Basil (Ocimum spp.) has its roots in India and Africa but is mostly known and appreciated all over the world. The word basil comes from Greek basileus meaning King and it certainly can be considered royalty among herbs. 
Care
Basil has broad, dark green aromatic leaves that can be grown from seed. It should be started indoors in early spring (May) or sown directly in the garden after danger of frost has passed. Basil needs warm soil and temperature to germinate. If started too early you will get slow, weak growth so don’t rush it. Transplants can be planted when temperatures are above 50 degrees at night. This heat loving annual, thrives in warm weather, requires full sun and a rich well drained soil. As with many herbs, it needs little fertilizer; in fact with too much fertilizer, basil will develop a bland flavor. Container grown basil will need more water and fertilizer than basil grown in the ground.
Plant 12 inches apart to allow room for growth as they grow as wide as they get tall (12-24 inch). To maintain the size and shape of this vigorous growing plant, pinch frequently. For best leaf production and flavor harvest basil often.
Flowerheads and Pruning
Once the plant reaches maturity or temps are over 80 degrees, look for emerging flower heads which will drain the plant of energy to produce more leaves. Pinching or deadheading doesn’t stop flowering, it encourages more flowers.
To discourage flower production and stimulate more leaf growth, cut the stem at least six leaf nodes down or leave 2 sets of healthy leaves from the bottom of the plant. Depending on how quickly the plant grows, you may have to prune once a month. If basil is allowed to go to seed, the leaves will develop a bitter flavor. For a continuous supply of fresh basil, plant at three week intervals during the summer. Plant basil next to tomato plant to improve their flavor.
There are more than 150 species of basil grown around the world. Even the most popular have a wide range of leaf shapes and flavors from anise, camphor, cinnamon to lemon. Sweet Italian Basil has an anise flavor which brings out the essence of summer tomatoes. ‘Genovese’ as well as bush basil (O. basilicum minimum) are great for pesto and Thai (Siam Queen) impart a spicy flavor with a hint of licorice to Thai and Indian cuisine. The dwarf to medium sized basils; such as Little-leaf bush or Spicy globe are ideal for small pots and window boxes. Dark Opal Basil stands up as a culinary herb but also works well as a decorative accent plant.
Combine basils with parsley, sage, rosemary and chives along with any one of your favorite herbs in a large container, place it close to the kitchen door and you will have a convenient culinary herb garden at your disposal.
Basil tip: Mosquitos and flies dislike the smell of basil. Grow it on a patio or deck to keep them away.
Rub crushed basil on your skin to repel mosquitoes.
Problems; light green/yellowing leaves possible overwatering or needs fertilizer. Black dying leaves-cold weather
Insects: Aphids, Japanese beetles, slugs feed on the leaves.
Disease: Damping-Off (Rhizoctonia), root rot and fusarium wilt and leaf spot
more info on herbs: http://hortchat.com/info/growing-herbs
From the reader archive
Useful reader questions
In the beginning of summer, I bought a small sweet basil plant at my local health food store and after setting up a 6X6 raised planter, I transplanted it with great success. I tried pinching it back as much as I could,…
Read Rebecca Van Cleave discussionHello, I planted basil trees in pots at my balcony in summer. Everything went fine until autumn, when it’s too cold to leave them outdoor. So I placed them inside my room beside the heater, the warmest spot in the room with…
Read Gift discussionHi! First of all, great site. 😀 I’m VERY new to growing plants, my first attempt: growing sweet basil from seed indoors. On warmer days I try to set the pot out on my porch to get some direct sun. Not in…
Read Sean discussionPreserving/freezing basil My basil plants is dropping all it’s leave since I brought it indoors for the winter. I live NE of Philadelphia. It sits near my sliding glass door. Help. I don’t want to loose the plant. I use it for…
Read Sandy discussion
BASIL LEAVES ARE SMALL AND SPOTTED. PLEASE ADVISE
Pinching off the blooms
I am growing Basil and did not know to pinch the blooms. Will it hurt the plant? If I start now will it help. The leaves are small.
Thanks!
Propagate Basil
How can I propagate basil. I have a large plant in the garden and would like to save it for the winter indoors.
Am growing basil outdoors in a pot – sunny spot, gets lots of water. Is starting to wilt and leaves turning slightly yellow. Too much water? Too much sun?
Leaf spots
I am watering soil only. It is strange that all of the spots are the same even though on different plants. Note – The light shaded web shape is shiny.
I am growing Italian basil and the plant grew beautifully until the roots got hard and woody looking. Is this normal? What can I do to prevent? Thanks.
Pinching basil
My basil plants grew- from seed- and I’m very excited to have it. I live in a cold northwestern climate and planted them in a container that I keep in my kitchen window. They’re doing so well I’m afraid to touch them. I’d like to use it this summer for cooking, but don’t know how to clip leaves without hurting the plant. I read something about clipping a quarter inch above the “node” but I’m not sure where that is and if there’s more than one- where do I start? Until I read this I didn’t even know it could flower. Do I start at the top, the bottom or the side of the plant and where do I clip?
Thanks for the help.
Slugs
My basil plants are out in my veggie garden, seperate from the other plants and there seems to be some sort of bug eating at the leaves at night what can I do?
My basil is in a plastic container, the problem is the the bottom of the stalk is getting brownish and the leaf is starting to wilt. I already give it a lot of water.This is the third time my basil tree has the same problem. what should i do?
Cutting back basil
I have 3 basil plants growing in a planter. They have been growing like crazy all summer and I have been careful to pinch off the tops before any flowers appear. I had 1 flower pop up on 1 of the plants and now all 3 plants have a strong licorice/bitter flavor. Is there any way to recover the sweet flavor? What are my options?
I am growing some Ocimum gratissimum in the UK from seeds I picked in Nigeria. I have a number of small plants growing which I am keeping in plastic “tents” to try and replicate the humid climate. They seem to be doing ok, however recently the leaves on the plants have started turning yellow in between the veins, which remain green. Any suggestions?
Puckered, wrinkled leaves
Basil: I have plants in my garden that look healthy except the leaves started to wrinkle instead of open to be smooth. What can I do?
I just got my first Basil plant and it’s in a plastic pot. I keep it in a sunny place and water it on days that it does not rain. However most of the plant has died away just leaving brown stalks, and the leaves that are left are brown spotted. I don’t want to toss the pour thing but I don’t know how to save it.
Brown spots
Is it ok to eat basil leaves that have brown spots?
Spindly growth
Hi, my Sweet Basil plants are growing quite nicely except the stems seem to be very weak. Is this normal? If not, what do I do about it?
The plants are growing in a pot outside on a sunny balcony.
Thanks!
Frozen Basil
Can you do anything with a basil plant after it has been affected by a frost ? Can you still use the basil ?
I have tried Basil as a house plant many times but it never seems to live. It always seems to get infected with bugs. Then the rest of my plants get the bugs. Can basil live as a house plant with other house plants? If so what can I spray it with to kill the bugs and and still use the basil for cooking?
I live in North Florida. I planted Basil in Summer. It grew fine than stopped, turned yellow and has not really done anything. Will it grow now that the weather is cooling a bit or just die off. I’m not sure if I should just pitch it or maybe move it to a bigger container? Ahhhh…It’s in a 4″.
Preserving/freezing basil
My basil plants is dropping all it’s leave since I brought it indoors for the winter. I live NE of Philadelphia. It sits near my sliding glass door. Help. I don’t want to loose the plant. I use it for many recipes. Can I dry the leaves or freeze them? How?
Leaf Tip burn
I live in Melbourne, Australia and have just planted some basil in a pot a few weeks ago. It has been growing well but in the last couple of days some of the leaves have turned a lightish colour of brown. What does this mean? From other comments I gather too much water would this be correct?
Insect problem
Something is eating away at my basil plant. It is planted in a container and I can’t find any bugs on it. Do snails and slugs like to eat basil?
Caterpillar eating basil
Hello, my basil is thriving however these little green catarpillars are eating it. What should I spray on them to get rid of them? We eat the basil so it needs to be something non-toxic. It is also planted with tomatoes in pots on a balcony.
What is the lowest temp Basil will survive the night at?
We are having crazy lows here in Florida Ft Lauderdale in the 35s at night.
Hello, my poor basil plant needs some help. The stock and the stems are brown and very brittle, with No actual basil leaves on them. I went away for 5 weeks on holiday and returned to this. I had a friend water it during this time but no help.
Is it time to say good bye to this plant? I have had it for over 3 years. Or can I salvage it somehow.
Thanks
I have a basil plant, in a 15cm diametre pot. I am in cold cold berlin (temperature about 7/1°C day/night) and am wondering if it is even possible to keep it alive.
How can I do this. I live in a flat containing one balcony that gets decent sunlight.
Help!
Damping-off disease
Hello,
I am growing 3 small basil plants from seedlings on my balcony in Louisiana. Two of my plants in the last two days now have about a 1 inch brown section in the middle of the stem, and have flopped over, like someone chopped them in half. There are also small black gnat-like insects hanging around. I can’t seem to find what they are, or what to do about my felled stems. I’d like to use organic methods if i can save my plants. Please help!
Powdery mildew
Hi, I’ve had my basil plant for about a month, and it seems really weak. Also, i found white spots on it. however, not all the plants have white spots, only four do. However, it seems like the white spots are taking over the leaves. I’m not sure if it’s powedery mildew or not. What should I do if it is, or isn’t?
Thanks
I have basil plant potted with some cilantro and parsely. It looks droopy and one of the stems near the soil line is brown. It has been a chilly spring here – just now getting into the 70’s during the day. I have been bringing the pot indoors at night when temps drop below 50. I’m not sure what is causing the droop and brown stem…it gets decent sun and I keep it watered. Could it be the chilly weather or do you think I should take the basil out and give it its own pot? The cilantro and parsely are thriving and are much larger.
Hi Rose
Cilantro and parsley tolerate cooler temperatures than basil. Being crowded in the same container can also make it susceptible to fungal infections (stem is brown at soil line).
My basil is getting taller. Only a few leaves at the top and it is yellowing. I started to get a little white flower on the top. I pinched it off but I can’t cut it back because there are no leaves at the bottom. I only have tall stalks with leaves at the top. HELP!
Hi! We have grown basil from seed, and currently have about 7 stalks in a pot. Ours are also flowering, which was when i starting to see what to do next. Only 2 or 3 have flowered, but they are still producing new small leaves on the bottom of the stalks. Should I cut down the plant to those new leaves or just below the flower? We also have in the same pot some flat leaf parsley from seed that is not thriving; any tips on those little guys? Any advice would help!
Hi! Great website, loads of information here.
Unfortunately, I am also having a small issue with two of my basil plants. They appear to be thriving and healthy, except for a small patch in the center of each plant where one or two stems are turning brown and withering away. It looks like white mold/watery soft rot from what I can find about it on the internet.
Is there any way to treat this without losing the plant? Is the basil still safe to eat? Thanks in advance!
Cut back basil
I know your supposed to cut back the plant and only have a couple leaves, but what if my plant is 4-5 inches long and then the leaves start?
I noticed flowers on my Basil plant and started pinching them, but as you imply will happen, they just kept coming back. Finally, I read that I need to cut down the stalk to a lower node (wish I had come across this webpage earlier!). My question is, will the new growth leaves taste bitter, or will they be normal? In other words, is it too late to save this plant and will I have to replace it? Thanks!
I grew my basil plant from seed in march. It started out indoors and was doing great. Then I moved it outside once it got really warm and it stopped growing. Not only that but it started to turn yellow. Then I saw flowers start to bud and I pinched them off. Now the stem is turning brown and woody and the leaves are going brown too. I don’t know what to do. I expectd them to grow bigger but they are about 6″ tall and it’s just one steam with no branches. I’ve tried watering it and then letting it dry out before watering it again. I checked for root rot and they are still white but really near the surface. Help, I don’t know what i’m doing. Can they be saved?
Scale?
I just got a spicy globe basil plant that I am growing in a pot in my sun room. I have noticed that it is getting brown spots on the leaves and brown streaks on some of the stems. Also, some of the stems and brown streaks have very small round things attached to them that don’t come off easily. Otherwise the plant looks healthy. Any idea what is going on and how I can save it? Thanks so much!
A friend has left her basil plant in my care for two weeks. Sunny window – check, low water – check. Would love to get it really big. There are only leaves at the tops and a few down the stems. No flowers. Maybe 20 stems in this one pot, but all leggy. Took off over 30 leaves yesterday ( a little from each stem)
What else do I need to do for Phoebe?
Make pesto
I picked some fresh healthy green looking leaves from my potted Basil plant for my first attempt at Pesto. I washed the leaves under running water. As I was doing this I noticed the leaves began to develop large black patches all over the leaves that five minutes ago were bright green. What happened?
Leaf margin burnThis is so helpful! I got a potted basil that has delicious, spicy tiny leaves and everyday it seems like some of the leaves just instantly turn half brown. The stems look fine but the leaves turn brown from the outside in so fast. Am I watering too much? Not enough?
HI Katie
Brown leaf margins can be a sign of stress. You may be overwatering. Is the soil well drained or does the water sit on the surface and take time to drain? The other problem may be overfertilizing. Too much salt accumulation builds up in the soil and the plant can’t use it up fast enough. If so, leach out the salts by thouroughly watering letting the water run out of the bottom on the pot and then do it again.
I have noticed lots of black ants crawling on and living on my basil plants. Is this good or bad ?
When I first got my basil plant it was about a foot tall and it was growing very well. I pinched the leaves and flowers in order to stimulate bushier growth. However, lately the plant does not seem to be growing. It’s not growing upward or outward it seems. In addition the bottom 1 inch of the plant is brown and getting hard like a twig, but only that portion. Also, every once and a while one of the leaves will just completely shrivel up and die. Lastly, the leaves are a little yellowish. What can I do to improve my plant’s health?
I apparently overdried some basil hanging upside down in my garage, and most of it turned brown and brittle. This might be a dumb question, but I’m new to drying herbs… Are they still ok to keep and use in recipes? I know green and dry is preferable, but can you still use the brown stuff?
I have been growing sweet basil on my patio all summer without issue, now I notice little white spots on some of the leaves, and when I shake the plant, little bugs flying off, what could this be and is there a non-chemical treatment?
I just noticed a thin layer of webs, with teeny tiny white bugs, across the top leaves of my Indian basil. I placed the entire pot under a warm shower and then washed the leaves with a orange based dish detergent. I haven’t washed the leaves again, and was wondering if there is anything else I should be doing to prevent the infestation again.
I also did the same washing procedure with a healthy croton. Both plants are indoors now, having spent the entire summer on my balcony. Would appreciate your comments/ advice on how to continue taking care of these plants, as I am a little concerned having never faced this problem before. I will be keeping both plants separated from the rest to further control the spread.
Thanks again for your advice.
how long ( in years ) do basil plants live?
or how often should they be dug up and replaced ? Mine look great, but are approaching 15 yrs. of age
Winterover basil indoors
I am attempting to over winter Sweet Basil in cold Scotland. Two plants are left one a fast growing young plant which 10 growing stems the other and older Spring plant with much less leafage, but still growing. Maximum heat is provided by a warm drying press overnight and sunny window during the daytime.
Is it better to conserve the plants by reducing the stem cuts, or should normal practice continue?
I have recently noticed white dots on the stems, but not the leaves of my basil plant. It seems rather healthy and growing so fast so im not sure what the issue is. Also, where the white dots are, the leaves seem to be growing in the opposite direction. What should i do?
Thanks for that. I aim to use frozen leaf and oven-dried leaf grounds already set aside. The plants will be left to grow, with warm water every 2-3 days, by syringe, and Miracle-Gro feed every 10 days.
Next year cuttings will be used, using a propagator, to give more copies of the younger plant to try and maximise leaf output. Can cuttings be made at any time in Spring/Summer, or are hot conditions essential?
I was growing a basil plant indoors for a few months when I noticed tiny black dots under the leaves of the plant. Over a period of just a few days, these dots grew larger and my plant started to turn yellow. What could this be, and how do I solve this problem?
Hello,
I have a new basil plant. Im growing it in the window of my apartment. It was given to me by a friend. The plant is about 6 or 7 inches tall but all of the leaves are wilted and the top part of the stems are wilted as well (they all looked that way when I got the plant). The leaves look black but the stems are a very healthy green so I know the plant isnt dead. The leaves, however, smell wonderful I just wished the plant looked healthy. What shoud I do? Can I save this plant? Please help me! Thanks!
Hello,
I planted basil trees in pots at my balcony in summer. Everything went fine until autumn, when it’s too cold to leave them outdoor. So I placed them inside my room beside the heater, the warmest spot in the room with the most sunlight. I watered the basil until the soil was very soak whenever the top of the soil dried off, which was about once every two days. Until one point, I noticed tiny (needle point size) black spots under the leaves. The bottom of the leaves also look sponge-like. The leaves turned light brown only on the underside and dropped with slihtest touch. What could be the cause of these spots? How can I prevent or control them? There were also small flies crawling in and out of the soil. Those flies did not seem to eat the basil, but were more interested in kitchen garbage. So I was forced to take the pots outside and leave the basil trees die. I bought a new potted basil from a supermarket later and the same thing happened again within a month. What could be wrong? What should I do to prevent this from happening again next autumn?
what month can I put my basil outside in pots
Soil vs hydroponics
I just bought a “hydroponically grown” basil plant and have put it into a pot with soil mix. I have no idea what variety the plant is. Will the hydroponic version have as much flavor as “typical” basil? Will it survive on a brightly lit Florida balcony that does not get direct sun?
Insects on basil
I have bugs eating at my basil plant do you have any recommendations on what to use to get rid of them ?
wind damage
Yesterday was really windy (gusts around 20 mph all day). I left my potted herbs outside, not thinking anything of it. Today alot of the basil leaves have brown areas on them (not really spots). Is that just bruising from the wind, and if so, is it safe to eat, or should I try to trim it off over the next few weeks? It’s on most of the leaves.
Hi! I have basil in a pot indoors under my skylight also near a south facing window. I live in southern california so i’m pretty sure it gets enough sun. However, it hasn’t grown any since I first bought the plant. I’m thinking of pinching it back some, we were not using any because we didn’t want to use it all. but I’ve read pinching actually encourages growth? I was also watering almost every day because the soil gets dry, is this too often? Also I thought maybe it would do better outside. so i moved it. and my boyfriend moved it back in saying it was getting wilty from the sun. I’m not sure what to try next and don’t want to try too many things at once! THANKS!
Black spots on leaves
I have noticed something was snacking on my basil plant`s leaves recently. This morning, when I examined it closer, I realized that there are black spots beneath the leaves (and a few on top). Any idea what it is? If so, any ideas of how to take care of it?
Seedlings not growing
Hi
I bought some basil seeds and but I noticed that it just not growing,is like an inch tall and it’s been like this for almost a month.Is outside in a pot and I water it 4 times a week.
Thanks
Each year, we plant sweet Italian basil in various containers. For a while, they develop normally, but in just a few weeks the leaves start to develop differently: they are smaller, narrower, more bitter, and a bit concave (v-shaped). They are still nicely green, but the taste is bitter and the yield is less due to the smaller leaves. It almost seems like they “morph” into some different type of basil! Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks.
Leaf spot
my basil plant has some darker brown spots here and there…what are they? I only water the dirt, never the leaves. Also, I bought it from Trader Joes and it has always been inside in the window sill.
Thanks
Hi!
I purchased 2 basil plants at an environmental club fund-raiser. (One was labeled butterfly weed, but turned out to be another basil plant!) I planted them outside my kitchen door in one of those rounded grassy hanging pots. There is also a chive plant in with them.
I’ve been cutting them back as soon as I see the start of flowers or before. The problem is that the leaves are tiny and stiffer than what I’ve seen on basil plants. None of my leaves are those gorgeous, soft big leaves.
I’ve used this basil in recipes and it’s delicious, but very hard to use with it’s tiny leaves. Should I replant them right into the ground? Use a bigger pot? The one that they’re in is very wide, but not all that deep. Or is it possible I have a different variety of basil? I’ve researched and thought maybe lemon basil, but the flavor isn’t all that citrousy.
Any ideas?
Thanks so much!!
Help! My beautiful basil plant is covered with brownish, fuzzy stuff under the leaves and they are all abandoning ship. There are move leaves on my deck than on the plant itself. How do I treat this? Thank you! 🙂
Wilted basil
Hi!! I just bought a very healthy sweet basil yesterday and put it on my condominium’s balcony, where it can catch the sun, (I live in Philippines) then the next day when I check on it, all the leaves are starting to wilt, compared yesterday when it was healthy and young, I put some water on it, but I don’t know what to do with the wrinkled leaves, should I cut it? or what? pls help!!! Thank you!! 🙂
Mild on soil surface
I looked for an answer for my question but could not find anything. I’m growing two plants one basil one parsley both are beautiful but their soil has a layer of white fuzz, I think it’s mold, on the top. Are they still okay to use and eat? I don’t want to try them and get sick. I still water them and they still grow fine bit I don’t know if the mold is growing onto the plant, do you know what I mean? Could it just be the type of soil maybe?
Hi! First of all, great site. 😀
I’m VERY new to growing plants, my first attempt: growing sweet basil from seed indoors. On warmer days I try to set the pot out on my porch to get some direct sun. Not in the last month or so because of the cold, windy conditions. It sits in a southern facing window most of the time though.
Sewed the seeds in May, have three fairly healthy looking three-inch tall plants which are very aromatic. While the leaves look and smell great, the stem is looking dark and/or brown and “woody” I suppose. Could this be over watering? (I try to water once a week.) I live in Michigan, temps are dropping as winter quickly approaches, could that also be the issue? There has been no evidence of fungus, mildew, or insect infestation. Hasn’t attempted flowering yet.
Some of the lower leaves get light brown spots (look and texture of dead leaves) then drop off completely. Yet the upper leaves look a healthy green, even some tiny new leaves just starting to show. Any suggestions? Or am I just worrying myself over nothing?
Thanks in advance!
In the beginning of summer, I bought a small sweet basil plant at my local health food store and after setting up a 6X6 raised planter, I transplanted it with great success. I tried pinching it back as much as I could, and was even able to propagate two new plants from cuttings (discovered how well they root in water by accident).
The basil still shares space with a zucchini plant which was plagued by blossom end rot, so in an effort to attract bees to that area to help pollinate the zucchini, I let the plants go to bloom (should have only let one go, but…). Now all three have flowers, a central woody stem, and brown spots on the leaves, but still appear to be growing well (and I have now have zucchini!). I know the leaves would be bitter, but is there anything I can do with them (the brown spots are not powdery, just flat brown and similar to what I have seen on fresh basil packaged at the store)?
You said in another response that any new plants from a blooming plant will not be as sweet, so would you suggest that I just start over with a new plant? Duh!, I know, but I trouble letting go. Also, since winter is finally here in So Cal (we had some Nov. days that were over 90 deg.!), should I just keep a small plant in a pot, or plant it after removing one of the older plants (we do get below 50 deg. and frost on occasion)? Or, could I keep it in a pot, and bring it inside at night? I’ve never had much success with indoor potted basil.
Finally, can I just keep letting the original plant bloom to attract the bees, and trim it back every so often, or will it need to be removed? Thanks so much, your site has given me some great ideas. I especially love the suggestion of freezing the basil in oil! Who knew?!?
Grow basil in water
I recently bought a live basil plant from a local health food store. The instructions on the plant said that all I had to do was to put the plant in a container with about a 1/2 inch water to keep my plant alive. Is this true? Can my plant survive without having to plant it in soil?
I’ve been watering it every other day as I noticed all the water has disappeared. I Live in the pacific northwest and we’re still experiencing a mild winter (40-50 degree weather.
Thank you!
Dried Basil
I’ve been growing Basil (Tulsi) for the last 2 years and it has grown extremely beautifully. However we have had a very cold and breezy winter last year and the plant got very little sun. It has lost all its leaves and now only the stem remains (which is woody in nature). I water the plant… stem just enough to keep the soil moist and have put it in a sunny spot outdoors. Do you suggest re-potting the plant? Or any other suggestion is welcome.
Thanks.
Basil hardiness
I hear temps below 50f are bad for basil. Will an occasional night in the 40s destroy basil? Or willl it be OK as long as the temp is above 50 most nights. Even in June, Boise gets occasional lows in the 40s even though daytime temps are often in the 90s.
Hello!
I started my basil late spring last year. It has survived thru the winter… well almost. I have one spicy globe and seven sweet basil in a long window pot. They are not looking so good. First off, they are not big and bushy like all the basil pics you see. They are one stem with about five sets of leaves each. The leaves are turning brown and wilting but the stems still look green and great. I’m thinking I should replant them each in their own pot? Should I? and what kind of fertilizer and soil should i use? This is the first plant I’ve ever grown and spring is right around the corner and I don’t want my basil to die after coming this far! Please help me!
I started growing basil indoors, they are almost two months now and have one set of full big leaves and signs of the second set starting to come thru but the stems seem too long…. weak and seem to be bending over from the weight of the leaves especially when i water them, they are in full sun all day on the kitchen window, watered regularly,(not over, well drainage) seem to be growing but cant figure out why the stems are small, weak and so long!!!! do got it??!!??? help..
Hi Betty
Your basil needs to go outside. Eventhough it get lots of sun indoors, it doesn’t compare to the sun outdoors. Wind is also a factor in producing a sturdy stem on the plant. Pinch the plant to a node so that it will get bushier and produce a stronger stem. Let the plant dry out a bit before watering.
thanks but cant go outside yet, on the west coast midapril so its still a bit chilly, we havent seen those 10+ days yet. when u say pinch to a node…explain… u mean pinch off the new leaves, i only have one full set (2) and then another set just coming thru or fairly small that would leave some plants with none…. 🙁
Brown stem on basil
I grew basil 2 times. All of their stems turns brown. And it started from the bottom. The first one now have all brown stems and it started to grow new leaves again. What does the brown stem mean? I’m pretty sure it’s not overwatering. I only water them when they seemed to be lack of water.
Water-soaked spots on basil
hi,
i’m trying to find out what’s ‘eating?’ the basil leaves……if it was mentioned earlier, i must have missed it and i’m still looking, but if someone has input, thanks
it’s potted in the kitchen with parsley (which is not affected) and the leaves are losing green…..
there is ‘leaf’ left but the spots are just see-through and very thin….
i can harvest most of the leaves but is there something to look or to do for the new growth?
My container basil plant does not look lush at all. It has grown tall and thin. The leaves are very small and the stalk is getting hard. I want it to look green, lush, and full. What do I do?
Freezing basil tip
Secret to freezing basil – rinse gently each leaf – dry thoroughly on paper towels with paper towels over the top to keep changing paper towels until totally dry – then wrap two leaves in a small piece of paper towel do with every two and place in plastice freezer bag put in freezer – your leaves will come out looking fresh
Hi there, each year I buy 3 basil plants and pot. I keep them indoors and they do wonderfully. Once the weather gets warm enough, I move them out to my deck. Within hours they turn almost transculent and crumble at the touch. My back deck is definitely full sun. I am not sure what is happening. When the plant is indoors, it is in front of double doors with windows flanking both sides of it, sort of a sunroom with a skylight above it. Could I be shocking it with too much sun and heat? is it a bad root system b/c I water from the top of the plant and it doesn’t show it until it gets out in the deck?
Hi -a few weeks ago I bought a basil bush (20 -30 stalks, of varying heights) at the supermarket and planted it in a trough on my balcony – it has grown remarkably well and tall. I noticed it would wilt if in direct sunlight for too long, so have been gradually exposing it (it must’ve been grown in the shade).
I have 2 questions:
1) I woke up this morning to find the 5 tallest stalks (now almost a foot) bent over in the same direction. It may have been the sudden drop in night temperatures. Do I just start bringing them inside at night and wait for them to reassert themselves?
2) 2 or 3 of the tall stalks have begun sending up little rows -will these become the dreaded flowers? and is it too late to pinch them off? I read that you said we should pinch them a few nodes down –when pinching, should I pinch below a node, or leave the node?
Thanks so much!!
oh and what does it mean if the very base (maybe a centimeter out of the soil) of some of the taller stalks looks a bit woody? is this normal? thanks so much!
Pale green basil
I’m so glad I found your site. I am not much of a green thumb, but I bought a basil plant and for the past couple of months have watched it go from a bright, beautiful green, to a pale and sad light green. I have it on my deck which gets full sun and I live in Tennessee so it’s HOT. After reading these, I think my problem is over-watering because I had it sitting in container that kept the drained water. I hope it can be saved! Also, can you recommend a type of fertilizer that could help?
Signed,
Clueless 🙂
I’ve been growning basil inside with a grow lamp. They have been doing well, but now have tiny bugs on them and everywhere around them. How does this happen? Where do these little obnoxious bugs come from? More important, how can I get rid of them?
Thank you.
What’s eating the basil
I have 3 healthy basil plants in my garden. Only problem is, something is eating it up, and I mean eaten. What can I do? Put Sevin around plant on ground and slug pellets, too, around plants and the basil is still getting eaten up. Please help! Thanks!
I have been growing a sweet basil plant. I live in South Florida and keep it inside some days because it seems to wilt in the summer humidity but also try to let it sit outdoors some days. Recently I brought home a mint and cilantro plant. Today I noticed there were spots on the leaves of both the basil and mint plants. The basil leaves have some white-brown spots that look dried out on the top and underneath there are more white spots with tiny black dots. The Mint has the same condition. I noticed a small winged bug in the soil today. I’m not sure what this is or how to treat it, especially if I want to use the plants for cooking. Should I toss them altogether and try again? If so, should I not buy them from supermarkets? Is there something I should be doing differently? Please let me know, I find your information quite helpful.
Wilting basil
I have basil plants I started in my window sill from seeds. It has been doing great and thriving. I recently replanted my plants (8 of them) since they were growing so closely together and some were not thriving as well due to taller plants taking up space. I replanted them apart, watered and fertilized them. They were fine except now, whenever they are in the sunlight all of the leaves wilt. After the sun goes down they seem to “un-wilt.” What gives?
Spiders on basil plant
Hello,
I bought a Genovese basil plant about 3 weeks ago, and it looked like it was doing fine. However, there is now a network of webs and a population of tiny little white white spiders using these webs as highways. I’m afraid of spiders, and have no idea what to do. Is there a safe method of getting rid of them? (i.e. one that won’t harm the plant or us since we like to use it in our cooking)
Much Thanks!
Bitter basil leaves
I have had my basil plant for over a year now. It has been outside in my garden and since I live outside of Phoenix, AZ the winter did not kill it last year. I was not sure if this was an herb you regrow every year or can maintain for as long as it lives (for consumption not just a pretty plant). The bottom stems are very woody and I did not know until 6 months ago to pinch off the flowers. Since then there are many more leaves. I haven’t used it much except for dry herb. At this point I am wondering if I need to just pull it and start fresh every year so I don’t get bitter leaves? Actually, since I haven’t had much time to cook I am not sure if it is any good. It is super fragrant when I pinch off the tops. We can smell it from 10-15 feet away.
I have been looking for information and so far the comments I read here have been helpful.
Puckered leaves
Hi.. I’m growing basil indoor under a florescent plant light. I’m running into a slight problem I think. some of the leaves are growing really funky. Generally some of the new leaves are growing funky. They are bubbly and wrinkly but still green. Something about it doesn’t seem right to me because the other leaves a very broad and open. Is this normal? One thing about the super wrinkled leaves is they smell very potent and a really green so I dunno what is really happening. Please if anyone has any ideas, suggestions or comments ect … please go let me know. Thanks.
Hi,
I’ve been growing sweet basil from seeds on my sunny windowsill (I know it’s late in the year!) Around the stem of some of the seedlings, there is a layer of white fuzz. I’ve looked closely and haven’t been able to find any bugs. The white fuzz is not on all of the growth. Is this something I need to be concerned about? Thanks for your help!
My basil plant started off great and thrived. Then I changed pots when it got to be time to give the roots more room and the new dirt I added was some recycled soil from an old plant that died of too little water. quickly after the change a strange white film began growing on the outside of the brand new pot… and now there is mold on the dead leaves and soil. There is no mold on the actual plant. There are several brown spots but I’m pretty sure they are just from a little lack of water… what do I do! New pot and soil?
Hello. I bought this plant at a young stage from home depot.I live in Florida. My basil plant is about 3 months old. It has now lost its bottom leaves & only has green on the top. One looked like it has a white pod inside so I quickly clipped the top off. The stems are woody & I guess my question is this… How long do these plants live? Should it last me a longer time than 3 months? I have 4 plants in a 8″ ceramic pot. If I cut down the wooden stems, would they grow back? Or should I try & seperate them or would it maybe kill these plants? It’s probably about 5-6″ tall. Now it’s just has a few leaves on top. What should I do? Thank you for your expert advise! This plant means a lot to me because it’s the first plant I have ever grown in a pot!!!
I am a new green thumb trying to succeed. 🙂 Thank you.
i need help with my basil plant ! i have grown the plant from seeds and i have taken very good care of it till now. I started noticing that the leaves are turning light yellow from bottom to top and few of them have dark brown spots on them. I do not see any insects or bugs on the leaves or the plant. What do i do ? i really dont want to loose my plant !
Can you eat your basil when there is powdery mildew on it?
Powdery mildew on basil
basil leave has white spots how it can be avoided and is it safe to eat such leave.Please advise which type of fertiliser to use.
Hello,
I bought a lettuce leaf basil plant in a small pot a week ago from Walmart. I’ve been watering it moderately (when the soil is dry). It is placed indoors beside my balcony for sunlight. I woke up today and saw the that the bottom side leafs have suddenly dropped/wilted. I felt the soil, it was completely dry even though I had just watered it the night before. There is also a small black spot on one stem, Here are my questions:
Has it been infected with a fungus? Fusarium wilt?
Is it safe to eat if it has been infected with Fursarium wilt?
Here’s a link to a photo of my plant for reference. You can see the wilt and small black spot on the middle stem.
http://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii498/dinajawad/2012-04-15132108.jpg
Thanks for your time,
Dina
Fungus gnats on basil plant
Hi,
I seem to be having an issue with tiny little basil flies. I believe my problem is too much water and I will be letting my plants dry a bit more between feedings from now on. However, I would like to know if I can eat the Basil I currently have as well as keep growing it. I did see one or two leaves that had turned brown but nothing other than that, everything else seemed healthy despite the little gnats. I read another post that you responded to and I was wondering if I could continue to use the basil I had by changing or drying out the soil or if I should just toss the basil plants all together. Please help!! Thanks.
Hi, I am impressed with your diligent replies to growers’ questions. I have three basil plants. One is doing fabulously, the other two are in smaller containers with geraniums and purple basil and want to bloom (now I know I need to cut them back- thanks). The problem is they have an odd smell that others on the internet have described as cat urine. I don’t notice this on my other basil plant. Do you know the cause?
Thanks
hi why is my penstemon king George v plant leaves turning brown at the tips of the leaf
My basil looks healthy but the underside has turned black with a powdery substance that washes off. I do not know if I should eat it even though I have washed all the black powdery stuff off. Please let me know.
Hello,
I live in arizona and have a basil plant growing in a large pot. It did wonderful on my apartment patio. I recently bought a house with a small back yard and brought my basil plant with me. After a couple weeks I noticed entire leaves missing. Whatever is eating it ate ALL the leaves off in a four day period. I didn’t see any chewed leaves, they just totally disappeared. Now all I have left are stems. The stems are starting to produce new leaves but I’m afraid they will soon get eaten. I’m not sure what’s eating the leaves or how to protect it. I’d love some suggestions!
Thank you,
Heather
Hi,
I have a small sweet basil that I bought at the grocery store a few months ago, and I seem to be having some problems with it. I keep it inside in my kitchen. At first, it had lots of big green leaves and was nice and full. Now it seems to be getting taller and spindly, with a lot fewer leaves, and some of the leaves have started dropping off. I thought it might not be getting enough sun as the days started getting shorter in winter, so I bought it a grow light and leave it on for most of the day. I water it fairly regularly, maybe 1-3 cups of water every week on average (for a 12 inch diameter pot) I think the drainage is good; the water seems to run down the inside of the pot quickly and collects in the little trough underneath it. I try to rewater when I notice that the little trough is dry.
Recently, I noticed that there seemed to be something happening to the leaves. They were turning brownish and wilty (crispy and dry, like dead leaves) from the tips down the outside edges, and some of them had holes in them or ragged edges. I noticed it most on the little tiny leaves at the very top of the stems’ they were almost entirely brown and crispy. I thought it might be insect-related, though I didn’t see any definitive evidence of insects on my plant. I started spraying the leaves every night with a mix of garlic oil, chili pepper and dish soap in water, but I can’t speak to the results of that, as it has only been happening for a few days. I notice that the leaves are still getting browned and crispy overnight, though. I check in the morning and there are browned tips and edges on some leaves. I’ve been taking those leaves off and throwing them away, but I am afraid of removing too many leaves and harming my plant.
So, to sum up: A new basil plant, maybe 3-4 months old, started out with good growth but is now losing leaves and getting spindly, well-lit and watered, but getting browned and crispy leaf tips and edges. what can I do about this?
Thanks for your help!