Tips for growing basil?

[cocolgooh]

Personally I love to grow basil. I particularly like Sweet Genovese Basil and Thai Basil. However it doesn't seem to want to grow where I live now although at my old house I was able to get it to grow everywhere! Does anyone have any tips for me to help it to grow here? I'd appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!

 

[Beth_B]

Welcome @cocolgooh !

I'm not familiar with all the growing climates in the UK - I also grow basil (sweet and Thai) just about every year and I know it likes lots of heat and sun.
Mine's usually in pots with a mix of potting soil, some from my harden and a little compost. If it's not weather-related, it could be your soil perhaps? I moved five miles, about five years ago and my previous house had utterly horrible soil but it's great here.

 

[headfullofbees]

Personally I love to grow basil. I particularly like Sweet Genovese Basil and Thai Basil. However it doesn't seem to want to grow where I live now although at my old house I was able to get it to grow everywhere! Does anyone have any tips for me to help it to grow here? I'd appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!

Make sure it's well sheltered from wind.
I've found that it doesn't like wind at all.
I'm in Cheshire.

 

[CanadianLori]

I grow genovese and sweet basil. I find partial to good sun works along with lots of water.

 

[IcyBC]

I grow sweet and Thai basil in a container, and it didn't do well, but my sister planted her under some shade and they grow like mad. So I think growing them with partial shade will be the way to go.

 

[claudine]

Unlike other herbs, my basil is doing great. I water it every morning. Basil loves getting a lot of water. Make sure it gets partial sun, too.

 

[Corzhens]

Our basil is the sweet type given to us by the driver of my husband's boss. It was on a small plastic pot. When my husband planted it on the ground, it was too fast in growing. Stems are growing longer with so many leaves. It was only because of this forum that I got to know how to mix basil with food. I didn't know that basil is edible.

 

[gata montes]

Having grown basil in many different climates - one of the biggest tips I can give is that - although relatively easy to grow and reasonably tolerant of some shade.

It does require very bright light to grow well and preferably at least 6 hours of sunlight - that is providing the sunlight isn't too intense - it also doesn't like being kept too moist either - particularly as - many varieties of Basil are prone to fungal diseases and pests and especially downy mildew - which can to some degree be prevented - by growing the plants in an area where they get the correct amount of light - together with not over-watering them - as well as only watering in the morning - preferably before the sun gets up - as that way - because any excess moisture can evaporate before nightfall - it helps to avoid the spores from thriving - which they do in cool, dark damp conditions.

Also its a good idea to start picking your Basil from very early on - in fact as soon as it has 3 - 5 sets of leaves - as apart from the fact that it avoids the possibility of it flowering - which is not a good idea - as it tends to taste a little bitter once it starts to flower - it also guarantees a really bushy plant - which is done as follows -

as soon as you have stalks that have 5 sets of leaves - cut the tips off leaving 2 sets of leaves at ground level - which as doing that will then encourage 2 new shoots on either side of the cut stem - just keep repeating the process throughout the summer every time you have stalks with 5 sets of leaves - as that way - not only will you have a really bushy plant and never have to worry about it flowering - but you will always have new shoots which are extremely tasty

 

[cocolgooh]

Thanks for all you replies everyone! I wasn't expecting so many responses so quickly!

@Beth_B Thanks for the welcome! I'm fairly sure it isn't the soil as I've tried several different soils and seem to have the same results every time. I'll definitely keep trying though!

@headfullofbees I'm also in Cheshire! Hello neighbour! Thanks for that tip. I'll make sure it's sheltered from the wind!

@CanadianLori @IcyBC @claudine Thanks for the tip about partial sun! That could be a problem. How my house faces, either window I've been putting it in if I grow it inside is basically in full sunlight all day. I'll have to take a look at where else I can put it!

@Corzhens I love to eat basil! It's great with tomatoes which I also grow! When it grows well it seems to grow like crazy!

@gata montes I'd say the sunlight being too intense for too long might be the issue I've been having here. Where I lived before it probably only got sunlight for around 6 hours a day, and it was partially shaded because of how a tree cast a shadow as the sun moved. I'll definitely try your tips to get it to grow as a healthy bushy plant if I can get them to survive long enough! Thanks for your help!

 

[ideasynthesis]

I'm currently growing a sweet basil. I use it for everything I cook in the kitchen; from roasting chicken to all my pasta sauces. I just have a little concern for when it grows to tall, leaving all the leaves on top with a long thin step ( because that is what happened in my mom's home) is there any way i can cut it but still save the entire plant?