Supermarket selling pot growing dinner herbs - why die?

[kangapants]

Hiya!
Why can I not grow a fresh herb plant from a supermarket? E.g Basil, Mint, Thyme.
I buy them in a lovely pot with plastic and use the leaves etc. but when I try to plant them in a pot afterwards - they die straight away.
Are they genetically designed to die so I have to buy them again?
Or is it my cat, Basil, making a urinary point?
Cheers!X

Mine always die too! The ones I grew from seed are fine though.

Mine too. I'm always disappointed.

Outside? Basil won’t grow outside (the herb, not the cat)

Other herbs might be down to lack of watering when first planted. Or maybe the soil.

They can grow certainly - I stuck a pot of bay into the garden a few years ago; it’s now over 10 foot tall!!!

Strange, I’ve had my basil plant from a supermarket for year. How long are they lasting before you repot them? I find they are very thirsty plants, need to be regularly cut way back and need a lot of sunlight. Are you doing all of that? Maybe it’s the type of soil you’re using to repot it?

Re pot it into a bigger pot with more compost.

Turned my basil into a beast of a thing.

I read on here it's because the plant is too big for the pot when it's sold (to make it look appealing).
I think you need to separate it and repot and you will have more luck.
Mine never last either and after failing again, I've decided to try this next time or grow my own from seeds.

I repotted mine into a bigger pot and it still died

Seeds always work for me!

I've never tried thyme,but my supermarket parsley , mint and basil have all grown into triffids.
They've only had ordinary compost. Water, sun, trim with scissors.

They are usually not a plant, but lots of seedlings. I think they are intended to only be cut the once then thrown away, as there is no room in the pot for that many plants to may. You could try splitting them up and growing them on but it will be a while before you get much back. If you want permanent plants in pots or the garden, get grown plants from a nursery, or cuttings from friends, or sow seeds and wait

And I thought I was the only one! No matter what I try, the damn things die. I've had a few that have lived for a couple of months and I'll get very hopeful, only to have them shrivel up and die almost overnight.

I've found if I pick them regularly they usually last really well (until i put them outside while I was cleaning and it was sunny and the guinea pigs are them!)

theoretically root balls are about twice the plant. In the case of supermarket herbs, they are about half. So either massively too small a pot or 3/4 of the root ball removed. Either way, you have an unhappy plant.

My Tesco basil (Manuel) is doing wonders in a pot outside and has done for months! I cut him back quite a lot to try to stop him flowering love him!

Right, so if I buy one, repot it, cut it back, water it daily.... It should be okay?

I usually only buy thyme but it is always repotted. Lasts several months if not longer.
Currently have a pot of coriander on the go too but it's not looking great... (and it has been repotted)
I think they can vary quite a lot in quality.

I have 2 in my borders. I neither water, or do anything to them, yet they continue to grow. Usually I can't even keep a cactus alive.

They are really bred for growing on. Just go to a garden centre and buy some small cheap herbs usually 1-2£
Or go on amazon. You can buy plug plants cheaply!

Aren’t bred for growing on Even !!!

You can get plug plants on Amazon?

They aren’t cheap on amazon. And not prime. Though I’ve bought before. Thompson’s actually are the best.

Mine only grow in the windowsill (not sure of the science behind that!)

Think I'll stick to seeds!

Thank you Guys,
But I still think the sneaky 'Basil' cat has something to do with it.

homebase is good. They always have herbs. It’s just not the right time of year to buy them. You need to do it April -may

If you soak them in water over night, take them out of the pot next day you'll see that there are usually several small plants all squashed up in there. Tease them apart and plant in the garden or a very large planter with about 6 in spaces between them and keep watered and they usually grow well (until you go away and your DH forgets to water them but that's a whole other thread.....)