Help, basil massacre!

Please help, Save Our Basils!
I planted some basil a few weeks ago. It's sitting near the window now. It's been fine, green; I checked its leaves last night. I came home today and oh the horror! My poor basils have collapsed and wilted, leaves all soft. I thought at first that someone had squashed them by accident the devastation was so bad. I was just thinking yesterday that I'd replant them because they were filling the pot now, but they've fallen before I got the chance. They still are green but... what can cause basil to wilt so quickly, within a few hours?:cry:I've given them more water but can they fall so quickly if it was lack of water? Can a change in temperature do this? What causes quick basil wilting, and what can I do to save my poor basils?

 

At a guess I'd say they dried out and/or got cooked in the sun.
Potted basil doesn't last for long and the best thing to do with it is to re-sow every month in the summer or even better to take the easy way and buy a pot in the supermarket and split and plant out in greenhouse or sunny part of the garden and then renew from time to time.

 

Hi JW Universe and welcome to the forum.
I think I'm saying the same as Dave here - Basil is not an easy plant and is quite short lived.
All I can add is - always water from the bottom, it hates having the leaves wet.
And pick and use the leaves regularly, and replant / sow every few weeks to keep the supply going.
I've never found a way to plant a great big bunch that would last all summer.
Little and often is the way.

 

Alice and Daves respones could explain why I cant seem to grow Basil.
Thanks for the thread jw

 

My basils have risen like leafy green phoenixes! :gnthb: That water must have done the trick, some have begun to sprout extra leaves too. Let's hope I haven't overwatered them now. I'm so glad they've pepped up but now I'll have to keep an extra close eye on them, I feel like any time something could happen :skp:

Thank you for the advice! I'll be more careful when I water them too; I used to pour it on top of them but didn't realise they don't like wet leaves.

 

I'm growing Basil (and some other herbs) for the first time, so I'm keen for plenty of advice! My herbs were little ones from the garden centre. They are doing well in the house, but are ready to be planted out I think. When you say replant/sow every few weeks, do you mean sow new seeds and replant little stalks of Basil? Sorry if that sounds like a silly question, but I would like to keep the supply going as long as possible.

 

Thai Basil is an alternative to mediterranean basil. It will grow as a perennial and is slightly frost hardy. It has a stronger taste than mediterranaen basil, darker leaves and small purple flowers. We grow the cultivar Siam Queen.

 

I have seeds for the perannial basil they grow in Africe. greeny purple leaves. That one should overwinter if you bring it indoors although I failed to do so but I did save some seeds. I have seen it planted as bedding plants and it did really look good....although I'd be growing it for the leaves too. I could alwasy blitz the leaves into pesto and freeze it if I have to. Nice in a pasta dish.


I also have the Holy Basil seeds saved from my previous basil plant and have been tasked by my mother to get some plants going. As a Hindu, we always have a Holy Basil plant in the house and my Mum and I have been without a plant for a year now because of my laziness. Here is a bit of info. on Tulsi (holy basil)
http://hinduism.about.com/od/ayurveda/p/tulsi_holybasil.htm