Basil Growing Tips

[edgeyveggie]

http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/t...siblebasil.asp

Some basic basil growing information I just looked over to help aid me with my basil plant, thought it might be useful to some people.

Growing Basil
Folklore holds that you have to curse the ground as you sow basil for it to grow well, but you can forego the cussing and still grow basil successfully. Its main requirements are sun and heat. Start basil seed indoors six weeks before the last frost date and don't transplant or set out until the ground is thoroughly warm. Basil won't tolerate cold! Pinch off the growing tips to make the plants bushier and remove all flower spikes to prolong your harvest.
Growing your own basil gives you a wonderful opportunity to experiment with different flavors. Many people insist that Genovese basil, an Italian strain which has dark green leaves up to 2 inches long, is the type you must use for superior pesto; others favor Greek basils, such as 'Spicy Globe' and 'Green Bouquet'. For a different flavor, you might want to try lemon, cinnamon or licorice basil. All are cultivars of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum), an annual with fragrant leaves which grows up to 2 feet tall.

and from About.com ...

Growing Indoors: You can grow basil indoor, from seed, seedling or cuttings from your vegetable garden plants. Provide direct sunlight and warmth and feed monthly. An underfed basil plant, indoors or out, will have pale green leaves.

That's what I had

[lukalovescats]

Thanks for the tips! I have a ton of basil growing on my patio (yummy pesto) and it just started growing flower spikes. Now I know to cut those off. Had no idea it grew flowers.

[edgeyveggie]

Do you have any pictures of your plants? I'd love to see them in comparison to mine...
I'm not sure how to get them all healthy looking because even feeding seems not to work, I'm attemping to cut them/trip them now.

[lukalovescats]

I'm working on getting some up. We'll see how they turn out. Raining right now. Good thing. My poor grass out front hasn't been happy and feel so guilty watering it. We were in a drought all last year and they lifted the water restrictions in April.

[lukalovescats]

Hope this works....

[lukalovescats]

Any suggestions on how to get rid of the guys. They are attacking my Japanese maple as well and trying to reproduce in the process.

[Kitteh]

My basil died, the only stuff I have left is parsely and kale

[ColoradoMama]

lukalovescats - your basil looks great!

[Grain Damaged]

I just started my basil today! (No pics to speak of yet unless anyone's interested in looking at dirt - heh) I've had problems with disease over pests in the past. Hopefully with the new garden location that won't be an issue. Fingers crossed for the delicate annual.
PS: Growing two kinds, Aroma Basil and Sweet Basil this year.

[theonejax]

My basil never gets very tall, but that's probably a limitation of the pot size - not the plant.
It helps if the fertilized water is the same temperature as you would give a baby it's bottle.
Luka - if you've got beatles (I realise it's a bit late, but it's a handy bit of info), try misting the plants with a cinnamon "tea" - most pests hate cinnamon.