growing basil from seed

[richardedwards]

Morning all...

Two VERY simple question for you on this miserable Saturday...

I planted three basil seeds in each of five small pots. They have now all germinated and are about 2" tall.

- Do i need to "thin out" the seedlings, ie: leave just the best one in each pot?
- At what point do transplant them into larger pots?

Thank you very much

Richard

[paulsherwin]

Three seeds per pot is quite a small quantity if you plan to keep them on a kitchen windowsill, as you won't be allowing them to grow into large plants. For greenhouse or outside planting I'd say it's about right.

Repot when the roots are starting to come out of the holes in the bottom. Basil isn't difficult to grow in pots and is tolerant of quite a bit of abuse (even I manage to grow it ) It's less easy to grow in the open though.

Paul

[richardedwards]

thanks very much - sorry for the late reply!

richard

[judimac]

I would just pinch out each seedling above the third pair of leaves to ensure good bushy plants.

[tigerella]

Hi,
I love basil and sow a mix of red and green leaved every two or three weeks. I grow a cluster of about fifteen or so seedlings in quite small pots. When they grow they look really good and regular picking keeps them bushy.

[judimac]

I have 3 different sorts this year. (all in the GH) The ordinary one with big leaves. Mrs Burn's lemon and Siam Queen. Both with small leaves at the mo but they look quite big in the photos. All distinctly different in smell. Time to sow some more I think!

[Canucksintheuk]

mmmmmm one of the herbs I cannot be without having fresh at hand in the kitchen! At the moment, I have six pots of it growing on one of the window sills in the kitchen - all at varying stages. I tend to sow seeds about once a month for the sill, but I do still end up having to buy the odd plant at the store.

[paulsherwin]

In my experience potted basil plants can be harvested for several months before they become too spindlly and woody. It does no harm to keep a new pot on the go of course, and the seeds are cheap enough

Paul

[judimac]

The Mrs Burn's lemon is just wonderful, true coriander taste but with a great lemon after taste!

[Plantmaster4000]

Is that a specific type of basil? as I'm in the US.