Come annaffiare il basilico?
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Who hasn't bought a magnificent pot of bushy basil at the supermarket, only to see it wilt and blacken three days later in their kitchen?
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a diva. It hates being thirsty, but it hates having wet feet even more. It loves the sun, but burns behind a window.
How can you keep your "royal herb" alive for more than two weeks and make homemade pesto successfully? It's all in the art of watering.
1. Watering seedlings: The gentle method
Basil is easy to sow (in May or indoors all year round). But its seeds are tiny and fragile.
The fatal mistake: Watering with a bottle or a glass of water. The stream is too strong: it displaces the seeds and drowns the embryo.
The solution: Until the plant has 4 true leaves, use only a plant mister. The mist moistens the soil without compacting it.
The essential tool for seedlings
To help your basil germinate, keep the soil constantly moist without ever flooding it. Our plant mister delivers the ideal mist.
- ☁️ Micro-fine mist: Does not displace seeds.
- 💎 Durable brass: A professional mechanism that lasts for years.
2. Watering a mature plant: The golden rule
Once your basil has grown, the rules change. It needs a lot of water, but there's a catch.
NEVER wet the leaves!
Unlike tropical plants, basil hates having wet leaves (especially in the evening). This encourages downy mildew and grey mould. If the leaves turn black, it's often due to stagnant water.
How can you water without wetting the leaves?
This is where it gets tricky: basil is a very dense plant. It's difficult to reach the soil through the foliage.
Reach beneath the foliage
To water your basil safely, you must pour the water directly onto the soil. Our fine-spouted watering can slips between the stems without touching a single leaf.
- 🎯 Surgical precision: Aim for the root, not the leaf.
- ✨ Copper-coloured stainless steel: Hygienic and perfect for the kitchen.
3. The Gardener's Tip: The Cloche
If you grow your basil outdoors or on a balcony, it is vulnerable to cold (as soon as the temperature drops below 10°C) and insects.
The solution? Create a mini-greenhouse. By covering your plant with a garden cloche, you maintain constant humidity (reducing the need for watering) and protect it from the draughts it hates.
4. How often to water?
Basil is always thirsty:
- In summer: Every day if the pot is small and exposed to the sun.
- Indoors: Every 2-3 days. The potting soil should stay moist.
SOS Basil: The unmistakable signs
- Limp, drooping leaves: It is very thirsty! Water it straight away; it will perk up in 1 hour.
- Yellow or black leaves at the base: Too much water! The roots are rotting. Stop watering, cut off the dead parts and let the plant dry out.
Time to make pesto!
Basil is not so difficult to care for once you understand what it needs: plenty of light and regular watering, but never on the leaves.
View the designer watering can collection
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Merci