Buying a fresh basil plant from the supermarket might seem like a great idea, until it starts wilting and dying just days later. It’s a frustrating experience many people face, especially when hoping to use the herb all summer long for pasta, pesto and more.
But according to a YouTube video by Sheffield Made Plants, it’s not your fault. In the short film titled Stop Killing Your Store Bought Basil, which has over 1.6 million views, the plant expert explains exactly why this happens, and how to fix it quickly at home. “You’ve been set up to fail by the grower,” the expert said. “You buy a live potted basil thinking you’d be making pasta and pesto all summer long, only to find the thing has melted into a complete mess only a couple of weeks later.”
The problem, he explained, is that store-bought basil pots often contain around 10 individual plants, all crammed together in a single small container.
While that might sound generous, the truth is far from it.
He said: “There are just far too many plants fighting for nutrients and water all in the same little pot.
“They scramble and fight so much that they end up all killing one another.”
The solution is simple – repot the basil straight away.
The video shows how to gently take the plant out of its original container and separate the stems, each with its own root system, into their own pots.
Some root damage is likely, but most of the plants will survive and thrive if given enough space.
Once the stems are separated and planted in individual pots with fresh soil, the presenter gives one final tip for getting bushy basil that lasts even longer.
“Get a nice clean pair of pruners out and give the central stem a chop,” he said.
This trick encourages new growth by stopping the plant from growing tall and thin. “Instead of having one dominant stem producing leaves, you’ve now got two.”
By cutting back regularly and letting the smaller leaf nodes grow, the basil will become fuller and healthier, and can last much longer than a few weeks on a windowsill.
The Sheffield-based expert said all his own basil-growing problems were solved once he made this simple change. “That is going to be a much happier plant,” he added.