Why Basil Leaves Turn Brown - Garden Quickie Episode 117

Why Is My Basil Turning Brown? I get this question all the time and even after growing this favorite herb for 12 plus years, I still get brown or black leaves too. There's 3 main causes for it and I'll dive deep (but quick) into all 3 today!

In most cases, the plant isn't dying and the damage can be reversed. Well, not truly reversed, but we can fix it so the new leaves aren't afflicted. So, don't despair, as likely, your Basil plant can be saved with no permanent harm to the overall plant.

Other herb videos of interest:

2023 is the Year of the Garden! We deserve it after the last little while, and growing our own food and self sufficiency is just the reward we need to get back on track!

For more information on all your gardening questions, check out my other videos!:

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#basil #herbs #gardeningtips

[TheRipeTomatoFarms]

If you're just starting out gardening in 2023, please check out my Amazon Affiliate links below to get the right tools for the job! It doesn't cost you a cent, but this channel receives a small incentive for any items purchase through Amazon. Happy Gardening!

pH/Water/Light Meter


Composting Tumbler!


Handy 12-piece Garden Tool Set!:


Hand Pruners:


Watering Can:


Spray Gun:


Gardening Gloves:

[JuliaB]

I don't know why you haven't gotten a Webby Award. You are always positively impactful. Thank you.

[PorchGardeningWithPassion]

Great info! I will say that striking a balance between to much water and not enough can be tricky, especially in a smaller well draining pot. In the latter instance, I find I need to water more often, especially during warmer temps 👊🏻🌻👊🏻

[FrozEnbyWolf]

Mine turned brown for a fourth reason, which is overfertilization. I added too much nitrogen fertilizer too quickly. This caused the leaves to scorch, since fertilizers are salts and will interfere with water uptake. I had to take my basil outside and flush fresh water through the pot several times, then clip off the damaged leaves. The plant should recover, but it may take some time.

[JaneMurray-digq]

I like that you get to the point without a lot of jabbering. Have subscribed for that reason alone. Although your info was great and helpful.

[lilyavery]

Love a garden quickie! Excited for spring gardening and got my basil ready to go! Thanks for sharing.

[jimmcdowell]

Jeff, I check out other videos for all kinds of useful advice during the “off season”, but I always refer to your videos to compare notes. I wonder why? I think you know the answer. Rock on!

[barefootgardens]

I'm lucky. I put my basil outside when it was 45 - 55 and they did fine! Of course I brought them back in. Just used the unusually warm temps to get my plants some fresh air 😁

[EplemosLife]

I lost 60 basil plants to this. I think it was some kind of fungus which got spread around by flyes. Took two days before i spotted it on a couple before everything was literally infected.

[winstonsizemore]

Calcium and potassium also cause necrotic issues. Great channel 👍

[michaelmarchione]

Wow! Interesting! I've never seen that before. Thanks for sharing. Take care!

[emylytle]

That’s what I have right now they all brown and have falling leaves, 😢and yes I’m not home 12 hours cuz of my new job baby sitting 😬 so all my plants are neglected. I’m only home on weekends, now I’m so sick and it’s too cold outside and in 2-4 days we have rain so I’m just waiting for the right day to plant all my winter crop and hopefully I get to harvest them on time 😬😊👍 thanks Jeff it’s nice to watch and catch up some of your videos I missed.

[JM.TheComposer]

My first basils this season were glorious, but they suddenly died quite rapidly whilst still indoors.

I think it was the bacterial disease *pseudomonas chicorii*. Nasty stuff, and very quick to spread.

[vj]

Thank you that was very helpful. I love the song. Trying to adjust to living in Florida. I’m in zone 10 a

[sandyhayden-bristow]

What causes Fusarium Wilt? How can we prevent it? This is another great video to help us.

[thatonegirl]

Thanks! I'm growing it for the first time this year

[IAMGiftbearer]

I can't seem to grow herbs outdoors to save my life! They don't seem to do well transplanted in the ground. First they get stunted and then dry up and die regardless of watering enough but not too much. They never seem to develop a good root system. I'm thinking now that I might either put them outdoors only in fabric pots with all commercial soil, or keep them indoors. It may bee that the mix of the native soil and compost, peat and worm castings is still too heavy or dense.

[evelynchar]

I think I might have overwatered for a bit, and now I have tiny little black bugs in the soil - which I can see in the excess water coming out from the plant. Many of the leaves are browning. If anyone can tell me what to do with it I would really appreciate it 🥲

[Manwitch]

Hi, I just have discovered your channel and it's great!

[davidthedeaf]

I had this May purchased 4 identical sized Amazil Basil plants, and put each into a different container on my patio in the same location. Two got a brown spot on the stem about 1” from the soil and slowly died. The other two are alive and no sign of brown spots on the stem. There is no spots on the leaves either.

What killed them?