My condolences on your basil problem…

solution depends on what’s eating it. The likeliest culprits are slugs/snails and Japanese beetles so solution one is to look carefully – and frequently – to see if you can spot the nibblers.

For slugs: basil in pots can be protected by surrounding the base of the pot with a ring of diatomaceous earth or copper tape, mollusks can’t cross either one.

For Japanese Beetles: Try an organic formulation of neem. It can be used on food crops very close to harvest. Look for one that contains only neem, which is relatively tasteless. The more other ingredients there are, the more you’ll have to wash the basil.

Of course, if the nibbling is minor and the damage is primarily aesthetic, the best solution may be to do nothing except being fleetingly regretful you can’t use the basil for garnishing.

Hope this’ll help, and good luck!

welcome to the conversation. In answer to your questions:

1. ) To dry basil leaves: harvest small branches in evening before dew falls, from plants that have not yet started to flower. Dry on screens in a warm dark place – not hotter than 100 degrees. Most dehydrators run too hot, but ovens with pilot lights ( or electric ovens with lightbulbs) work well as long as temps are monitored; you may have to keep the door open a crack. An ordinary room thermometer will give you a more accurate reading than a culinary one, btw. oh, very important: dry JUST until breakable, then pack in airtight jars. Overdrying dilutes flavor and plastic isn’t airtight..

2.) Basil pants are tender annuals that will live until they set seed or until frost, whichever comes sooner. But they won’t stay useful for more than about 6 weeks unless you are fanatical about pinching them back and even then they’ll probably start getting tough and strong after a couple of months. Basil isn’t usually on the list of vegetables that should be started from seed several times through the summer, but it should be. Germination and growth are quick in hot weather as long as the plants have water.