Wot, no basil!

Chapelhead

Local garden centres generally have a selection of herb plants for sale - typically the usual suspects, some slightly more unusual types, and more types of mint than you can shake a trowel at, but rarely basil. Is there some reason why basil plants don't appear on the garden centre shelves? I know they are easy enough to grow from seed (as are many other herbs), I'm just puzzled by this absence. Why doesn't Lord Basil appear alongside his herbidacious cousins?

Dave Morgan

Probably for the reason that it is so easy to grow from seed.

nutcutlet

It's a rather feeble annual, you have to be hard to live in a GC.

I get mine from the supermarket

B3

Greek basil from the supermarket makes a lovely ball-shaped boxy looking plant if you pot it up. Unfortunately if you eat too much, it spoils the shape 

I've had some success and some failures with parsley but chives always work.

They are cheaper than GC plants for the size

Green Magpie

I buy potted basil from the supermarket and pot it on into a larger pot with extra compost, teasing out the plants a bit and removing any straggly bits. It thrives and lasts for weeks or even months. Then in spring (any day now I will start) I grow a pot of Greek basil from seed, which lasts most of  the season. I've never had much success with it outdoors.

Elusive

Working in a garden centre I find basil rots very easily outside,

 

They dont like any combination of wet and cold weather unfortunately.

Dovefromabove

I usually see plenty of pots of basil seedlings in our local garden centre, but much later on, when they're also selling the tender bedding plants - not now - far too early.

chicky

We grew greek basil from seed last year - those little leaves pack an amazing punch of flavour.  Must remember to do it again this year

Dovefromabove

I like greek basil too Chicky - and it seems more able to cope with our climate