Hello, i know I haven't posted for a while, but i do keep popping in and eaves drop......
One of the plants I've grown from seeds this year are a bush basil, and the packet I'm sure came from a RR we had last autumn.
Does anyone remember putting something like this in? and maybe tell me more about this plant?
I've grown that and ordinary basil., but the common basil have all done horrendously, all sort of keeling over and dying, I have no idea why.But the bush basils are doing really well, so I might be using those instead.
It seems to taste ,like an ordinary basil, just the leaves are a lot smaller, and it looks as if it is going to become bushy (twiggy) when bigger. I just have no idea, and hoping someone can help me out here.
Bush basil from Round robin
Hi Sue. I don't really know anythng, but think this is a Greek herb, so perhaps it came from dpmichael or lixi?
Here's a link which describes some of the different types, but I'm not sure that that is helpful either. http://earthnotes.tripod.com/basil_h.htm
I found the old RR thread but can't see anyone putting the basil in,,,,,
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/595184/
Thanks Philomel for the reply, sorry it took me ages to get back to you...not been on the computer much lately as have been confined to bed........still, at least i'm not missing much in the way of weather this year.
I hadn't realised that there were so many different basils.
I have awful problems growing it, it gets so far, then just dies on me!!!...But this bush one, has tinly leaves, and I suspect is going to be shrubby as the stems seem to be stiffening up already,and so far has survived...so fingers crossed.
Sorry you've been ill Sue, I wondered where you had got to.
Your bush basil sounds quite interesting. Do the leaves have the same flavour as the more fleshy tender basil? I grew a supposedly perennial basil last year which smelt of basil but had much smaller coarser leaves and not as good a flavour. It turned out to be not perennial either - or it just died anyway.
I'm glad to see you back on DG Sue, sorry you've been unwell. Do hope you are better now and can enjoy the garden - and DG.
I've heard people say the bush basil is not quite as luscious as the sweet, but still has a good flavour and I think will last from year to year if kept frost free, forming a small shrub.
It smells strongly of basil, I've not used it myself yet in cooking, but the leaf I tasted seemed o.k.
I've got the remaining one on my windowsill, not taking any chances with this bloomin weather outside.......
Hi Sue, I've been very busy this year and not much gardening, not much DG-ing either...
I did put some basil seeds last year in he RR, they are from that bush you can see in the photo down the thread...
Enjoy !!!
Dimitri
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/637319/
Hi Dimitri,
that looks like it...thank you. I'm nurturing the one remaining plant on my windowsill, slugs got the others right down to the stalks!!! bloomin things, they eat more than i manage to grow at times...it feels sometimes like I'm growing stuff just to keep them well fed and fat!
And this is kept on a deck, right next to the pond that streaming with frogs and toads...
Hope mine'll grow that big, then I need never worry about trying to keep basil plants alive again.
Well, never rely on a single basil plant : if they they go wrong even fr a day, they never recover. Use the propagation I mention in that thread - that's how all Greek ladies keep plenty of basil on their window sills. And if you are short, let me know and I will send you some extra seed - it will germinate quickly if the temperature at night is above 24 - 25C, and during its life it will need plenty of water. the seeds are very reliable for germination next year and very aromatic as well. The leaves are superb in salads and sauces.
All the bbest
drop a d-mail now and then, it helps me escape from the routine.
Dimitri
I've just re-read the thread and taken all the info in.
Perhaps that where I was going wrong, for some unknown reason I've thought that basil liked it dry, and i thought i was killing it with too much water...maybe it wasn't enough water!
I was looking at my plant on the window sill yesterday and thought it looked stumpy, then when i asked my daughter, she said she's been using it, so I guess in a sense she's pruned it for me...I just need to convinve her now to let it grow a bit so's I can take the cuttings.