Water basil daily or every other day in summer and every 3-4 days in winter. The soil is a better guide than the calendar: Water as soon as the surface dries — in a small pot in summer, one missed day is enough to wilt it.
Supermarket basil collapses within days because it is several plants crammed into one small pot — split them when you get home and they last far longer. Once it flowers the leaves toughen and the aroma fades, so pinch out flower buds on sight and keep harvesting the growing tips to make it bush out.
Roots fill a pot fast — move it up a size within a month of buying it.
Growing conditions
| Watering in summer | Daily or every other day |
|---|---|
| Watering in winter | Every 3-4 days |
| How to tell it needs water | Water as soon as the surface dries — in a small pot in summer, one missed day is enough to wilt it. |
| Light | Six or more hours of direct sun |
| Temperature | 18-30°C; below 10°C is dangerous |
| Humidity | Average |
| Repotting | Roots fill a pot fast — move it up a size within a month of buying it. |
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Wilting leaves | Thirst, common in a small pot | Water thoroughly and pot it up. |
| Blackening leaves | Cold damage below 10°C | Move it somewhere warm and out of draughts. |
| It is trying to flower | The natural end of its growth cycle | Pinch the buds off to extend the leaf harvest. |