Oh, what a sad, sad Basil! Much of your problem is the small pot it's in. The plant will be quite badly potbound, and that means that the roots are too squashed to be able to take up nutrients or water. The soil looks thoroughly dried out too, and when potting mix dries out just once, it become water-repellent, making any water you give it just run out the drainage holes without being of any benefit to the plant.

You can save your plant. Repot it into a much larger pot (at least twice the size), or preferably in the garden. Chop off about one-third of growth from the top, and remove most of the potting mix from the root ball. Immediately after transplanting, give it a good, deep watering. It would be a good idea if you put some mulch around the plant - but not so that it touches the stem. That will reduce evaporation and protect the sick roots from 'cooking'. The plant will look even sadder after its transplant operation, but it should come back in a week or two.

Basil can take as much heat and sun as you can throw at it, but as with all plants, it's the underground bits that must be healthy and to keep the plant alive.

At this point, don't fertilise it, and don't worry about any bugs. Bugs will always attack a sick and ailing plant. If you put the plant out in the garden, good bugs will soon get rid of the baddies.

Your links do not work for me. It appears that your overwatering. If its in a tiny pot, then it needs plenty. Never add Miracle grow to any herbs. It will give them chemical flavors. Mopts herbs do not need or like any fertilizers. Chop off any flower stems, as just mentuioned in the previous thread. Doesn't anyone do a SEARCH?? I just found well over 700 posts here just about basil alone.

Your basil has bolted and looks ready to retire. My limited potted basil experience has been to pinch the flower tips off to delay bolting.

To ksrogers: Had the OP relied only on the search function, I would have missed out on the seeing the provided photos. Being able to see photos and compare various growth patterns and stages of distress to my own garden has taught me alot. Suggesting someone should only use the search function takes away the opportunity for the rest of us to learn something new.

Thanks for the responses. I cut off the flowers and the top 2 layers of leaves, added some new soil and gave it a good watering. The results look promising after only 1 day. I will post another picture tomorrow.

You mean you actually counted the layers of leaves? Sheesh, I'm never that fussy! I just pick a likely spot, and CHOP! with the hedge-clippers. Off with its head!

Wants To Grow:

That might be, but if a post is made, and then a day later another exact same post is made, and then 2 days later another new and same post is made, and they all pertain to the same subject, then searches would be the best way to go for someone to find out about the answer to a question. before asking it. Lately, its almost like every other new post here is from someone asking the same questions over an over. Many newbees and such, can still easily find more answers to their question when a search is done. Example: I have an herb plant that has brown spots, what do I do?? Things like that, seem to be more annoying lately, when the posts have no other information, photos, or any other way to figure out what is needed. I share my experience and even though it may be limited, I still don't like to continually repeat myself over an over again. As mentioned in my defense from anoither long time poster here, most people want to be spoon fed personal and direct answers and dislike having to spend even a few extra moments to search for an answer. Keep in mind these are PUBLIC forums and we DO NOT GET ANY MONEY OR ANY OTHER PAYMENT, but will instead get aggreviated by someone who has not don't even the slightest bit of research.

If you walk by the front of your house and let all the trash sit there thats from the littering from cars that speeed by. I don't blame the cars, but the pigs who are in them that throw this garbage out in my space. A little harsh, but very true..! Some has to clean it all up, and they sure won't..

Here is a updated picture. You can see the new growth on the top. Thanks for all the help.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:899054}}

That's a promising improvement! Now, remove by hand all the dead and dying bits. Not only will the plant look better, but it reduces the possibility of attack from bugs and disease.

Keep the water up to it, but allow it to drain away freely. I still think it needs repotting.

Remove the wood chip mulch too. The curved, upside down 'bowl' shape of the leaves is an indication that they are being overwatered, or there is too much water being held in the soil. Otherwise the basil looks quite well.

Are you aware that you can cut off the top 4 inches or so of a leafy stem and root the cutting? Get as many plants as you want this way!

I have had basil stems break off, and when I shove them in soil nearby the main plant, they usually take root quite well.

You can chop off entire woody branches and they'll grow roots, too. In fact, this is the way I prefer to propagate basil.

My Sweet Basil plant...it's surprised the heck out of me growing as it has in the slightly small container.

That's a nice plant, but it's still very much a baby. It should grow several times that size by the time it reaches maturity. Not in a small pot, though! When it reaches optimum size and full maturity, you won't be able to give your plant a hug. Your arms won't reach around it.

If newbies didn't post and only browsed the search, the forum could get pretty quiet after awhile.

What exactly does that mean, schoolhouse?

tn veggie gardner - it means, if newbies are discouraged from posting, like me, the forum might slow down.

BUT, forget that! I went to your homepage - your a reggae fan?! I'm a big Ska fan - yeah different - but not so much!
Hepcat is my all time favorite, I'm a little too old for third wave ska, but I appreciate it's energy. See ya'!

When basil leavs curl down and look like upside down 'bowls', it means they are being overwatered a little. This also shows on on tomatoes that are over watered. Not sure of the type and size of your basil in the photo, but if its big, it will quickly out orow the small pot its in.

schoolhouse: I am a big reggae fan, but also love Ska almost as much. =) Check out Augustus Pablo if you have not already. He is the King of Melodica! He is one of my top favorites; probably someone you'd like also if you love Ska. Peace - Steve

ksrogers: My Basil is sweet basil. The plant you see above is about 18-20 inches tall & has already been harvested 3 times. I have plans (tomatoes & pickling cucumbers) for the large pots I have left & not too much of a need for Basil, so whatever I get off this plant will be well enough. =) If its growth starts to sunt a bit & fade off, then i'll just probably harvest all the remaining good leaves, leave the stems for a bit to see if they grow more & if not, then chop them up for some food to sprinkle on my other plants. I've heard how large Basil gets, so I expect it to outgrow the pot within the next 2 or 3 weeks.

A basil I grew had open had sized leaves. I don't grow it in pots as some get way too big and the pots usually tip over. If I have a lot left, I cut off all the leaves and dry it in a dehydrator. Its stored in a quart canning jar, under vacuum like my dill weed.

Yea...mine keeps looking like it's going to tip over & that's why I keep harvesting it...lol

Get it in a bigger pot!

Maybe ;) All my current pots are reserved for my tomato seedlings I'll be transplanting later today after I get off work.

Hi,
I'm down here in 9A, Tampa. If this is the large leaf basil or genevese type. When they say full sun, I have found they are only talking to people more northern than us. My SIL up near Atlanta is experiencing the same wilt. I did also. So I repotted, clipped off any wilty leaves and browning branches. If one of the plants in the pot is the culprit, I isolated it and moved them to a spot where they got morning(eastern) Sun. and shade in the afternoon.
I have 3 large leaf, 1 genovese, 5 thai, 5 boxwood, 4 spicy globe(the boxwood and spicy globe love our total sun all day). But
thai
large leaf
genovese
african blue
dark opal
lettuce leaf

All of these that I'm gowing DO NOT WANT OUR SOUTHERN SUN ALL DAY.

Erika

mine is a new plant, 2 weeks old, and I've started noticing small irregular holes in the middle of the leaves as well. I'll try some of the suggestions here and let you know if I have any success.
Good Gardening to All