My basil was always weak until I tried a different watering trick

For months, my basil plants on my south-facing balcony would get tall but the leaves stayed small and pale. I was watering them every morning like my other pots. Last month, I read about letting the soil dry out a bit more between deep waterings. I started checking by sticking my finger in up to the second knuckle, and only watering when it felt dry. After two weeks, the new growth came in way darker green and the leaves are almost double the size. Has anyone else found that less frequent watering works better for herbs in containers?

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kim_brown6mo ago

Same thing happened with my rosemary.

3

faith126mo ago

Ugh, is it just the worst when that happens? Mine looked so sad and stringy after I brought it inside, all the new growth just turned brown and crispy.

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