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Basil Plant Care Tips Water regularly – basil likes to stay moist and requires approximately 1 inch of water every week. Fertilize lightly –basil is a vigorous grower requiring very little to no fertilization. Pinch back leaves – pinch leaves from the tips of your basil as soon as the plant has two sets of true leaves.
How do you keep fresh basil alive?
Store the basil leaves like salad greens. Pick, wash, and dry the leaves, then store in the fridge wrapped in a dry paper towel and sealed in a plastic bag. Clean, dry, ready to roll. This baggie will be the basil’s home for the next several days.
How do you care for indoor potted basil?
Four Steps to Growing Basil Indoors Lightly moisten fresh potting mix and pack firmly into 4-6″ pots. Place in a warm window with a southern exposure. Keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet. A month after planting, you can enjoy the aroma of basil by running your hands over the small leaves.
What do basil plants need to survive?
Prep. Basil is a tropical herb, and plants need sun and heat to thrive. Give it a spot that receives six to eight hours of sun daily, except in the South and Southwest, where afternoon shade is a must. Basil needs moist, nutrient-rich soil that drains well.
How do you keep a basil plant blooming?
Basil produces purple or white flowers during Summer, if it has not been pruned. Once basil has flowered the leaves and flowers are still edible but the taste is often milder or even bitter. Prevent basil from flowering by pruning the top leaves of the basil every 2 or 3 weeks throughout the Summer.
Does basil need direct sunlight?
Basil grows best with at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day. Part of knowing how to care for basil is watching the sun patterns in the location you are growing this aromatic herb. With proper sunlight, your plant will be big and beautiful for several months out of the year.
Why do my basil plants keep dying?
Soil that’s too dry or too wet is the most common reason for a basil plant wilting. Although basil plants thrive in full sunlight, they also need consistently moist, high quality soil with good drainage. If your basil plant is drooping or wilting, check the soil and reconsider your basil watering schedule.
How long does potted basil last?
Basil may survive for two years before replanting in warm climates. An indoor basil plant with full sun and steady warm temperatures may last longer as well. Basil plants are sensitive to cold weather and frost. Before the weather turns, take steps to preserve your plant for the next year.
Is my basil Overwatered?
Yellow and drooping leaves are the first physical signs of an overwatered basil plant, but the real problem is below the soil surface where roots can rot. Or place containers upside down over the basil. Just be sure to remove when the sun comes out or the plants could get overheated.
Why does my basil droopy?
Basil plant droop that appears suddenly on young plants is often caused by fusarium wilt, a fungal disease that causes stunted growth and droopy, wilted, or yellow leaves. Eventually, leaves may drop from the plant. Fusarium wilt is difficult to manage and can remain in the soil for 8 to 12 years.
How do you keep basil alive outside?
To grow basil plants outside, prepare a bed with organic matter such as composted manure, pine bark or compost to create the rich, well-drained environment that basil loves. Work into the soil approximately 3 pints of 5-10-10 granular fertilizer per 100 square feet.
Can basil get too much sun?
Basil Sun Requirements Full-sun conditions may lead to leaf scorch on seedlings, which causes discoloration and a droopy effect, especially along the edges of the leaves. Anything less than full sun for mature basil plants has the same effect, sans discoloration.
What do I feed basil?
Feed your basil plants with a good organic fertilizer every four to six weeks for indoor plants and every 2-3 weeks for outdoor. A well-balanced fertilizer with equal amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate, will help to boost leaf production.
Is it OK to eat basil after it flowers?
All parts of the basil plant are edible, including the flowers, leaves and stems. Moreover, all parts of the plant remain edible even after the basil plant flowers. Once the basil flowers, the taste typically becomes more bitter. Gardener Report says after basil flowers, its leaves also may have a milder flavor.
How do I keep my basil plant bushy?
How to Make Basil Grow Bushier Cut basil stems with a pair of scissors about 1/4 inch above leaf sets or nodes. Prune or harvest basil in the same manner at least once every two or three weeks to keep the plant bushy and to prevent it from flowering.
Should I pinch off basil flowers?
Check your basil plants frequently for flowers, and if you see any, pinch them off right away. If the flower stems are too woody to pinch (often the case with Thai basil), cut them off with shears. A plant allowed to flower will soon go to seed, stop growing, and die, so be vigilant about removing flowers.
