What to do when you first buy basil to make it last for months
Basil is one of the most used aromatic plants in the kitchen. Basil is easy to grow, however when we buy a plant at the supermarket, it almost always dies after a few weeks, sometimes after a few days.
Basil plants require about 8 hours of sunlight a day, well-drained soil and enough space to allow air circulation. However, this basic care may not be enough for a plant purchased at the supermarket.
The main reason why this type of plant dies shortly after bringing it home is due to sudden environmental and thermal shock. In the supermarket, plants are exposed to little artificial light and a controlled temperature. At home, however, it is exposed to natural light.
There can actually be more than one cause and below we list them all, along with solutions to make your basil plant last as long as possible.
Fusariosis of plants
This type of fungal disease that affects basil plants causes stunted growth, yellowing and falling leaves. The first symptoms of the problem are a slowdown in growth and hollow-looking leaves.
Unfortunately, finding a solution to fusarium wilt is almost impossible and it is always best to start from scratch, with a new plant, disinfecting both the pot and the entire place where the plant was placed.
The best weapon against fusarium wilt is prevention. Avoid water stagnation and water the soil without wetting the leaves.
Root rot
This is another of the main reasons why basil plants stop living. This disease is transmitted by water, therefore caused by inadequate irrigation or poorly drained soil. Let the soil dry out between waterings.
If the basil is in a pot, make sure the plant drains well after watering.
Leaf Spot
If your basil plant is starting to wilt and you notice brown spots on the leaves, it is probably a fungal disease that falls into the group of diseases known as “leaf spot”.
The first thing to do is to remove the diseased leaves. To prevent the disease, water the base of the plant and never spray water on the leaves. If the disease is not already in an advanced stage, the plant will recover with this simple precaution.
Another trick to make the rosemary plant last longer
Below we suggest a very interesting video that contains a very useful trick to make the basil plant last longer.
Not only that, the method also allows us to make our basil plant even bigger and full of leaves
Now that you know how to make a store-bought basil plant last longer, follow the tips above to have a constant supply of this wonderful and useful aromatic plant.