I sowed some basil seeds about a week ago and although the packet said to expect germination in 3 days or so, I have absolutely nothing!
Do I water frequently and keep the soil moist or does it prefer soil on the dry side? I have put this on a windowsill by a radiator so it is always relatively warm but the danger is that the soil tends to dry out more quickly than I can water it.
I got another packet of basil seeds from the Times and sowed that as well, and the packet said the germination would take 14-21 days!!! I forgot to water this a couple of times and the soil dried out... but still, no sign of any seedlings and it has been at least 14 days.... have I somehow screwed up here?
Nothing has failed to germinate for me before.... so basil is a little discouraging. ???
vw
I just buy a pot of growing basil from the supermarket and divide it into 3 to 5 clumps to plant out on my plot. This provides me with enough basil for the season 8).
Quote from: dandelion on July 02, 2007, 14:40:34
I just buy a pot of growing basil from the supermarket and divide it into 3 to 5 clumps to plant out on my plot. This provides me with enough basil for the season 8).
Me too! Isn't basil a bit of a faff to grow from seed?
Cheers,
Rob ;)
Is it a bit of a faff? No one ever told me... ;)
Ooops!
Those pots of basil I buy from the supermarket always struggle to stay alive beyond a month or two... I think the longest I ever kept mine was 4 months and then they all turned woody so I chucked it out.
Well it is turning out to be a pain alright... no sign of any seedlings yet.
vw
There are differnt types types of basil and some take longer than others, also they need heat!! Start them off in your airing cupboard and you should be OK XX Jeannine
Quote from: Jeannine on July 02, 2007, 14:58:50
There are differnt types types of basil and some take longer than others, also they need heat!! Start them off in your airing cupboard and you should be OK XX Jeannine
That's what I meant by faff! Haven't got a heated greenhouse, or a heated propagator, or even an airing cupboard... :(
Cheers,
Rob ;)
I used to grow a lot of different types of basil.
At this time of year I'd just use a seed tray with a plastic lid or enclose it in a plastic bag until the seeds germinate.
Probably no need to mention this, but don't plant the seeds too deep.
no idea what you are doing as i have had no probs with 4 diff varietie of basil... just sow and dont cover. keep moist on a v warm windowsill - should be up within 14 days! Then keep warm - the hotter the better.
are you sure they are not being hoovered up as soon as they've germinated ? I've seen mine germinate, but then a couple of days later the pot is clean - slugs and snails to to go bananas for them
As Barnie says, don't water. Soak, drain, sow, cover. Ours germinate fine in a cold 'house but prefer the kitchen.
It doesn't survive outdoors with us.
I'm on my second sowing of Lime and Dark Opal basil, first two trays came to nought.
Germinated them in the leccy propogator and now they're struggling along on the window sill. Still very tiny and I'm sure the more I check on them, the less they grow. The Sweet Genovese seemed to succumb to something and that's been trashed now as well.
I'm sure it shouldn't be this hard !
;D
I've planted them indoors in a pot so there shouldn't be slugs or snails. Don't have a garden anyway so thankfully my pest problems are mostly confined to aphids. ;D
I sowed them, not too deeply, and then watered and covered with a plastic lid. They are sitting by the radiator so they should get very warm at certain times of day. The soil dries out quickly though, it is that warm - not sure if the lack of water is going to affect germination?
I give it a good water once per day just to make sure the soil doesn't completely dry out. Still nothing...
I don't have a heated propagator or an airing cupboard. :(
vw
Don't know, but I do not believe that watering is a good thing. Wet it & leave it. It should stay moist for over a week if closely covered.
I keep the odd thing on a shelf beside the AGA & even at (oh, dear, only just checked the temperature - much too hot!!) 90F it's still OK.
I've had problems with Basil before but this time it was fine. I got some free seeds in a magazine (I think) and I just popped them in a pot in the greenhouse and left them to it. I watered them when I watered everything else in there.
I now have green and purple basil plants in the garden and they seem okay.
Maybe the shove them in and leave them approach worked as in the past I've tried to "baby" them a bit more! ;D
I would agree with tim - more likely to be too much water, I always just cover my seed with vermiculite but if you think the seed trays/pots are drying out even though you have a plastic lid on Try putting the whole thing in plastic bag until germinated. If the airing cupboard thingie works for some people how about trying excluding light? anythings worth a try. The shop bought pots have never worked for me the plants always go very leggy and don't appear to be as hardy as home grown. Keep trying I'm sure you will crack it!
I sowed realseeds' sweet bicolour basil, got excellent germination, they took about two weeks to show.
Sowed in modules, outside in the day and back in the mini greenhouse overnight. No special TLC, when it rained they got wet. ;D
All potted on now and going strong.