Why is my Basil plant dying? The two most common causes of a Basil plant dying are overwatering and underwatering. Temperature stress, lighting problems, disease, or pests are also common causes of a basil plant wilting or dying.

Basil thrives with regular watering. Begin with a once-a-week schedule, and give your plant enough water so you see it run through to the saucer under the plant. If the soil feels very dry at the end of the week, move to a twice-weekly schedule, or water three times every two weeks.

Freezing temperatures kill basil. The first sign of cold damage is usually wilted leaves, or leaves that begin to curl and dry around the edges. Plants may survive a light freeze. Give the plants time to grow new foliage, and then prune off the wilted and damaged parts of the plant.

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.

When you clip basil stems back to a fresh set of leaves, you force those leaves to grow, doubling the basil produced on that stem. And as those stems grow, you can pinch them back and double their production – it’s exponential! To remove flowers. Eventually most basil plants produce flowers.

While basil is a commonly grown herb outdoors, this easy-care plant can also be grown indoors. In fact, you can grow basil inside much the same as you would in the garden. This wonderfully fragrant herb can be grown for use in the kitchen, making aromatic oils, or simply for aesthetic purposes.

Fresh basil is a go-to herb in the kitchen, for professional chefs and foodies, and its surprisingly easy to grow it yourself. Basil grows well in most climates, and it’s suitable for growing inside the home and outside in the garden.

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.

It’s easy to root basil stem cuttings in potting mix. Once the stems are clipped and the bottom leaves removed, insert them into moist potting mix. Firm the soil around the stem to ensure good soil-stem contact.

To keep basil fresh, trim the stems and place them in a glass or jar of water, just like cut flowers. Loosely cover it with a plastic bag and leave it on the counter. I’ve had basil stay perky for a week or even longer, especially if I change the water frequently.

7 Companion Plants to Grow With Basil

• Asparagus. The combination of basil and asparagus appeals to ladybugs in particular, which helps control the presence of aphids and other pests in the garden.
• Borage.
• Chamomile, oregano, and chives.
• Marigolds.
• Peppers.
• Root vegetables.
• Tomatoes.

Can you use basil stems in pesto? Absolutely! The great thing about making pesto is that you can use the entire herb in the sauce. If you get a bunch of basil with extra thick stems, you may want to trim those off, as your blender or food processor might not be able to handle them.

5 days

Green stems from any herb (for example, basil, parsley or cilantro) can be cut fine or tossed into anything you’re cooking in the exact same way you’d use a bay leaf. Large stems are easy to remove once they’ve cooked with the rest of your meal.