If you've cut it back hard and keep it in a sunny window, you have a good chance of getting new growth. Be patient. It may take some time for it to recover from the shock. How long has it been since you potted it up?

Are you sure that they didn't mean to take cuttings and try to grow them inside?

Hello Rhizo and Jerseygirl. Thanks for responding. I took clippings. I didn't uproot it. I was told that it would come back in the spring if I left the roots. But for indoors, I tooks clippings. It's been about a week and a half. Am I just not being patient? I am also now getting white mold in the soil. I'm using regular potting soil with Miracle Grow (again, someones's suggestion.) Is that the wrong thing to use?
Thanks,
GaryBNC

Sorry I can't help you. I've never taken clippings. The white mold doesn't sound good. Probably too wet.
I do know that basil won't come back next spring in my zone. You're in a slightly warmer zone but basil is pretty tender and may not come back if you have a bad winter.

This is not a very good time of year to take cuttings from basil. However, the general rules of stem propagation follow for this plant, just like any other. I suspect that if you don't have an understanding of how to take cuttings, then the problem is technique, not time.

Common mistakes that people make: cutting the stem in the wrong place, making the cuttings too long, keeping all of the leaves on the cutting, placing cuttings in too large a container, choice of rooting medium.

There are scads of good websites on how to take stem cuttings, many with illustrations. Use Google as your search engine.

The GOOD thing is that you can buy more basil next year, and watch it grow like crazy all over again. Basil is an annual plant, and won't come back from the roots. Annual herbs like basil loose quality once they've flowered and set seed. It's at its very best as a young plant, clipped frequently to remove flower heads. I like to grow at least one just for the flowers, though. I call it my 'bee plant'.

Hey Gary, i know its a few months late, but what you will need to do next time is buy a rooting hormone(sometimes optional depending upon the cutting and its quality, but definitely a plus) and then plant it in a good germination mix. your cutting needs conditions similar to a germinating seed or seedling, wet and preferably warm. Jiffy Mix is easy to find and should do fine. Basil may do better if started from seed, which readily germinates, usually within 5 days(plus it will grow exactly as is on the seed pack and should grow more aggressively). as far as the white stuff, this may be mold, buy a fan or keep air circulating and this may fix your problem. i dont know your location, but in the gulf region (Florida) or other non-frost areas, basil sometimes will work as a perenial.