I don't have a greenhouse, but I would like to try growing the herb basil.
Has anyone has any success with it in the West Country?
Peter
I'm not in the West Country Pete, but Basil grows very well outdoors here in the West Midlands. I grew 'Christmas' last year as an edging plant and it was lovely. I kept some in the greenhouse and planted all the spares outdoors.
Which variety are you planning to grow?
I haven't got that far yet. I guess whatever's available in the garden centre.
Can you recommend a variety.
Peter
There are so many different varieties it's a bit difficult to say. I will be growing Christmas again, and I've just found some seeds of Fine Aromatico Greco in my seed box so I'll try those. If you would like some, pm me your address. There are loads in the packet. :)
http://www.galassisementi.com/EN/prodotto.asp?id_p=1207
Protect them against slugs!
. . . you could always grow them on sunny windowsill.
Mine - sweet genovese, Are coming along nicely & have second 'true' leaves
Debs
Try to shelter it a bit if you can, they don't like being blown around and they don't like being rained on (for all that they'll drink water up from the roots at a rate of knots). I always grow mine indoors but i have always had a decent sized GH so can spare the space... Easiest way to store for later use is to chop a load down, blitz it up with a little bit of water and freeze in ice-cubes....
Be late in planting out ... they do not like any untoward weather.
Mid-June is quite early enough. Once they get going they are quite productive.
Quote from: BAK on April 01, 2012, 19:05:25
Be late in planting out ... they do not like any untoward weather.
Mid-June is quite early enough. Once they get going they are quite productive.
maybe that is where I have always gone wrong! I have some going on the windowsill but I have just sown a little pot that I wanted to try transferring outside this year. I will try late May, for our weather.
I read an article in gardening mag about an Italian chap's plot in London - it was absolutely gorgeous and he had huge basil plants which seemed to be thriving outside. Also had enviable tomato crop growing under simple homemade roof of polythene on posts, said it kept worst of the blight off. Wish he was on my allotment so I could learn from him.
I never ever have any luck with Basil but this year is going to be the year!!
I have a small polytunnel and I think it will do well in there - it certainly doesnt like being outside (maybe I put them out too early)
I really want to get some Thai Basil going as that is such a nice flavour - can I treat the same as "normal" basil??
Only grown Thai basil once but it way magnificent - treated the same as Sweet Genovese etc - grown in greenhouse.
The accepted method round here is to get the biggest terracotta pot yuou can (we all use 12" or bigger), fill with a 50:50 mix of sharp sand and MP compost with an added skinny handful of BFB, stand it in an otherwise empty gravel tray, then every day (morning preferably, water the top of the [pot until it starts to appear at the bottom, then fill up the saucer, my routine is to do the top watering first thing I do when I get into the GH then top up the gravel tray last thing.... saves overwatering and letting it go to waste...
I am not sure it likes wind very much.
read somewhere that when growing outdoors plant them in groups of three, plan to try this myself this year as i have had patchy results in the past
We grow them in small pots, a few at a time. They get planted between the tomatoes inside :)
The standard varieties do make pretty huge roots and plants (about 3ft high) if planted in the soil. I've also grown in buckets but do get a bit sad towards the end of the summer. So if you have space then bosh 'em in the soild whne you think they'll be able to withstand the temps and the odd slug.
Alex133, I saw that allotmenteer and his tomato house, so we replicated it on our plot and we will be the only plot on site with no blight when everyone elses toms are long gone. It doesn't stop it altogether, but it keeps it at bay until way into September, if it strikes at all.
I grew Basil outside last year and it struggled - we are in Essex. This year I have a couple of mobile cold frames which I am going to place over the basil plants to keep them more toasty.