A balanced water balance plays a central role in the successful care of basil. Find out here which water is particularly suitable for watering and how often it should be watered. There are also tips on the casting technique.
This is how basil stays in balance
If you want to water basil properly, you should avoid rashes in one direction or the other. In order for the herbal plant to thrive, the substrate must neither dry out nor stand in water. How often you water your basil is not determined by a fixed schedule. How to do it right:
- press your thumb 2-3 centimeters (1 inch) into the substrate early in the morning
- if the soil feels dry, there is a need for watering
- give the water directly to the roots and not over the leaves
The thumb test gives information about the moisture content of the substrate both in the bed and in the pot.
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Proper watering from below
Since basil does not want to be watered overhead, the following option is the ideal watering technique for the bucket:
- Place the herb pot in a bowl filled with 5 centimeters (2 inches) of water
- the capillary action of the roots automatically draws the water into the substrate
- when the moisture has reached the surface, the pot is removed from the bowl
How often you proceed with this pouring technique is proven by the thumb test. Since the soil is completely soaked with water, it is usually watered from below once a week.
Tips
Where very hard water flows from the tap, lime-sensitive basil should be watered with an alternative. Aquarium or pond water is ideal. Here, the lime content is very low, and valuable nutrients abound, which promote the growth of basil.
