I'm growing tomato and basil plants indoors and their leaves look blotchy and unhealthy.
They need some nutrients. Give them some water soluble fertilizer at half strength.
When I grow Basil, it is never as dark green as what I can buy in the store. Everything else in the garden does fine.
Try adding a bit more nitrogen-rich fertilizer and see if this helps with the greening up of the foliage. If not, it may just be the type of basil you have and is no indication of there being anything wrong as long as it appears healthy otherwise.
Articles talk about the minimum temperature for basil outside - none mention how hot it can get without damage. We have potted basil outside here in Las Vegas, NV. When do we bring it inside temperature-wise, if at all? It gets east exposure/sun until about 11 local. Thanks.
You don't have to bring it inside. You need only make sure that the plant has sufficient water and in your case, perhaps a bit of afternoon shade to ease the stress of high temps. In conditions like yours, they should be watered twice a day.
I am going to prepare a suitable soil to grow vegetables, like sweet basil and leek. Would you please let me know what is the best soil in the market to buy or I have to provide it with mixing with some different soil and manure?
The following articles should be helpful to you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/vegetable-garden-soil.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/basil/how-to-grow-basil-plants.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/leeks/how-to-grow-leeks-and-tips-for-harvesting-leeks.htm
My basil plant has raised round black spots (about 1/16" in diameter on the stems) and the leaves are dying. The pot is outside in a bright, partial sun area and is watered, but not soaked.
The black spots are 3/16" in diameter and the leaves are dying. The plant is outside in a screened area, bright and partially sunny.
This may be your problem: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/black-spot-fungus.htm
How can I prevent bugs from eating holes in my basil plant and still be able to eat the plants? Can we eat the soapy mixtures if you wash the plant thoroughly? Or if I have slugs eating them, if I sprinkle the slug stuff around them, can I still eat the plant?
When you use a home made pesticide, you know what's in it, and you know whether or not anything in it will harm you. Here are some good recipes: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/natural-home-pesticides-organic-garden-pest-control.htm
In the case of slugs, the repellent is sprinkled on the soil around the plant, and acts on the slugs when they crawl through it, so it's nothing that is absorbed into the plant, so the plant is safe to eat.