Hi There I have tried to grow basil in two different locations and, both times it has slowly turned black starting at the stem and moving up to the leaves. I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong. My current basil plant is in a partly shady location. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
I've asked for some advice from a few seasoned gardeners and came up with this: The most likely reason that this is occurring to your basil is temperature. Basil is a plant that loves sun and heat - the more, the better. It doesn't respond very well to temperature changes - for example, a basil plant grown in ideal conditions in a greenhouse transferred to an outdoor patio garden will probably exhibit the characteristics that you've detailed. Apparently, there are some people in the Vancouver area who cover their basil plants every night, even during the summer, to protect them from the cold. On an interesting related side note, if you purchase cut basil at the grocery or cut your own, the best way to store it is by putting the stems in a glass of water and leaving it out on the counter. The basil will last 10-14 days that way, as opposed to the 2-3 days in the fridge.
Is it a stiff black, as if it's dried out, and is it getting enough water? Sometimes if basil dries out it will turn black. Or is it a soft and rotty black, in which case it may be too damp... Or it could be something entirely different.
