My landlord said basil would die on my north balcony by October, but a $6 clip light proved him wrong

Logan Bailey · 2026-09-28T16:10:03.861795+00:00

I almost gave up on herbs after my first two basil plants turned yellow and dropped all their leaves on that shady north-facing balcony in Portland. Then a neighbor told me to try a cheap 10-watt LED clip light, and now I'm on plant number four, still going strong since March. So here's the debate: are cheap grow lights really doing anything, or is it just luck and timing? My landlord swears it's the light, I think it's mostly the light too, but a friend insists basil just needs more time to adjust. Curious if anyone here has actually tested this instead of guessing.

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My landlord said basil would die on my north balcony by October, but a $6 clip light proved him wrong | Balcony Gardeners - The Community Guide