Check for mildew on your outdoor basil plants!
I heard this story on NPR the other day: Basil Downy Mildew Threatens Basil Plants. Apparently the mildew is in full force in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Ohio. But it's a "community disease" which means that it spreads fast.
Look for a yellowish tint on the top of the leaf. You'll know for sure if you've been hit by the mildew if you turn the leaf over and you see a grayish, almost purplish dusty growth. (Gross!)
Cut the leaves off immediately and carefully - you don't want the spores to fly off and get into other people's gardens. Since the rest of your plant is probably not going to last, harvest the leaves and make a pesto or a crazy huge caprese salad. Because it's over.
Speaking of basil, ours has been going strong for a few months now. But I swear that it's not growing! I feel like it's been the same height for weeks now, but Cyrus is sure that it is growing. We'll see.
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I find that if you regularly take some leaves off, it grows faster. ours is going nuts!
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