Basil is one of the most widely used aromatic plants in cooking . Basil is easy to grow, however when you 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 per day, well-drained soil, and plenty of room for air to circulate. However, these basic treatments may not be enough for a plant purchased at the supermarket.
The main reason why this type of plants die shortly after being brought home is due to sudden environmental and thermal shock . In the supermarket, the plants are subjected to little artificial light and a controlled temperature. At home, however, it is exposed to natural light.
In reality, there may be more than one cause and we will list them all below, along with solutions to make your basil plant last as long as possible.
Fusarium wilt of plants
This type of fungal disease that affects basil plants causes stunted growth, yellowing and leaf drop. The first symptoms of the problem are slow growth and hollow leaves.
Unfortunately, finding a solution to fusarium wilt is almost impossible and it is always advisable to start from scratch, with a new plant, carefully disinfecting both the pot and the entire area where the plant has been placed.
The best weapon against fusarium is prevention. Avoid water stagnation and irrigate the soil without wetting the leaves.
Root rot
This is another major reason why basil plants stop living. This disease is waterborne, so it is caused by inadequate irrigation or poorly drained soil. Let the soil dry out between waterings.
If your basil is potted, make sure the plant drains well after watering.
Leaf spot
If your basil plant starts to wilt and you notice brown spots on the leaves, it is likely a fungal disease that belongs to the group of diseases known as “leaf spot.”
The first thing to do is to remove the diseased leaves. To prevent diseases, water the base of the plant and never spray water on the leaves. If the disease is not already at an advanced stage, the plant will recover with this simple trick.
Another tip to make the rosemary plant last a long time
Below we offer you a very interesting video that contains a very useful tip 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.