Basil Leaves turning Yellow (5+ Causes and fixes for them)

Just chill plant lovers, because basil leaves turning yellow is one of the common problems but it requires proper attention to resolve. If you’re worried about how to get rid of and fix them, you have got to the perfect page.

I’ve gone through this phase when my once-green basil leaves started to turn yellow. I didn’t have any clue, where I went wrong. But you know what I refused to give up and made every effort to revive my basil plants. Eventually, I succeeded in saving them.

In this article, I’ve mentioned the common possible ways behind basil leaves turning yellow, as well as the possible causes and effective solutions to prevent it. So, let’s not delay and rescue those basil plants.

Quick takeaways:

• Basil is a versatile herb that is used in every kitchen. You can easily grow it.
• But you need to take care of them so that they give you long-lasting effects.
• Otherwise, they will face the problem of yellow leaves which is not a good sign for them.
• Yellowing of the leaves indicates that the plant is suffering from overwatering, underwatering, fungal infections, pests, and many more issues.
• Yellow-colored leaves show a wrong sign about the plant and if it goes for long, then the plant can die. This might be due to various reasons that you will see soon.

Why is Basil Leaves Turning Yellow? 

If your basil leaves are also turning yellow according to the types of basil you have grown in your garden, then you might be worried about it. So you need to find genuine reasons behind it and you should be aware of its cause so that you find solutions for fixing them. So, below are the points that show why your basil leaves are turning yellow: 

1. Downy Mildew

Yellowing leaves might be due to the downy mildew. It is a disease that is induced by the pathogen Peronospora Belbahrii. This disease comes from the water and air which makes your plant dangerous. If your basil leaves are turning yellow from the inside then it might be due to the downy mildew. 

2. Improper Sunlight

Every plant needs sunlight for its growth and development. If your leaves are turning yellow, then you have to think first if you are providing them with proper sunlight. When the plants do not receive enough sunlight, then they slowly begin to turn yellow which indicates they are not receiving chlorophyll. 

3. Nutrient deficiency

When the plant doesn’t receive a sufficient amount of nutrients, especially potassium then it starts to change the color of its leaves to yellow.

Potassium is much needed for the growth of any plant. So, it leads to yellow-colored leaves which is not a good thing for your plant.  

4. Overfertilization 

When you plant your basil plants outside, then you start to provide them with fertilizers more often which typically affects them.

Extra disposal of fertilizers slowly harms the plant and starts to change the leaves into yellow color.  

What are the Causes of yellow basil leaves? 

Various causes show the turning of yellow-colored leaves. Some of them are: 

1. Fungal disease

One of the main causes is the fungal disease that causes the plant to change the color of its leaves. The fungus disease spreads very fast and weakens the plant which at first turns its leaves yellow color and after some time, it will let the plant die. 

2. Overwatering

Another cause of yellow-colored leaves of basil plants might be overwatering. Being a sensitive herb, it needs water that can be tolerated by it.

As we know, excess of everything is bad so it will spoil your vegetation. These plants need their soil to be moist but overwatering will make them over-soggy which is not good for the plant.  

3. Under-watering

Underwatering the plants could be a great cause. If the plant does not get the right amount of water, then it leads the plants to become weakened, it doesn’t give good results and you will remain worried. An improper supply of water lets the plant’s leaves change their color. 

4. Aphids

Pests are one of the major causes that play an important role in spoiling any vegetation. One of them is aphids on basil plants that tend to suck the juice from the plants which weakens the plants. This will turn the leaves of basil plants into a yellow color. So, you should control them otherwise your plants will die. 

5. Caterpillars 

Caterpillars are also one of the causes of yellow-colored leaves. They tend to roam around the plant and sit on them so that they can get their food from them. They feed themselves and spoil the plant and it changes them into Yellow color leaves. 

How can you fix the basil leaves turning yellow? 

As you come to know about the causes of the yellow-colored leaves of the basil plants. So, you need to get rid of them and fix them so that you protect your vegetation and get lots of fruitful results, so let us know some of the ways with the help of which you can fix them: 

1. Addition of  Nutrients to Your Soil 

You need to add organic matter to your soil which should be nutrient-rich so that you can fix the yellow color leaves issues. You can either use compost or even well-rotted manure. They can be bought online and even from the market. Doing this will prevent your leaves from turning yellow. 

2. Provide sufficient sunlight 

Basil plants need proper sunlight so that they grow properly and remain disease-free. You need to provide them with about 6 hours of sunlight regularly so that they give you great results.

In the wintertime, they need to be in 12 hours of sunlight for their growth. It will not let the plants gain yellow-colored leaves. 

3. What about the fixing of downy mildew? 

As said, it harms the plants and changes their leaf colors, you have to fix them. You can do so by separating the plant from other plants.

You can place the plant in a dry environment. You can even move the leaves of the plants that are being affected by the fungus. It can fix them.  

4. Provide them with sufficient water 

When the plant remains dry all the time, it gets infected and then dies. So, you have to provide the proper amount of water.

When you see that the leaves are getting dry, then you have to water them. Provide them the right amount of water as needed by them in portions as it will start to fix them. 

5. Do not overwater your plants

Overwatering is not good for your plant, provide them water as needed by them and you can remove the plant from the places if it’s wet.

Let them dry so that they retain moisture. Also, do not place any plate or saucer under your plant as it collects the water and harms your plant. 

Concluding lines 

In this guide, you come to know that Basil is a sweet herb with some spiciness and is used in various dishes around the world. It is a part of the mint family and it has an aromatic scent that refreshes the mind. It is a versatile herb that is used in every kitchen. You can easily grow it. But you need to take care of them so that they give you a long-lasting effect. Otherwise, they will face the problem of yellow leaves which is not a good sign for them. So please read the article carefully to know about them.