Why The Basil In Your Garden Is Wilting And How To Revive It

Some plants will repel pests from your garden naturally, like basil (Ocimum basilicum), making it a fabulous choice for your vegetable garden, patio containers, or kitchen window pots. When your basil starts to droop or its leaves wilt, you may wonder what went wrong. Basil plants may wilt for several reasons, with improper watering — either too little or too much — being the most common cause. Long-term effects of wilting can stunt growth and damage the roots, so it's important to take care of it as soon as possible. Thankfully, if you have a basil plant that looks a little worse for wear, it's often easy to fix by adjusting water intake.

To prevent an issue like basil wilt in the future, consider using irrigation systems in your home garden. Not only can irrigation help your basil look better than ever, but it's also a great way to keep your lawn lush and green all year. If irrigation is not viable, ensure that your plants receive adequate moisture. For example, basil grown in a pot might require more water, more regularly.

If you don't think that your basil is wilting from too little or too much water, the culprit might be more serious. Basil also wilts as a result of disease, specifically Fusarium wilt or bacterial wilt. Initially, you will notice young plants, about 6 to 12 inches tall, begin to wilt. Other symptoms, however, indicate the presence of a fungus in the soil. To prevent this from happening to your basil plants, it's vital that you avoid creating the conditions where disease can thrive in the garden, including ensuring the right soil nutrition.

Basil can also become stressed in excessively hot conditions. While this herb does thrive in the sun, temperatures in excess of 90 degrees Fahrenheit could have an adverse effect. Long-term high temperatures make it harder for basil to grow properly. Wilting is a common response to heat stress. The best outcome is for basil to recover after the hot temperatures have gone away. If growing your basil in a pot, consider bringing it inside your home during particularly hot and dry summers. If you cannot bring your basil inside, make sure that you keep it watered well. However, do not make this major mistake you need to avoid when watering your garden and water during the wrong time of day.