Basil, NEVER water it like this: you are rotting it | many are wrong

Basil is one of the plants always present on balconies, windowsills and gardens. On the other hand, it is the most used aromatic herb in the kitchen and therefore can never be missing.

It is useful for many preparations, from the simplest to the most complex, it gives a different flavor and aroma to any dish,  both first and second courses  . Especially in the summer season,  basil is added to salads,  which are spectacular. Plus, the aroma of basil keeps mosquitoes away.

Currently,  the trend is to use fresh basil  and not dried, which loses its flavor, also because if it is bought in a bag, after two days in the refrigerator it is already dry and no longer smells the same as before. On the other hand, to always keep it fresh and add it to recipes, making the most of its benefits and multiple properties, it is  better to take it directly from the plant  , whenever necessary.

Growing basil is simple

This means that  you must dedicate yourself to its cultivation  . To grow it in the garden, or in a pot, on the terrace or balcony, you have to be careful, because the plant, like all others, needs care, otherwise the leaves will rot, blacken or yellow until they die  . . 

All of this  often depends on irrigation  . Caring for aromatic plants  does not mean watering them daily  , giving them large amounts of water, but watering them whenever necessary in the appropriate quantities.

How to properly care for basil.

To take good care of the basil plant, the first thing  we must do is place it in a pot in the shade  , in a fairly ventilated area. This applies whether the basil is grown in pots on the balcony or terrace,  or in the soil in the garden  . To know if the plant has too much water or no water, you have to touch the soil, you don’t have to wait for the leaves to turn yellow, or even rot.

If you grow basil in the garden  , if the soil is dry, it is time to water it. If, on the other hand, it has received too much water, if it is in a pot it can be left to dry; if the leaves are yellow it is time to remove them.

In the garden, the problem of excess water  is solved with the mulching method,  that is, placing straw around the entire plant that is capable of  retaining the moisture present in the soil.  If the plant is dying, all you have to do is prune it and leave only the nodes where new leaves can grow as the days go by.

Water during the holidays

In summer, when you go on vacation,  you should not abandon basil  or any other plant, because without water they die. Obviously you shouldn’t give it too much either, because the result would be identical.

So, if you don’t have anyone to ask for the  favor of watering them  when the time comes, you can look for  simple, inexpensive methods  within everyone’s reach to solve the problem in a few minutes.

Inexpensive methods to water basil, with do-it-yourself method

An economical method that allows you to water the plant when necessary is to place the bottles upside down on the ground. Alternatively,  drip irrigation systems can be found online or in suitable stores,  which allow you to program the times and duration of watering. Some of them run on solar energy, others directly on electricity. Obviously the latter cost more and consume more, so  if you want to save money and you are away from home for a short time,  you can first try the bottle method, which is recommended and works very well.

This method works like this. You take a plastic bottle and make small holes in it,  directly in the lid and in the base of the bottle  . Then, fill it with water and insert it into the soil with the perforated plug inserted directly into the soil, carefully. The liquid will wet the soil slowly, avoiding waste and excess that could do more than help damage the basil. Creating an irrigation system at home is very simple. By following these tips, the plant  will become beautiful in a few weeks  , without necessarily having any green thumb.