I don’t know how to grow vegetables, but I love cooking with fresh basil, so I buy potted basil plants and pick off the leaves, and within a week the plants die.

After killing basil plants on six occasions, I finally decided to ask the lady at the farm market how to keep basil plants growing.

She said the plant likes sun and warmth during the day, but doesn’t like the cold at night.

She advised me to re-pot the plant in a pot twice the size of the one it comes in, and bring it inside at night.

Well, not gonna happen! I don’t like bringing bugs inside!

When I got home, I couldn’t find a bigger pot to re-pot it in, but I did keep it warm at night by hanging it on a fence outside the door and covering it with a dishcloth that acted like a snuggly little blanket.

The next day I re-potted the basil plant in a huge pot – a raised garden bed tucked beside the lettuce that doesn’t mind sleeping out all night in the Canadian spring weather.

But I gave the basil special treatment by covering it with a plastic bag at night.

The lady at the market shared another secret with me. She said to only pick the top leaves off the plant, and don’t touch the bottom leaves and it will grow more leaves. Now, after I pick some leaves off the top, new little leaves grow quickly to replace them.

This way I always have a bit more basil for pasta and pizza when I need some. 🙂