Question
How can I stop basil plants growing thin and weedy and dying before getting bushy?  How can I keep a sage bush short and bushy, rather than long and straggly, and help it to survive the winter in south east England?  (I tried cutting it back last autumn but it now looks dead.

Answer
David:
Your basil must be grown in heat of 70 degrees at night. Locate it on the east.If using seeds, apply bottom heat of 70 degrees with heat cables or old heat blanket. Give fresh air daily, prune 1/3 off tip of each branch every 3 weeks. Fertilize with organic fertilizer every 3 weeks.If you are using grow lights to grow from seeds, be sure to keep it about 6" above seeds and raise it 2" every time seeds grow. Sage will take most winters when grown. Outside temps should be at least 50 degrees during the day. Do not put basil out doors until night temps 70 degrees. Ignor the day temps, basil must have warm nights to exist. Prune sage as basil. Prune the center branch 1/3 and do the others as it grows.

Leroy