It is the leaves that provide basil with its exquisite herbal aroma. If the leaves suddenly turn yellow, the kingweed signals great discomfort. We have put together the possible causes and effective treatment methods for you.
Why does basil turn yellow and how to prevent it?
Yellow leaves on basil are caused by insufficient water supply, lack of nutrients, sunburn or stress from transport. Proper care includes: alternately moist soil, watering as needed, weekly fertilizing and gradual sun acclimation.
Failure to care causes the leaves to turn yellow
The pivotal point for a vital basil plant with juicy green leaves is a balanced water and nutrient balance. If this is out of balance, royal herb reacts with yellow leaves. How to water and fertilize the herb plant correctly:
- an alternately moist soil neither dries out nor does water accumulate here
- the substrate surface should always be allowed to dry
- If fertilized weekly from May to September, the heavy feeder is satisfied
Among hobby gardeners there is often uncertainty regarding the dosage of irrigation water. If yellow leaves appear, place the pot in 5 centimeters of water. Due to capillary action, the basil draws the required amount into the root ball. If the thumb test shows a slightly moist soil surface, the watering process is complete. If you only administer organic fertilizer, overdosing is impossible.
Sunburn causes yellow leaves
As sun-loving as basil is due to its tropical origins, the plant can still suffer from sunburn. This damage occurs when royal herb moves seamlessly from the house to a sunny location outdoors. Yellow leaves develop, an indication of excessive exposure to UV light on the plant tissue.
If in doubt, take the basil out of the sun and into partial shade again so that it can get used to sunny conditions over 5-8 days.
Tips & Tricks
If a basil from the supermarket has yellow leaves and is wilting, only immediate repotting can save the herb plant. In this case, the damage comes from an extremely stressful transport in a substrate that is far too lean and squeezed into a pot that is far too small.