Basil tips

Any wise tips and advice for growing basil please?
Bunny loves, it but it never seems to sprout when I try to grow it for him

Thanks

 

There are a few different types of Basil.
The ones you often come across are fairly tender and need greenhouse growing, but there are others which are more suited to outdoor growing in the UK.
Might be worth looking into it.

 

Basil is very much an indoors plant. It can go outdoors in the summer but doesn't really benefit from it.

Get cheap seeds, sow a lot in seed trays or pots indoors in sandy, gritty compost, keep warm and grow on in bright light. Germination is erratic, with some sowings you get 200% germination rate (perhaps a slight overstatement but that's how it feels when every horizontal surface is covered with basil seedlings) and sometimes absolutely nothing happens.

With a big bag of cheap seeds you can keep trying in various positions around the house, something will certainly catch and get romping on. Heat and light are the important factors.

Premierseeds direct has some very cheap options.

(Another bunny and other small pet treat is dandelion, easy to grow in pots and a lush treat when pulled out whole and dried with root and all. )

 

ALWAYS water your basil from the bottom, never let it stand in water overnight. If you can get at least one strong plant going, propagate from cuttings. Roots easily in water but do not submerge leaves. Watch out for greenfly, like Bunny , they seek it out!

 

My basil gets sown and lives in the greenhouse, currently getting going, "ALWAYS" gets watered from the top along with most other things and I always have masses.
Everybody has to find what works for them.

 

British Basil Plants for Sale, UK Grown Herbs | Ashridge Nurseries

I think it's definitely worth sorting out getting seeds of the slightly hardier types, especially if it's for rabbit food.

I grew it outside one year on the allotment.

 

Thank you all.
The germination timescale is very unpredictable, I did a whole packet at the same time about 4 weeks ago, 4 popped up quickly and 1 had just popped up!
They are very leggy seedlings though. I've had them indoors.
I'll try some more with a bag over to create a "greenhouse", see if it makes any difference!