Found out my basil was drinking more water than my dog

I was reading a gardening book from the library and it said a single basil plant can soak up over a gallon of water a week in full sun. My balcony gets sun from 10am to 4pm, and I was giving it maybe two cups. No wonder it kept wilting! I started tracking it with a rain gauge last month and sure enough, it's a total water hog. Has anyone else had a plant that just wouldn't stay hydrated?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah32610d ago

Actually, that gallon a week thing is for plants in the ground with huge root systems. A potted basil on a balcony, even in full sun, usually needs way less because it's root-bound. I bet your two cups was closer to right, and the wilting was from the small pot heating up too much. Try a bigger, lighter colored pot and see if that helps more than just adding water.

samf9510d ago

Oh man, that makes so much sense. I've been killing herbs with kindness for years, basically drowning them because some chart said so. You're totally right about the pot heating up, my last basil was in a tiny black plastic thing and it cooked. Felt like I was running a tiny plant sauna. Gonna try the bigger light pot move next time, maybe my thumbs can be a little less brown.