I'm probably just lucky, but I've never had a problem with basil. I start the seed off in small pots, thinly sown, then when the plants are about 3" or so tall, I just knock them out of the pots and plant as they are, in clumps, along the borders of the greenhouse in front of the tomato plants. They almost make a mini hedge and keep going right until the first really cold weather. I tend to use the Genovese type, but have grown lemon basil and the giant Bolloso, and they all seem to do well.
Having said this, I can't grow a decent swede to save my life! Well, I managed two this season, but the rest were rubbish.