When you move them into the garden, make sure the plants are hardened off. Taking a plant from indoors and sticking it into a garden site is quite a shock! First put the seedlings into dappled shade, protected from wind; after a couple of days move the seedlings to a sunnier spot with a little more wind exposure; after about a week of acclimating to wind/sun the plants should be able to withstand transplanting to your garden. Basil, especially sweet basil, is a wonderful herb that you will enjoy in many dishes. Try the Recipe forum for ideas on how to preserve and use your crop.

You've already potted it up so enjoy it as long you can. Maybe you can even take cuttings from it. But the plant will eventually become not very productive and not worth the effort. Plant the new starts or seeds come spring for best results. FataMorgana

Hi There`s a few things at work here, all fixable. Soil roots need time to convert to hydro. The roots shouldnt be completely submerged as they will suffocate. Emily`s garden incorporates capillary wicks to bring water/nutes up to the plant which is usually started off in some kind of medium (jiffy plug,,rockwool cube etc). The capillary wicks keep the medium moist until the roots can grow down into the water. The plant will have roots above and below the water line so it wont struggle to breathe. Transitioning plants from soil to hydro can take a week or more depending on the hydro method used. For example, the transition from soil to flood and drain is less stressful on the plant than soil to dwc.

Here is some information about an increasingly common disease of basil plants called basil downy mildew. Take a look and see if this looks anything like the problem you are having. http://awaytogarden.com/basil-pressure-fight-devastating-downy-mildew/