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barleybean15

What is wrong with my basil??!!

BarleyBean15
9 years ago

All three of my basil plants look like this. Last year they did great and were huge! Please help!

Comments (10)

  • shawski
    9 years ago

    I'd like to know as well, as mine look like this as well. :(

  • Pyewacket
    9 years ago

    I've seen that happen as a result of overfertilizing.

    ooooo, could that be Basil Downy Mildew? I've never seen that in person but here's an article about it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Basil Downy Mildew

    This post was edited by zensojourner on Mon, Aug 18, 14 at 0:49

  • Paul_mabbott
    9 years ago

    Could be quite a lot of things - cold period, lack of water (and, yes, overwatering - although Basil is fairly tolerant). However, I'd suggest something wrong with the roots - tip one out and see if you can se any aphids or other insect pests ....

  • MsOctober
    9 years ago

    I just re-joined GW because today my basil is very sick. I've grown basil for over 20 years and I've never seen anything like this. Nothing else is affected, even the purslane growing with it. It happened FAST like in 2 days. No over drying or watering. Container grown. Region is coastal Virginia.
    PLEASE HELP!! Our basil is my family's summer must have.
    It would happen right when our plum tomatoes are starting to turn red finally. TY in advance for any advice.

  • Peter1142
    9 years ago

    fertilizer burn?

  • balloonflower
    9 years ago

    MsOctober, your problem does not look the same to me. It does look more like a sunburn, where the leaves were wet midday.

    OP--it is hard to tell from the pic, and you don't give a location. Here in denver, basil is just not happy this year, because the night temps have been getting too low. I have 8 happy huge plants in an earthbox that have already given a couple harvests. But my in ground basils are puny, with small leaves and are only about a foot tall. That said, it does look as if you may have a fungal disease of some sort. I did have a potted plant with basil downy mildew, and the underside of leaf spores are very distinctive.

  • Gardener_Wes
    9 years ago

    First guy - The yellow looks like a nute burn. Could you please tell us what your nute schedule and recipe(what nutes your using) is?

  • MsOctober
    9 years ago

    Thanks for all answers. I'm in zone 7, Virginia. They are putting out new growth that seems fine. No signs of mildew on underside of leaves.
    I'm going to guess it was watering at mid day? I've never had it happen before, but I'll be very careful about that from now on! My first thought was that a neighbor's canine had marked my basil. I don't know if that would look the same? I'm just happy my guys are getting better.
    I hope everyone's basil recovers as well as mine did.

    LONG LIVE PESTO :)

  • martini100_gw
    9 years ago

    Sorry guys - first one is Downy Mildew. (Second one not so sure.) It is a strand that affects basil only. I lost 132 plants this year! Looks like nutrition deficiency (yellowing leaves) and then sunburn and then BAM totally infected. And there is nothing right now that will really treat it. Or eradicate it. Spreads like crazy! It's been a huge problem for a lot of growers - commercial and home alike.

    Real bummer. :(

    Margaret McGrath at Cornell University is working on trying to find a cure. You can google her and find all sorts of info.

  • tetrazzini
    9 years ago

    Yes, the first pic looks like downy mildew to me. Were the undersides of the leaves dirty looking, as if soil splattered up on them, but wouldn't rub off?

    I tried growing basil in pots on our deck this year, not in the garden. I used mostly 14" pots, though somewhat smaller ones worked too. I bought potting soil, didn't use my own soil. They grew very well. I'll empty the soil, wash the pots and use new soil next year. I guess nothing's stopping downy mildew from reaching the deck plants too, but it didn't this year. Crossing my fingers it never will.

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