Greek Basil

[taxlady]

I bought a couple of small Greek basil plants last year. Lovely fragrance. I had two in a pot, along with some rosemary and brought those in last fall. Now, I expect rosemary to be a perennial and continue growing, but the Greek basil is still going strong. In fact, it has started flowering. Isn't basil an annual?

[Selkie]

Your plants look great! I see you have them potted. Are they the kind that would spread and overtake a garden area, or just stay in one place? It looks as though you have enough basil for a very large pot of spaghetti sauce plus a huge lasagna!! (hint, hint!)

I don't have a brown thumb, but I do have a plant-eating dog, (sigh) so I live vicariously through others when it comes to gardening.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by Selkie

Your plants look great! I see you have them potted. Are they the kind that would spread and overtake a garden area, or just stay in one place? It looks as though you have enough basil for a very large pot of spaghetti sauce plus a huge lasagna!! (hint, hint!)

I don't have a brown thumb, but I do have a plant-eating dog, (sigh) so I live vicariously through others when it comes to gardening.

I potted them for two reasons: 1) tiny yard (14'x16') and 2) I wanted to bring them in for the winter. The ones in the ground got bushy, but didn't spread.

It was a bit of an experiment because I have a plant eating cat. I smelled basil on his breath once when I first brought it in, but never since. Colour me surprised. My only other indoor plant is a fairly spiny aloe. I had to hang it near the ceiling

[Bolas De Fraile]

Good looking plants Tax, I grow it each year as they never survive the winter even in the greenhouse, I think it grows in coastal area's of Greece all year round so your success is probably due to the residual heat from your house a the size and sheltered aspect of your yard.

[Somebunny]

Taxlady, I think that if you let your basil flower, it will go to seed and get leggy. I would probably pinch off the buds.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by Bolas De Fraile

Good looking plants Tax, I grow it each year as they never survive the winter even in the greenhouse, I think it grows in coastal area's of Greece all year round so your success is probably due to the residual heat from your house a the size and sheltered aspect of your yard.

The ones in the photo, that survived the winter, spent the whole winter in my living room - plenty of heat. They are in front of a patio door, so they get a good amount of light. I tried with regular basil once and it didn't survive the winter indoors, so I was quite surprised this time.

[medtran49]

Originally Posted by Somebunny

Taxlady, I think that if you let your basil flower, it will go to seed and get leggy. I would probably pinch off the buds.

That's correct. I pinch the basil flowers off as soon as I see them.

You should see our rosemary plant, which is in the ground, it's huge! I think it's 3, maybe 4 years old.

Oregano and mint will spread and take over so you should always pot them. Even then the roots will grow out the bottom and try to take hold if you don't keep them under control.