Problems with basil
Identify what's wrong by where it appears and what you can see.
Where is the problem?
Start by selecting the part of the plant where you see the problem.
Start with the symptom
Or pick from the symptoms most often seen on basil.
Common problems with basil
The problems recorded on basil, the most common first.
17 problems
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Slugs and snails
Ragged holes in leaves and seedlings gone overnight, with silvery slime trails. -
Cold and frost damage
Blackened, glassy shoots after a cold night. Tender plants collapse; hardy ones grow out of it. -
Damping off
Seedlings collapse at soil level with a thin, dark, pinched stem. -
Downy mildew
Yellow, angular patches on top of leaves with grey-purple fuzz underneath. -
Fusarium wilt
Leaves yellow and wilt, often on one side first; inside the stem is stained brown. -
Leafhoppers
Pale stippling on leaves and small insects that hop sideways when disturbed. -
Too little light
Pale, stretched growth that leans towards the window. No amount of feeding fixes it. -
Aphids
Small, soft insects clustered on new growth and under leaves, leaving sticky honeydew. -
Grey mould (botrytis)
Fuzzy grey mould on fruit, flowers and damaged leaves, rotting them in cool, damp weather. -
Overwatering
Yellow, limp leaves in soil that stays wet. Roots short of air rot and stop drinking. -
Powdery mildew
A white, powdery coating on leaves that spreads in dry weather, weakening the plant. -
Bolting (running to seed)
A tall flower stalk from the centre of a leafy crop. The leaves turn bitter and tough.
