Store-bought basil often fails to thrive because each pot contains multiple seedlings crammed together, suffocating and competing for resources, rather than a single plant. To ensure long-term growth, the video explains how to separate these seedlings into individual pots with proper drainage and suitable soil. Furthermore, it emphasizes that pruning the growing tips rather than just picking leaves encourages bushier growth, and these trimmings can even be propagated in water to create new plants. Finally, successful basil cultivation requires ample sunlight (at least 6 hours daily), warm temperatures, consistent watering when the soil begins to dry, and regular feeding to support its fast growth