting off the healthiest shoots and rooting them in a glass of water - then potting them up individually as new plants.

[Marb67]

Thanks VC I will try that. Same is happening to my coriander.

[veggiechicken]

Not sure it will work with coriander - that's another of the eat it quick herb pots!
I've successfully split pots of s/m chives, mint and had partial success with parsley. The perennial herbs have more life ahead of them I suppose.

[Marb67]

You would think anything potted on would grow really.

[veggiechicken]

I know, you'd think they'd jump at the chance of fresh compost and more room to wriggle their roots! Its bad manners when they just turn up their leaves in disgust and keel over!