Growing Basil
Basil is where a lot of us start — and where a lot of us get our first heartbreak. It wilts, it yellows, it bolts, it gets nibbled, and you’re left wondering what you did wrong.
The good news: basil isn’t difficult once you understand what it’s actually asking for. I’ve killed plenty of it over the years, and everything on this page comes from working out — in my own pots — what keeps it alive and what makes it thrive.
Use this as your basil home base. Whether you’re starting your very first plant or trying to rescue one that’s struggling, there’s a guide below for it.
Start with the problem you’re facing right now
If your basil’s already in trouble, jump straight to the fix:
- It’s wilting, yellowing or just not thriving → Problems Growing Basil – Troubleshooting Guide
- Tiny black flies in the soil → How to avoid fungus gnats on your herb plants
- Greenfly / little bugs on the leaves → How to get rid of aphids in your herb garden
- White, powdery patches on the leaves → Powdery mildew treatment for plants and herbs
Learn to grow basil properly
If you’re starting fresh or want to understand the plant, begin here:
- How to Grow Basil – Information Guide — my full guide to what basil needs: light, water, soil and the mistakes I made so you don’t have to. The best place to start.
Get more basil — for free
One of the most satisfying things about basil is how easily it multiplies. You can turn one plant into many without spending a penny:
- Rooting Basil Cuttings: my complete guide — how I take a single basil plant and grow a whole new batch from cuttings.
- Splitting and Repotting a Supermarket Basil Plant — that sad, overcrowded £2 supermarket pot can become several strong plants. Here’s exactly how I do it.
Get the basics right
Most basil problems trace back to two things: soil and light. Sort these and half your troubles disappear:
- The best soil for herbs (and how to make your own mix) — basil hates sitting in soggy, poorly-draining soil. This is what I use.
- Growing herbs in winter, on a windowsill or under lights — keeping basil going when the light fades.
See it in action
Reading about basil is one thing — watching it happen makes it click. I film my own experiments and beginner guides so you can see exactly what I mean, step by step.
Subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss new basil experiments.
You’re not growing basil alone
If you get stuck, come and ask — we’ve got a friendly community of fellow growers who’ve made every basil mistake going and are happy to help.
Join the Amazing Herb Garden Facebook Community
And if there’s a basil question you can’t find answered here, leave a comment on any of the guides above — those questions often become my next article.
A quick note on gear (honest, as always)
A few inexpensive things make basil far easier: a free-draining potting mix, a pot with proper drainage holes, and — if you’re growing indoors through winter — a basic grow light. I only ever point to things I’ve actually used. See my full affiliate disclosure for how that works.