Whats going on with my Basil?

[Lemonhead]

I was successfully growing Basil in a pot since January and it was a beautiful, big bushy plant with heaps of big leaves of Basil.

Now, it has grown to about 40cm high and has these weird seed cases on the tops of it and I have hardly any leaves! I had to scrimp and cut the tiny ones for our Cannelloni tonight :( I was so proud of my Basil too!!

Does anyone know whats wrong with it? Mum says its gone to seed or something and it will come back later on?

[Nowhere]

I was successfully growing Basil in a pot since January and it was a beautiful, big bushy plant with heaps of big leaves of Basil.

Now, it has grown to about 40cm high and has these weird seed cases on the tops of it and I have hardly any leaves! I had to scrimp and cut the tiny ones for our Cannelloni tonight :( I was so proud of my Basil too!!

Does anyone know whats wrong with it? Mum says its gone to seed or something and it will come back later on?


Its gone to flower you didnt use t quick enough lol, Cut all that of the tops and get back to the leafy bit.

Jamie oliver uses the flowery casey bits in salad but we just put it in the compost and stick to the leafy bit lol

[Lemonhead]

Its gone to flower you didnt use t quick enough lol, Cut all that of the tops and get back to the leafy bit.

Jamie oliver uses the flowery casey bits in salad but we just put it in the compost and stick to the leafy bit lol

Dammit!

If I cut off the tops and all the seeds then it will just be ths short plant made up of stems lol...is that normal? Will it come back once the seeds are gone?

[Guest1234]

It will come back once the seeds are gone. You gotta prune them when they start flowering otherwise this happens. Same with parsley. The plant uses all its energy and food to produce the flowers so the leaves die, but if you get rid of the flowers as they come up then the leaves wont die :)

[Lemonhead]

It will come back once the seeds are gone. You gotta prune them when they start flowering otherwise this happens. Same with parsley. The plant uses all its energy and food to produce the flowers so the leaves die, but if you get rid of the flowers as they come up then the leaves wont die :)

Ok cool thanks!

I will prune it tomorrow.

[Mrs Nietzsche]

What kind of basil is it? Yeah you haev to cut off the leaves before it goes to seed, but I think once it goes to seed you won't get very nice basil from it again. Might be worth just getting another.

[Lemonhead]

What kind of basil is it? Yeah you haev to cut off the leaves before it goes to seed, but I think once it goes to seed you won't get very nice basil from it again. Might be worth just getting another.

Thats what my mum just said. Oh well they are pretty cheap plants and I saved so much $$ by growing it!

[Mrs Nietzsche]

That was very interesting :yes:

[Mathermy]

Are you sure it's basil rebekah? Or is it "basil"?:detective::p

Not that I would condone any hybrid "basil" growing..just askin!

[Lemonhead]

Are you sure it's basil rebekah? Or is it "basil"?:detective::p

Not that I would condone any hybrid "basil" growing..just askin!

Its definitely basil, or I wouldnt be complaining about it going to flower :laughing:

[Mathermy]

Its definitely basil, or I wouldnt be complaining about it going to flower :laughing:

carry on then, always worth a check before you go baking any basil cookies to give to gran..:D

[Sadaussiemum]

Hahahaha damn it wasn't quick enough

[CookiesRYum]

if you cut it you won't get good basil again anyway.. missed the boat...

if you leave it to flower you can get the seeds out of it and replant them...

basil/parsley etc are all annuals; even when you keep them cut they have a life span of about a yr and need to be replanted...

[peanutbutter&jelly]

Yup, and it usually dies over through winter, coz it gets too cold. Same as parsley and coriander :( All of mine will die off, I'm about to start drying them so I'll get through winter!

[Bellini]

Mine has flowers too and I thought it was a good thing :laughing: I don't have very green thumbs, as you can tell :o

[ladybugblue84]

So when's the best time to plant basil?

[CookiesRYum]

So when's the best time to plant basil?

spring...

[ladybugblue84]

spring...

cheers, will wait until then :)