How Often Do You Water Basil Plant?

The sweet-scented and flavored basil plant is one popular herb grown among farmers. It is crucial you keep your basil plant happy by giving them the right conditions and watering is one crucial factor. So, how often do you water a basil plant?

Basil plant is a popular herb grown in the garden and used in the kitchen for a wide variety of dishes. They are one of the most loved and well-known herbs in America.

Basil plants require watering the right way or the plant may die. But how often do you water the basil plant? Let’s look into how frequently you should water your basil plants for both indoor and outdoor gardens.

How Often To Water Basil

Basil plants love to be watered sufficiently. They require moist soil but shouldn’t be too soggy. Therefore, the soil of the basil plant shouldn’t be dry because basil leaves can drop when their soil becomes too dry.

Generally speaking, basil should be watered at least every 3 or 4 days to keep them flourishing. Watering will also depend on temperatures and other weather conditions.

Factors To Consider On How Often To Water Basil Plant

Watering basil plants may be quite tricky especially for newbies. Overwatering or under watering can stress or even kill basil plants.

Even though basil plants require sufficient watering, too much watering can predispose the plant to root rot. It can also predispose basil to plant wilting or make the plant distressed and this can attract pests that can destroy your basil.

So here are some major factors to consider when it comes to watering basil plants:

• Temperature: If the temperature is high, more watering will be required and vice versa. If it’s raining season, watering will be less.
• Indoor or Outdoor and Soil Type: Another factor to consider when watering your basil plant is if you’re planting indoors or outdoors. The type of soil used is also another factor (is it a well-draining soil or less draining soil). So, ask yourself, do you have your plant outdoors in nutrient-filled and well-draining soil? Or is your plant in a container and you have the container indoors?

To water basil correctly, let’s dig in further to learn how often to water our basil plant for both indoor and outdoor gardens.

How Often To Water Outdoor Basil Plant

For basil planted outdoors in the garden, watering should be done once weekly especially when it is raining season. But when the temperature rises and there’s an absence of rain, water your basil plant every 3 or 4 days. Also, consider the type of plant used. If it’s well-draining plant water more. If it’s soil that holds moisture very well, you should water less.

To reduce the stress of watering every time, you can simply enhance moisture retention of your soil. Do this by mulching the soil surface to reduce evaporation and increase water retention by the roots.

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How Often To Water Container Basil Plants Grown Outdoor

Basil grown in pots or containers outdoors should be watered every 3 or 4 days. However, when it’s very hot, you will need to water more. Water the potted basil sufficiently until water drips out of the bottom holes.

Another tip is to do a soil moisture test by dipping your finger about 2 inches into the soil to check for soil dampness or dryness. This should be done mostly in very hot seasons. If the soil is dry, that’s a sign you need to water.

How Often To Water Indoor Container Basil Plants

Basil plant that always remains indoors should be watered every 3 to 5 days. However, you should make adjustments depending on the indoor conditions.

For instance, if your indoor basil container is placed close to the window where it receives some shaded light, you should adjust the watering scheme accordingly. Also, consider the heat, air conditioner, and humidity in your home.

However, basil grown indoors requires sunlight and the pots must have good drainage. Therefore, we recommend placing your basil plant close to a window.

Generally, it’s important you pay a bit more attention to your indoor basil plants. We encourage you to do the finger test to detect the moisture content and water accordingly.

Basil Plants Care

To care for your basil plants means to keep them happy and thriving. To keep your basil plants happy and flourishing, they need good watering, adequate light conditions, the appropriate soil, and temperature.

Here are some tips on how to care for your basil plants:

• • Light: basil plant should be supplied with about 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight to flourish. If you’re planting basil indoors, your plant should be placed in a sunny spot where the temperature keeps warm. Or you can simply supply your basil plant with extra fluorescent light. A general rule equates two hours of fluorescent lightning to one hour of direct sunlight.

  • Plant Food: basil plant should be fed twice a month with a balanced general liquid fertilizer. All-purpose fertilizer can as well be used. This will encourage the growth of new leaves. It’s important you follow the right instruction for the recommended fertilizer to apply on your basil plant to avoid fertilizer burn.

  • Temperature: basil plants thrive well in temperatures between 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid cold temperatures for basil because too much cold can destroy basil plants. Therefore, the basil plant is sensitive to frost. So, harvest your basil before frost. Also, don’t place your basil plants close to air conditioner vents, doors, or drafty areas.

  • Humidity: maintain and humidity area of about 40 to 60 percent for your basil plant.

  • Pest: whiteflies and aphids infestation is the most common pest that affects basil and they’re common to indoor basil plants. When you brush your basil leaves and you notice any white insects fly out of the plant, the plant may be infested with whiteflies. Make use of insecticidal soap to assist in controlling this kind of pest.

FAQ’s

Final Say

How often to water your basil plant will depend mainly if your basil is planted indoors or outdoors.  Temperature and soil type should also be other factors to consider when it comes to how often to water your basil plant.