Basil on a windy balcony
Basil is my favorite summer herb, and also the one I lost most often. This summer I finally had a good harvest. These are the changes that helped.
Pinch the tips early. When the plant has three or four pairs of leaves, cut the top just above a pair of leaves. Two new stems grow from that point. After a few rounds, the plant is bushy instead of tall.
Remove the flowers. When basil flowers, the leaves become fewer and more bitter. I remove flower buds as soon as I see them.
Protect it from wind. My balcony is windy, and the leaves dried out at the edges. I moved the pot behind a larger tomato plant, and the problem stopped.
Water in the morning. Wet leaves at night invite fungal problems. I water the soil, not the leaves, before work.