P.S. I think I live in Zone 6 (CT) and have been keeping the plant stupidly in a dark corner. And it is in the 70s outside. So I should move it outside or fertilize it or something?

Basil requires full sun & moist, well-draining soil.

Thanks. What sort of watering schedule does it need? 7 to 10 days a week? Does it need any fertilizer? Is there any way it can get healthy again?

Water it, mist it thoroughly, put a plastic bag over it to keep the humidity in with a few small slits in the bag, and keep it in shade for a day or two to rehydrate as much as possible. Then move it to full sun  maybe morning sun only for the first few days, to get it used to bright light again.

It does need fertilizer. Find a nice organic fertilizer for general use and follow the label directions for fertilizing when you water. Water when the top half inch of soil is dry. How often that is will depend on the weather and on the size of the plant and pot.

Also if it is in a 4" pot, go ahead and pot it up to a 6 or 8" pot or, better yet, put it in the ground. If you c an find some compost, worm castings or (third choice) bagged chicken manure, put about 1/2" around the top of the soil surface.

7 to 10 days a week ?? Not sure what that's asking but...... if your basil is in a pot in full sun it needs watered AT LEAST once daily- if it gets really hot, then you might need to water it twice daily. Also, depends on the size of the pot, type of potting mix, etc. Check the soil- if it's dry, water. Just be sure to have good drainage

I water mine at least once daily also. Last year I grew my basil in a pot on our sunny deck. It went crazy. This year I have it in a huge pot. After you get it growing again, keep pinching it back so it doesn't get so tall and leggy. Good luck.

i never had much luck with basil, i always found it hard to grow, i know that it does not take kindly to lack of water though.

oh basil. its SO moody. Since yours was grown up a bit, hopefully keeping it moist and in part shade for a day or 3 should allow it to recover. If i were buying, id have more than one because theyre a bit needy. Good luck!

nyah nyah nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Grows well here! :o) Though it is MUCH hotter here... In fact it needs mostly shade and a LOT of water here.

I am having a tough time with basil this year. Usually both purple and sweet basil grow incredibly well, in the garden or in pots. This year sweet basil is yellow and limp and purple seems to be stunted. could it be the extra rain this year? I have used fertilizer, but may have used the wrong kind? Also, I've always wondered why the sweet basil leaves eventually seem to get tough and develop more ridges after time.

huh, and here I was thinking my basil was doing so much better this year BECAUSE of all of the rain.

I don't use any fertilizer at all on my herbs. If you herbs are in pots, of course, you will need to fertilize.

Here is a link that might be useful: my gardens

Basil should be outside as soon as last frost is over. I thrives in full sun (TOLERATES, part shade) with fertile (not too much phosphorous i.e. no flower fertilizers) and adequeate moisture. Basil will rot in extremely damp soil but likes moisture and it produces lots of thick juicy leaves. :)

granite and flowersandthing: Thanks for the info.

(granite- Your gardens are gorgeous!!)

I transplanted the potted plant (very root bound, could have been the problem!),added some light fertilizer and moved it into the full sun..hope I caught it in time.

I hate to go against the grain, but I started my basil indoors from seed this winter around January to February, and in early spring moved the seedlings(only 3 made it) to a bed with rich well-drained homemade compost, mulched 'em, then basically ignored them. I never, ever watered the little guys because I was just too busy, and they receive dappled full sun thanks to a near by leyland cypress. It's neighbors are lettuce, a couple of carrots, all grown in rows. Today, I just harvested a few of the lovely bright green leaves for a shrimp and pasta recipe. I'd say they're medium sized now, and at this rate they'll be huge by summer's end. So far, I haven't had any problems. It seems that good soil and a lot of sun is critical for their success.
JB

i just got some basil today too. at lowes foods. its in a lovely little plastic container. i put him by my window and he sits in a tray that i just fill with agua. what do i do to USE the basil?

Sparrow - once it gets bigger, you can snip off a couple leaves and shred them and sprinkle on tomato slices or add it to tomato sauce or other tomato dishes. Or you can blend the leaves with some olive oil and Parmesan cheese and make pesto for pasta.

When you do add basil as an herb, its best to add it at serving time, when the flavor is at its peak. Pesto usually also has pine nuts or other nut type in it too, along with lots of garlic.