Growing Basil in Florida?!

last year

Hi, everyone!

OK, so it seems that there are no posts here in this Herbs section yet, so... *first!!!* :D

I have had a long, arduous battle with growing basil here in central Florida. Most common scenario is it stops growing shortly after I put it in the ground (full sun! happy, moist soil! or even happy, dry soil!). It looks lovely at first, but after a week or so, it starts looking all forlorn and then dies. I've never overwatered, or underwatered, sometimes fed with plant food. Same thing every time.

Absolutely no clue what I am doing wrong. Sometimes, some nurseries are better than others, as my basil bought from Publix seems to have a much longer life and vigorous growth than the Bonnie basil I pick up from Home Depot (I've been trying to convince my mom that something is quite wrong with Home Depot basil--or is that just me??).

So, you central Floridians out there--any suggestions or stories from you would be greatly appreciated! <3

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
if full sun is too much.. based on your failures.. then try in full bright shade.. especially during the heat of the day .. basic hosts info i would give to anyone north of FL ..lol ..

and im surprised art your description of the soil .... i thought native soil was sand ... how did yours become so amended??

ken
Miss Hibiss thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
kevin9408
last year
Basil is a tropical and sub tropical plant and commercial growing in Florida. I've seen pictures of basil growing at Stephen's produce in palm bay county set out in the field under full sun and they looked good. But the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, university of Florida states It prefers sun (with a bit of afternoon shade to protect it from the heat) and moist, but well-drained soil, OK, but actual growers in Florida (with about 500 acres in production) contradict what the university of Florida suggests and don't see them shading 500 acres.

What I did notice in basil field pictures in Florida was raised beds which does supports the university about well-drained soil. Another thing about basil is they don't tolerate drought well, so raised beds kept well moistened with irrigation dippers would offer you the best chance of success growing basil. A sun screen of say 50% in the hot afternoon would be optional but I personally don't think it's the problem. You can get a simple dipper kit from home depot for less than $10.

A plant that is over watered will look similar to a plant that is under watered, and you don't want either one.
Related Discussions
can I grow basil outdoors where mint is growing??
Q
Comments (3)
Unlike mint, Basil grows best in full sun. Why dont you find a sunny spot for it? Probably getting plant would be more suitable for you. Plant them about a foot apart and try planting basil seeds between them. This way your childeren will see how a plant grows from seed. With your basil, let it grow about10 inches then cut from top of each branch roughly 3-4 inches, just about a quarter of inch above where two leaves are accross each other. In a few days two branche will grow above each of those leaves. Again, let those branches grow about 10 inches and repeat the process. Given you have a good growing condition, your basil will have many branches. You dont just pick the leave off of basil. If the seeds that you planted germinate, you have to thin them. lets say only have one or two of them between your previously planted basils. The seed package should give you some guideline. But try to find a sunny spot. Probably cilantro grow better where you have described. I see you are in zone 5. Probably you will have to wait til the end of May?? or after mothers day??to plant basil. You have to know when in your area the danger of frost is over. Basil will not grow if it is cold and a light freez can kill it. But you can plant cilantro , both plant and seeds in your garden, RIGHT NOW, TOMORROW.
...See More
Can I grow Thai basil and Sweet basil together?
Q
Comments (4)
Cross pollination only affects seed; the original plants will not change. Since we usually eat the leaves of basil, it will have no effect from cross pollination. However, basil is so pungent that there might be some flavor exchange if you serve them together.
...See More
Growing tomato and basil together.
Q
Comments (15)
I'm still fairly new to gardening, but I have, so far always planted basil next to tomatoes. For tomatoes, I only plant Brandywines. Personally, I think they are the best beefsteak tomatoes and I actually live in the Brandywine area of PA, so it seems kinda sacrilegious not to, but I digress. I plant basil and tomatoes in a 2 to 3 ratio. That means a lot of basil, yes, but my pesto is a favorite of my family and friends so I make it a lot. The tomatoes do shield the basil a bit, but not overly. Brandywines are, like all beefsteaks, indeterminate, so they don't have the sprawling shoots and wide shade cover of your bush tomatoes -- and I'm very anal about pinching off suckers as soon as I see them. So, my tomatoes are tall any aery and my basils get plenty of light. Basil generally likes roughly the same watering as tomatoes, if a bit drier. Tomatoes are more temperamental about dry spells due to the blossom end rot, so I try to keep the soil nice and moist. I've never noticed my basil getting too wet. Even if, on average, the soil may be wetter than basil would ideally prefer (which I'm not saying is the case), the tomatoes are thirsty enough that over-watering is not a big problem, especially since my beds are raised and have decent drainage. I have yet to notice any significant insect problems on my tomatoes. Although I don't know it for a fact, basil could help. Basil, being a mint, is very pungent and if evolutionary biology has taught as anything it is that plants have strong smells for one of two reasons -- to attract animals (for fertilization) or repel them. In basil's case, regarding insects, I suspect the latter. Unfortunately for my tomatoes, while the basil doesn't seem to get eaten by vermin, they don't seem to keep the vermin away from my tomatoes, either. This year, I'm putting in a bit better barrier protection and planting lots of garlic and onion in my spacer rows. Might help, probably cannot hurt.
...See More
Basil sales in florida
Q
Comments (2)
Hi rhizo,. I've done a lot of the research and have prices from other areas of the U.S. but no good data on Tampa. We"ve got our sample packs and about 75 basil plants and 75 assorted mints and you are right - I hate cold calling too but at dinner last week, we asked our waiter and he said the chef is buying from South America and would for sure be interested if our prices are in line so we are hopeful. We had to get the hydroponic setup figured out etc but are ready to ramp up pretty quick. We can supply about 5 -10 lbs a week right now so want to start slow with a couple of customers and we can take new plants from seed to harvest in about 3 weeks or so. You are correct We are not certified but grow organic. Certification is on our "to do" list when we get the money. It's really expensive from what I've seen. Our land has been vacant for 20 years so it Shoukdnt be a problem. I"m finishing the price list cards to give them with samples and we plan on hitting the pavement this week so we can use the luck. LOL. Thanks for your input,. Appreciate it.
...See More
Miss Hibiss
Original Author
last year
@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5, thank you for replying! Florida native soil IS very sandy. When I said dry soil, I meant I keep the soil very dry because I've read a lot that basil does not like excess water, especially standing water (which is why many of my basils got grim-reaper'd by the torrential rains of FL summer). I also tried keeping soil moist by misting it a lot, or watering it frequently. Also--I tend to mix native soil with potting soil, or use potting soil alone. I wonder which would be better now? (Also, what do you mean by 'amended'?)

@kevin9408, I completely forgot about looking at UF IFAS when it comes to basil! That is now my reference for citrus growing. You're right, though-- I've never seen basil put in shady spots in nurseries or garden centers, so hmmm. Thank you for your suggestions, too!

Maybe I WAS underwatering. Now that it seems the 32* nights are behind us, I think I'm going to try basil again. I'll keep you guys posted on if it starts getting all depressed-looking again.

Growing Basil in Florida?!

Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

kevin9408

Related Discussions

Miss Hibiss
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Growing Basil in Florida?!

Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

kevin9408

Related Discussions

Miss HibissOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Miss Hibiss
Original Author