potted_plant
Basil care requirements
water
Regularly; keep soil moist but not waterlogged.
soil
Rich, moist, well-draining potting or garden soil.
light
Full sun — at least 6 hours per day.
symptoms
Symptoms to look for in Basil
Yellow, angular patches on the upper leaf surface with a grey-purple fuzzy growth visible underneath, often causing leaves to curl and drop.
help
Common causes in Basil
Downy mildew has become an increasingly common and serious basil disease, spreading rapidly in humid conditions and often arriving on contaminated seed — it's specific to basil rather than a generalist pathogen.
healing
How to treat downy mildew in Basil
Remove and destroy affected leaves immediately, improve airflow around the plant, and avoid overhead watering; severely infected plants may need to be discarded since the disease spreads quickly.
shield
Preventing downy mildew in Basil
Choose downy-mildew-resistant basil varieties where available, water at the soil level, and ensure good spacing and airflow between plants.