My basil went a week without water during very hot weather. Its leaves are yellowing and falling, and some stems have turned brown. Should I try anything beyond watering it?
Is my heat-wilted basil still salvageable?
Asked by sproutcheck
Answers
Give the pot a thorough drink, then let all the excess water drain away. If the soil has dried into a hard lump, sit the pot in water briefly so the root ball can take it up, then remove it and drain it well. Give it a little time before deciding it is done.
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Check the stems after watering. Brown, brittle sections are unlikely to recover, but any stem that is still green may be worth keeping. You can trim off clearly dead parts, and take a cutting from a healthy green tip as a backup if there is one.
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For now, keep it out of the harshest direct sun while it recovers, but somewhere bright. Don’t keep adding water to already wet soil. Yellow leaves may drop, so look for fresh growth rather than expecting the damaged leaves to turn green again.
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