HelpfulGardener.com

Hey ppl,

Anyone could give me some insight into what's happening with my basil leaves? I am very new to all the gardening so any advice would be very helpful.

V

Something is chewing on the leaves. Look under the leaves and in the soil. They probably chew at night. My usual suspects are snails an slugs.

Looks like sap-sucking damage. If you can't find any culprits under the leaves during the day, then it's probably beetles. Leafhoppers or even thrips are another possibility, but they should be easy to spot at any time of day if you look closely.

Also keep an eye out for Basil Downy Mildew. It was discussed a lot last couple of summers so when the lower leaves of basil seedlings I started in outdoor planter for fall started looking oddly discolored and found grey fuzzy mold growing on the underside, I thought of it right away.

Yeah , slugs usually chew holes in things , but plant juice suckers like aphids and thrips can leave marks like that. They can also lead to yellowing . Your basil looks yellowish , though I don't know if that is just the camera / lighting . Thrips are tiny and can be very hard to spot . Shake a leaf over a piece of paper . The thrips should be viSable on the paper as teeny black threads.

In the meantime , your basil plants are too crowded. The big one can go in the pot it will stay in, one gallon size . The babies can go in their own separate cups.

Best wishes ! Keep us posted on what you find and how your basil does .