Basil, Part 2

Into the green bin...

A varied response to my recent post about my inability to grow basil:  Most people reported that they, too, have had problems growing it and that even experienced gardeners can fail with that plant. In Spain, apparently, it grows easily for everyone except a friend who is English; she blames it on a bias against Anglo-Saxons.

Another friend sent the following advice. It's so practical and encouraging, I might even give basil another go:

"Basil needs sun and regular watering. The trick to getting a good full plant is to pinch it back when it's about 3" high. This will make the plant branch. You can use the parts you pinch off in your cooking, then wait until those parts grow a few inches and pinch again. Before you know it you'll have enuf for a pesto. From your pic I'd say you need to get a new plant, that one's had it. Several plantz is better so you have enuf pinched parts to actually do something with. (dangling preposition--I know) Also, never let it flower. Once it's making sex it's no longer growing for you."

Thank you, Marion O.!   Especially for that last (paradoxical?) sentence...