Top News

There's something very satisfying about growing your own herbs, especially when a plant from the supermarket is only around £1. Most people find that these pots wilt and die fast, and I used to find the same. But it turns out the problem isn't the plant itself, it's how it is packaged.

Supermarket basil is famously unreliable, but not because it's weak or poorly grown. In fact, it's the opposite. Each pot is usually crammed with dozens of young basil seedlings, all competing for the same amount of soil, water and nutrients. Left in its small pot, it came in, the plant quickly exhausts its resources, which is why they end up wilting fast.

The simple trick is to separate them. When I brought home my basil plant, I gently removed it from its pot and teased apart the root ball.

By dividing them into smaller clusters and replanting them into separate pots with fresh soil, each group suddenly had room to breathe and grow.

Within days, they perked up, and within weeks, they were thriving. I even had enough basil plants to give to family and friends.

Basil, of all herbs, is incredibly rewarding, so the more you harvest it, the more it branches out and becomes bushier.

I now have a steady supply of basil both on my kitchen windowsill and in the garden to help transform meals.

Herbs are incredibly forgiving, and if you don't have any outside space, a simple windowsill will do.

A good rule of thumb for most herbs is to water them about once a week.

During extreme heat or drought conditions, they may need to be watered twice a week.

It is recommended to water them in the cooler hours of the morning to avoid evaporation and allow for deep root soaking.