SOMEONE asked me the other day if there was a garden crop she could grow that would do well if we suffer another heatwave this summer — or if the season is wet and grey in the more traditional British manner.

Well, I can suggest one candidate. It’s not going to fill your belly, but it does make plain fare a lot more appetising. Basil is a herb of Indian origin which grows surprisingly easily in Britain.

Because it’s ideally suited to growing in pots, it is largely weatherproof: put the pots outside on hot days, and move them indoors to a bright windowsill, greenhouse, conservatory or porch when things turn a bit chilly.

You certainly can grow basil in the ground during the frost-free months, but be aware that it’s likely to languish if the summer isn't a warm one.

In a charity shop, I found a book about herbs, published in 1949, which urges readers to experiment cautiously — “just a pinch” — with basil, while warning that “English people usually find its taste a little too strong.”

Tastes change, and if you look at seed catalogues online today you will find dozens of different basils on offer, either as plants or seeds. It is available in different colours and flavours, and in a range of sizes, both of the plant overall and the individual leaves.

Which you choose depends to some extent on the size of the container you are going to grow it in and the amount of space available for it. Greek basil seems especially to thrive on windowsills, while anything labelled as a “bush basil” (often with a name suggesting smallness, like Piccolino) is an obvious choice for growing in small pots.

Sow a small sprinkle of seeds every week or so, from early spring until mid-summer. This not only gives a continuity of cropping over a long period but also helps fill in for any failed sowings.

Place the seeds on the surface of seed compost or multi-purpose compost in a 7.5cm pot, covering them with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite.

Early sowings might need to be started inside a plastic bag, or a propagator. At this time of year just put the pot somewhere where it'll get plenty of light, but not direct noon sun.
At every stage, from seed to full-grown plant, basil should only be watered at lunchtime (or if that’s impractical, breakfast time) and never afterwards. Damp compost overnight can finish basil off.

Once the seedlings are big enough to handle without damaging, lever them out one by one with a pencil or similar, and plant them individually in pots. Some basils will need potting on over the weeks; if you see roots poking through the drainage holes, move up to the next size of pot.

Frequent picking, without total denuding, is good for basil: it makes the plants bushy and delays flowering. For many years, I have had basil still growing in my kitchen well into winter.