Basil is a beloved herb, often enjoyed in salads, pesto, pizza, and sandwiches. Some even savor it with fresh mozzarella on a cracker, drizzled with oil and balsamic vinegar, and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
This year, a local gardener decided to grow her own basil. Five weeks ago, she purchased six plants from a Walmart garden center. Initially, the plants thrived, showing plenty of new growth. However, after three weeks, only two plants remained alive. The gardener suspects overwatering may have led to the demise of the others.
With the East Texas Arboretum’s bi-annual Plant Sale occurring over the weekend, the gardener sought advice from Jennifer Garcia, Ph.D., the Executive Director of the Arboretum.
The gardener suggested that transferring the plants to larger planters might have helped. Garcia explained that plant care is nuanced and emphasized the importance of “hardening off” new plants.
“If you have a basil plant that has been growing in a protected greenhouse and then suddenly place it outside, it might receive too much sun or not enough,” Garcia explained. “You need to gradually acclimate the plant to its new environment.”
She added, “This means slowly increasing the time the plant spends in the sun each day, similar to how you would acclimate a fish to a new tank.”
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