Basil Slow Growing in Window
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Sarah Chase
Posted on: July 13, 2007

My basil plant has a stem which appears to have hardened into a woody type substance and the leaves are yellowing. In addition, the leaves are not growing in size or at the rate that they did about 4 months ago. It has been a chilly winter recently in the northeast and the basil is right next to a south westerly window. Can I expect it may just be too cold and the warming weather would help or should I be trying something else?

Basil requires lots of heat and sun to grow well-both in short supply in an American North-East winter. The stem becoming woody is a normal maturing process. Also, most basils are annuals and you can extend their life into the winter, but you cannot turn them into perennials. I suggest that as soon as you can supply the requisite heat, you start new plants from seed and use up the oldsters completely!

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