My basil went from spindly to bushy in just 3 seasons on the balcony

I started balcony gardening back in 2019 with a single sad basil plant that barely grew past 4 inches tall. Now my balcony has 8 different veggie pots and the basil gets huge every summer (like two feet tall with leaves as big as my hand). The big change was when I finally started pruning it right and using a liquid seaweed feed every two weeks instead of just hoping for the best. Has anyone else noticed a huge difference just from changing one small thing in their routine?

3 comments

3 Comments

foster.dylan2d ago

my basil went from spindly to bushy in just 3 seasons" - sorry but that's not really how basil works, it's an annual so it doesn't really have "seasons" like that. It grows from seed or a tiny plant and dies after one summer unless you're bringing it inside for winter. I mean, maybe if you're in a super mild climate it could survive a couple seasons but usually it just completes its life cycle in one go. The liquid seaweed every two weeks though, that's a solid tip. I switched to a diluted fish emulsion last year and it made a huge difference compared to the basic miracle grow I was using before. Small routine changes really do matter more than people think with herbs.

the_mary2d ago

And that fish emulsion smell though, takes a minute to get used to. But yeah, way better results than the synthetic stuff for sure.

grant_ross272d ago

Four seasons in Wisconsin here. My basil never makes it past October no matter what I do. @foster.dylan must be living somewhere way warmer or bringing plants inside. I tried overwintering one once but it got leggy and sad by December. The fish emulsion thing is real though. I mix it half strength and my rosemary actually looks better than the basil now.