In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
In article ,
Kay wrote:
In article , missdipsy missdipsy.1
writes

I'm afraid to say that your average supermarket pot of herbs doesn't
tend to last for a very long time - they are designed to be used within
a few weeks of purchase, although with care and attention they can last
a lot longer (I can usually get a large healthy looking basil to last
several months on the kitchen windowledge - the trick is to pinch out
the new top growth for cooking use, which encourages it to bush out,
and water frequently).

They will flourish if you divide them into about 4 separate clumps and
pot up separately. IME this is a more expensive but lot simpler way of
getting a few pots of basil than trying to grow the same from seed. The
seed germinate fine, but missing a critical watering when tiny can kill
the lot.

I disagree that it is a lot simpler. I don't find that basil is
particularly sensitive to being forgotten.

Maybe I'm just better at forgetting than you ;-)

It is, however, a magnet for greenfly.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"