Another basil going downhill ?

[Marb67]

Well I sowed this indoors and it came up a treat with big healthy leaves in the kitchen window. A few weeks later I noticed a few aphids (how did they get in a closed kitchen ?) and picked them off. Since then it has grown pathetically and distorted. There are no aphids on it.

Any idea or again is it my magic touch ?

[Potstubsdustbins]

If I didn't know better I would suspect someone is wafting weed killer around your garden!

[Marb67]

Well that isn't possible as it's a walled garden and I work from home and would spot any rouge weed killer culprits. Anyway, I grew this in the kitchen

[Jungle Jane]

I've never seen aphids take bites out of leaves,how's that happened? Is there a slug hiding under the pot in the hole? Are you watering everyday they like moist compost. Basil aphids are tiny have you checked in the tip of the new growth? If it has had an insect attack it would appreciate a feed for energy/nutrients. It looks like the main stem has been eaten where it's brown in the photo? There should be a point on the stem where you can pinch out the tip,then you can get two stems instead of one,to bush out the plant,you can do this continuously through growth. There's a good video on y0utube about pinching out basil tips.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Neighbours, wind drift, etc the possibilities are endless.

[Marb67]

Like you said, perhaps a flea beetle or something as this happens to a lot of my plants. If it were weed killer they would all go down. I have always read that basil does NOT like much water, more dry arid. Pipa greenwood said they don't like to go to bed with wet feet.think of the climate they come from.

[Yasai]

I remember being surprised at how lovely your garden looked when you posted a photo of it last year. I had expected to see a desolate wasteland what with so many posts about your failures. You must be doing something right to have such a nice garden. Why not grow more of the things that are working out for you and send us some pics when you do.

[Jungle Jane]

Nobody mentioned flea beetle it doesn't look like that at all. Flea beetles leave tiny holes in leaves,pin like. My basil plants,that have been growing for months on my windowsills enjoy a good drink everyday now,they don't go to bed with wet feet. I water the trays they're in sufficiently so they're not sitting in water for longer than a few minutes or whatever (I haven't timed it). I wouldn't let the compost dry out,they'll wilt.

[Greenleaves]

Something has certainly taken a few bites....you may have a house guest in the compost. Fusarium Wilt is a problem with Basil and over watering will not help. I have a small basil plant in the kitchen which only gets watered every 10 days or so but, is in a fairly large pot. It is also away from direct sunlight.

[More basil]

A couple of thoughts on basil; This year I have planted pampered basil in a fancy self watering planter in a mini greenhouse with a mesh door so no pests can get to them. There is some around my tomato plants. And some in 'normal' plant pots.

It has been very interesting to see the difference in the growth and health of the plants so far.The ones in the self watering planters are doing so much better than the others. It keeps them more damp than I would have done (damp, not soggy) but they seem to thrive on it. I am surprised about this as I have always gone by the 'keep them dry-ish doctrine. The ones around the tomatoes are stifled and twisted, a bit like your picture, as they don't have access to as much water. I have also noticed that the ones not in the self watering planter have tended to bolt much earlier.

They are temperamental beasties but I just can't get enough of them.

[Marb67]

I planted some in the greenhouse with the toms. But as you can see the harmony between the two plants clearly isn't working. Monty Dons always look perfect. I don't know how he does it unless he has secret help.

[bearded bloke]

Monty Dons always look perfect. I don't know how he does it unless he has secret help.

Sorry Marb but if you are comparing your home grown produce with that shown on a television program you are never going to be happy with your results. Monty Don (or any TV personality gardener) would be out of a job if he were to show the crops that failed, it's simply not good TV, in the real world we all suffer from failures, the trick is to learn from them & move on.

[Nicos]

Marb- read the first line under the first piccie of this link....

Monty Don feared the worst when his beloved retriever Nigel was paralysed in an accident. Then he met Britain's most passionate and pioneering vet | Daily Mail Online

" in the arms of one of the people who help in the garden"

He has a team of gardeners helping him!

[Scarlet]

One you've had aphids on young leaves they often grow on a little distorted even though you've got rid of them, the leaves can be damaged - but they are fine to eat and probably much tastier than a shop bought specimen that looks much better. Pick the leaves off, use them and wait for some more to grow. Home grown plants don't look perfect. Ones we use for picking even less so.
Personally if I've got enough to put on my plate that's good enough.
The one in the GH looks more than good enough to eat Marb. I'd be happy with that.