I've grown basil each year for several years and overall have been successful. I usually grow upwards of a dozen plants. Each year I lose a few plants: the plants wilt and then die. I read previous postings on this site and found the following:

"Bacterial wilt is caused by different bacteria including Verticilium and Fusarium. It's a common problem in soils of warm, humid areas such as Florida, Hawaii, & other Southern USA states. It has even recently made it as far as NC, thanks partly to global warming and spread of infected basil seeds."

Does this sound like my problem? I plant in a row, and only a few plants are affected at random places in the row. I put in 14 plants this year, and they have begun making good growth and are about 1 ft tall. One plant began showing signs of wilt about 5 days ago and it was dead yesterday.

I'd welcome any comments whether this sounds like bacterial wilt or if there are any other likely causes for the problem.

Thanks, Tom