[cooperman]

Does anyone have any tips on growing Basil as my attempts (despite being adebt at growing most things quite successfully) have been woefully tragic..... hmmm

[arugula]

What have you been doing cooperman? As in pot or ground planted, position/situation etc..

I've grown Basil very successfully up here outside in pots but for the past couple of summers it has really struggled. I plant all my (annually sown) herb seeds straight in situ when it starts to feel warm enough in April. This year, I'm going to sow the Basil direct in the ground in the polytunnel as I think it has been suffering from lack of temperature these past couple of "summers".

You can't beat a freshly picked Basil leaf wrapped around a freshly picked Tomato for taste..... *drool*

[JayG]

I agree with Argyllie; in theory it should grow OK outdoors in summer but our recent summers have been so poor that it's much more reliable if grown under cover.

[Aidy]

I tend to grow it indoors, I use small pots and sprinkle the seed on top of the compost, put the pot in a bag and wait for it to germinate, once germinated take out of the bag and leave next to a nice sunny window, mine is in the bathroom, so we have a rule in our house, whoever goes to the toilet turns the pot round, once it is big enough for the kitchen it will go down stairs and I will start to use it, I will then start a new pot off and the whole thing starts over.

[mumofstig]

I start mine off ( did a few days ago) indoors and then either leave on window sill in kitchen, or move outside to greenhouse around the tomatoes.

I won't start the Thai basil for the pots on the patio until the beginning of may, but will still start them inside.

[seanandde]

I'm pretty rubbish at growing a lot of things from seed but last year was so successful with it, we gave loads away.  Just a cheap, bog-standard compost, overwet as is my tendency, sowed indoors, fairly thickly, into 6" pots which were left, almost forgotten in anticipation of another failure, on top of the fridge in our very bright, very warm lean-to.  Every single pot germinated within 4 days and grew like mad so we and the neighbours had Basil with everything that year

[Scribbler]

Instead of growing several small pots, I'm trying one big pot of basil this year. It's a shallow earthenware flowerpot about 12" across. It's in the unheated greenhouse and they're coming up as we speak. Planted the seeds on March 21st.

[Aidy]

I start mine off ( did a few days ago) indoors and then either leave on window sill in kitchen, or move outside to greenhouse around the tomatoes.

I won't start the Thai basil for the pots on the patio until the beginning of may, but will still start them inside.

Put some in last year next to the toms, damn slugs went mad on the stuff!

[slow_worm]

a few seeds in a small pot are best in a sunny position

[arugula]

Instead of growing several small pots, I'm trying one big pot of basil this year.

That's my normal MO.

[peapod]

Thats yet another thing I will try, I just CANT grow basil (wheres the crying smiley)

[fisher]

I tried putting some  basil seeds on teabags as advocated on here .. they were inside in the warm ..and they all came up and seem to have transferred ok

[peapod]

I didnt read that! Im definitely going to test that 

[shokkyy]

I hate keeping basil in the house too long, because they always end up infested with those annoying little black flies and then the leaves go all curly.

[cooperman]

thanks for all your wee tips - I shall keep up my endeavours.....

btw is it crucial for the seed to be fresh?