Sweet Basil

I am trying to grow some sweet basil indoors, would potting this up in a bigger pot be a good idea? It is growing good, finally and I want it to grow bigger. Would putting in abigger pot do the trick?

Is that a standard 4" pot? Common in most nurseries with annual and perennial plants?

If so, Sweet Basil can grow large enough to be better off in a larger pot, up to a common 6" pot, often used for house plants.

Is your plant inside a paper planter? That is even smaller than the 4" pot.

I've grown it in the 6" pot and it was very successful.

It is in the pot that the seeds came in, it is a 3 in. pot. The pot was what the seeds came with as a kit. They also had tomatoes too.There are no drainage holes in this pot and I have some larger ones that my hubby got me when they went down in price. So here goes nothing. Will post pics on progress. Thanks for the advice. You are right Diana, it is in a paper container.

Sweet basil is pretty adaptable. At this time of year I would put it in the sunniest window you have, as long as it is not a cold area (winter cold can be pretty bad right next to a window) or add a grow light. Ultimately, I would try it in at least a 6" pot. A clay pot works well, but any sort is just fine, then are not picky.

This is the pot I chose to put the basil in, I hope it will straighten up in this pot, it was the smallest I could find with drainage holes in it. I watered it some, don't want to overwater it. So will post more pics when it grows more.

Should do well in that pot. Does it have enough light?

It has a small bulb in a lamp and a two foot long grow light that my hubby got me for Christmas. Thanks Diana.

Wonderful!

So you think it will straighten up?

It will reach for light

emptyeyes, perhaps a stake might help the basil grow a straighter stem. I often stake young plants then remove the stake when the plant is strong enough to stand on its own.

Nancy G.

I thought about that, and I have it tied to a pencil right now. I hope it continues to grow, I have tried several seeds and I am glad it has finally started to grow.

Pinch the tiniest little pair of leaves.
It will branch out more from lower down and become more bushy.

I usually winter sow sweet basil and then plan them in my vegetable garden bed and let one plant go to seed so I have more plants every year. Never tried one as a house plant.

If you wants lots of leaves to harvest you should prune it by cutting the main stem, it will branch out to the sides and grow more bushy.

This message was edited Feb 24, 2015 11:19 AM