I bought a basil plant from a local save-on foods 3 weeks ago. I love basil (I actually want a Thai basil) and culinary herbs. The one I got is from "Kitchen Pick" they have a website (http://kitchenpick.com/FAQ.html). I am new to taking care of anything that lives on soil... One day after I first brought it home, they all started to droop. So I quickly watered it and they perked up again. It says to water every 3-4 days in the winter. Right now it's autumn, I think I've been watering every 2-3 days, when I notice the top of the soil is dry (I don't stick my finger in to feel if it is moist below though). I however have not been adding any fertilizer to my waterings... I'm down to maybe 9 little stems standing right now, I still had 11 a few days ago. I doubt they're getting enough sun here. It's placed by a west-facing window, and I don't always remember to open the blinds. It's about 21-22C in my kitchen where it's sitting. I suspect I may be overwatering. The ones that die, after they get a little droopy, are the ones that start to turn brown at the base of the stem first. Once I spot that, I know that one's not going to stay alive. You can see one of them like that in the pictures. Also, parts of the leaves keep turning brown/greyish and wilted looking. Oh and I've been watering it from the top. I just realized from reading from the site that it likes to take up water from the bottom *oops* :( What should I be doing in order keep them going? I'll be very happy if I can make them last through the winter (or even just the new year)...
First of all, I'd be repotting into a bigger pot with some fresh soil. After that, water from the bottom if possible (for indoor basils, it seems to help quite a bit), and keep it in a sunny location for as long as possible. If you think you're overwatering, you probably are - the plant will tell you when it's thirsty by starting to droop, and once you've observed that cycle for a while you'll have a better idea of when to water. Other than that, don't let it open any flowers and you'll be fine (just trim the flowers off as they form).
Basil is considered a 'long-day' plant meaning it requires about 14 - 18 hours of light per day (most herbs, veggies, and garden flowers are considered 'long-day') without which your basil will struggle. As you won't be getting that amount of daylight in Richmond at this time of year, you might want to consider a 'grow light' or full spectrum bulb to help prolong your basil life.
