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Gary350
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Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

Basil is all gone leaves fell off.

I have 3 very large basil plants I picked the tops off all summer to keep them form going to seed and the plants grew larger and larger and larger. The plants were looking like a very large bush 3 ft diameter about 3 1/2 ft tall. Weather man said we were going to have a light frost so the next morning the plants had no leaves. Over night the frost made all the leaves fall off. The leaves fell on the ground with all the tree leaves and the basil leaves turned brown so I can not tell them from the tree leaves. I guess I screwed up I should have cut the plants down and took it inside. I bet there was a whole pound of basil lost. I sure did make some excellent pesto a few times during the summer.

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rainbowgardener
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Yup, sorry about that, but basil is warm weather plant, does not tolerate serious cold, much less frost. It's done now.

Sometime BEFORE it gets even real close to frost, I cut down all my basil. Turn a lot of it into pesto (8 dinners worth in the freezer) and dry some for herbs for winter. I saved one plant to bring in and try to keep alive inside for the winter for fresh basil. Not sure if that will work, if I have enough light for it. So far it is alive, but not thriving.

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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I'm not sure if it was here, but someone mentioned that her overwintering basil got blasted by the cold air from the door (I think hers was being kept on the solid side of sliding doors) once too often and died. It's also good to remember that temperature closer to the floor is colder by a few degrees.

When the temps start to plummet, it's a good idea to keep them away from the window panes too, even if they don't get as much light. Actually, though, with the winter sun angle, plants can be positioned to receive direct sunlight even away from the windows.



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