How do you care for mint and basil?

Maybe not water them everyday. I had Basil but it was kept outside and I covered it for a little while, until it grew.

@Dibley when you say cover it what do you mean?

I just put some clingfilm over it with a few holes in it, just to help it grow. Once it had grown I removed it. I have never kept them indoors though. I’m not saying you can’t, just that I haven’t. I do love Basil though.

Mint, I don’t care for.

Basil, I do..

We put them outside in a big pot and that worked great.

(When you put mint in your garden, please don’t put it in the ground directly, since you will have your whole garden full with it. Put it in a pot before you put it in the ground… it proliferates through its root system.)

@whitenoise That’s true about the mint.

They both need a lot of sun and let the soil start to get dry before you water again. Is the pot big enough?
Also, do not plant the mint outside unless you want a lot of mint and don’t care if it spreads all over.

This is probably done by certain parasitic creature(molt,bacteria,virus,etc) in plants.
Spray your plants with 70% salt(NaCl) solution will help you to eliminate this problem.
To cure/encourage its development you can add some organic compos/fertilizer.

@whitenoise I did plant my mint outside in a pot. It escaped!
You must be careful it can’t get a root out a hole in the bottom, or even out the top of the pot.

i need to have them inside as i live in an apartment, perhaps they are too hot inside from radiators?

Yes maybe. Do you have a cooler room where you can keep them?

@wilma
“Hours ago… Minutes ago…. These mints were behind barbed wire”

Growing basil indoors can be a challenge but it is not as impossible as it may seem. The most important concern you have with planting the basil is what to plant it in. Ideally you should use herb planters that can be found in any garden store, but strawberry pots, and cells are also popular options. The proper soil is very imperative to producing a healthy plant. You need well-drained soil that is very nutrient rich. The pH of the soil should be at least 6.0 and below 7.5. Checking the pH every 4–6 weeks and maintaining the pH with an organic fertilizer will keep it at this level. Normally basil isn’t a fussy plant in regards to the soil composition but container growing needs a little more looking after.

Watering the plant is something you want to pay close attention to. It should be soggy, but not drenched. Any leftover water should be drained immediately through the bottom, so make sure your pot has a hole or saucer underneath the pot. Placing the plant in a south-facing window will give it the sun it needs if you do so for at least 6 hours per day. If that is not available you may consider artificial lamps. Any generic fluorescent light will do, but you should consider buying one that is specially made for herbs. You need 10 to 12 hours of light per day if you are growing the plants strictly by artificial light. If you are using both the window and the natural light, consider putting the basil plant in the window for 3 hours, and under the fluorescent light for 6 hours to have the same effect as the actual sunshine.

With some patience, understanding, and a little bit of luck your basil plant will start to grow in 8 to 14 days. Waiting until the plant has 2 to 4 sets of full leaves before harvesting will ensure you a beautifully gown plant with tasty results.

(just found this, hope it helps)

@whitenoise LOL!
I have corralled them to a corner beside a building and keep them at bay with the mower, although, they do mingle with the grass and have been known to show up in areas where there kind is unwanted.

@Dibley THANK YOU!!

@chian Hope it helps.

Watering could be an issue…even though you water every other day you may be watering too much or not enough. If the plants are now constantly droopy I suspect they are over watered and need to dry out a bit more between waterings. It’s winter and plants do not need as much water per se as they do in the summer longer growing cycles. If the plants leaves are turning yellowish too then it most likely is over watering.

If they droop and bounce back after watering you may not be watering them enough and a little mulch on top the soil will help retain the moisture in the soil especially since they are in direct sun all day.

If you think about ethnic cuisines that use a lot of basil, you’ll notice that that it’s mostly Mediterranian. Not coincidentally, those are the best growing conditions for basil – warm, sunny, regular watering but not too much. It’s very tough to imitate that successfully in a small pot on a window sill. I speak from experience.

@magsRags I live in Greece!!!They are small pots with small plants i bought from the food market so they should be fine on a windowsill…

@chian then your light conditions are going to be much better than mine here in Oregon!

Have you checked to see the the plant is rootbound? If you gently lift it loose from its pot and you can see roots circling the outer part of the dirt ball, the plant needs repotting in a larger pot. Rootbound plants can get water stressed more easily.

When the leaves wilt are they brown on the edges, this is from heat . find them a cooler spot to produce that lovely flavor.

they could be too wet, water less and wait then check with a knife like a cake- then water…

@MagsRags When i lift up it just lifts up straight from pot no roots or anything
@phil196662 no browning just wilting so maybe less water is tha answer

Thanks everyone…

@chian

I would start with that, But… what kind of soil is it planted in ? If it has too much drainage and they are drying out even with daily watering’s that that could be the problem too. Most soil from a nursery is high drainage so there shipping cost is kept small so reporting anything always should be the norm…

I’m glad to see this discussion. I have had a difficult time growing basil indoors. I can’t seem to keep my plants alive. I’m going to try some of your suggestions.