never mind

I messed around with basil outside for years. It's easy to grow but now I have it in one of those aeropods and it grows like mad and it's right next to where I cook.

Sounds like just the thing, but I'm finding it difficult to get information on these, like size and prices. Can you describe what you got and how much room it takes up? (I've got a birthday coming up and partner wants hints on a gift!) Personally I'd only need it to grow just the basil.

OK—I found a price, but I can't find the size of the smallest one (with the exception of the kid's version). Also, there doesn't seem to be a retailer near me that carries the small one. Do they ship these items? I've signed up for a catalog.

I just got the 6 pod model that was cheapest- about $89 which felt admittedly crazy to spend and it came with two basil pods among others. They took awhile to start, but then they can't be stopped. I've been drying it, throwing it away. I went ahead and planted the mint too. I had a dilemma about what to use the mint for and then it hit me- mojito.

You do have to keep up with adding fresh water if you let the plants get big. I've only had it 7 months but it's still going strong. No bugs on my basil is nice.

As an aside, when I went on vacation I unplugged it and put the plant in the window with only sunlight for a week and it did great.

FWIW, I had very good success growing basil in large ceramic pots, using a good potting mix. The plants came from some leftover organic basil sprigs I bought at Trader Joe's. No idea of variety, but it's very vigorous w/large meaty leaves and thick stems that easily form roots when placed in water. I saved some seed, but some came up on its own from dropped seeds, so I'm keeping it going. I even have a cutting rooting in water on my kitchen windowsill right now.

I also have a 'cinnamon' variety that grows very well, with smaller leaves and purple flowers.

I try to give the plants a bit of shade. Full sun all day in the summer months is just too much.

I also use Earthboxes, which are not as expensive as aeropods, seemingly.

IMPE, many purchased herb plants fail. Starting from seed seems to work better - esp. for things that suffer from transplanting, like dill.

HTH

Thank you, "wormspitter"! I have ordered my BD present from AeroGarden and hope to grow great quantities of basil unimpeded by the spores of the basil downy mildew.

To the others who volunteered ideas—I thank you, too, for your suggestions. It's just that if the spores are in the air, I feel there's no effective way to prevent the plants' eventual contamination if grown outdoors, and I want my pesto!!

Lack of air circulation is reportedly a factor for downy mildew. I have a number of native plants that are susceptible. I believe variety can be a factor; some varieties are more prone to it than others, it seems. Seed & plant catalogs will often state 'mildew resistant' in their descriptions.