Basil Growth

Basil has really turned out to be a wonderful crop to grow in our desert container garden. It's great as a companion plant for tomatoes, as it's supposed to keep away certain pests. It loves the Sun, and, with daily watering, thrives even in our Summer heat. The homegrown version of the herb also tastes so much better than the store-bought variety that comparison is just laughable. That's a huge plus, considering that pasta dishes are some of our favorite and most common meals.

While most of our basil is doing very well, I do have one problem spot. In the pictures below, compare the basil in the long window box container with the basil planted around the tomato plant in the black 15 gallon container. Both groups of sweet basil came from the same set of seedlings and were planted at the same time. The two containers are located only a few feet from each other and get the same amount of Sun each day (about 8 hours). They are also watered on the same schedule. The only difference, other than container shape/size) is that I used Miracle Grow potting mix in the black container and a cheaper potting soil (amended with composted steer manure and earthworm castings) in the window box.