My Basil Plant Is Turning Yellow

Age

• As basil ages, the plant naturally begins to show signs of discoloration. Lower leaves on the basil plant begin to yellow, eventually turning brown, wilting and dying off. This is not a symptom of any problem; it is just a fact of life for basil. Simply remove the old, yellowing leaves as you find them to help your plant continue growing steadily.

Over-Watering

• Basil is considered a heavy feeder, which means that it grows quickly and requires larger amounts of water and fertilizer in order to keep up with its growing rate. Although basil requires a lot of water, over-watering is a problem. Too much water simply overwhelms the plant, causing the stem to rot and leaves to turn yellow before wilting and falling off. Prevent this problem by watering thoroughly each day, pouring water in only until you see it running from the bottom of the container. If your basil is in the ground, water a little at a time, allowing the water to soak into the soil. Water should never remain standing around the plant.

Poor Drainage

• When grown in the ground, basil requires rich, well-drained soil. If growing in a container garden, only use containers with good drainage holes. You may even add a few more, if necessary, to increase drainage. Lack of drainage causes water to stand beneath the basil, making roots overly wet. The plant begins to die off a little at a time, showing yellow leaves, rotting stem and eventually wilting to the ground.

Fertilization

• Basil needs nourishment in the soil to stay healthy and strong. As you water plants, nutrients wash away. In nutrient-deficient soil, your basil may have trouble getting enough or any nutrients at all. Yellow leaves often appear as the plant begins to suffer due to malnourishment. Fertilize your plant weekly or bi-weekly with a balanced fertilizer containing nitrogen. Nitrogen is a nutrient basil needs and may show yellow leaves when soil lacks enough nitrogen even when the soil is high in other nutrients.