Keeping up on herbs

Puggles

Puggles

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I put some herbs in the ground about 3-4 weeks ago and I think they're taking pretty well. But I've noticed that my basil is wilting a bit, that can be a sign of needing water, but also a sign from over watering (root rot). Every morning I check on them and the soil appears dry (at least the visible soil on top) how do I know if I need to add more or less water? We have had a few weeks of unusually warm weather here and the way they are planted they get afternoon sun (that's where they get the majority of their sun anyway).

Also, I've noticed some bugs here and there on them, how do I get rid of unwanted guests?

I was told to use this by a friend.
IMG_5316.jpg

But my question is, is it SAFE to eat my herbs that have been treated with this stuff?
 
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There should be directions that tell you when it is safe to eat things sprayed with the product. It can vary from right away to several days. There is an organic sign on it so it's safe to consume at some point.

I had to water outdoor basil a couple of times a day when it was really hot when I had my basil outside.
 
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medtran49 said:
There should be directions that tell you when it is safe to eat things sprayed with the product. It can vary from right away to several days. There is an organic sign on it do it's safe to consume at some point.

I had to water outdoor basil a couple of times a day when it was really hot when I had my basil outside.
Click to expand...
OK, that's what I've been doing, watering a few times a day because it looked like it needed it. I read somewhere that basil should be watered every 2-4 days, but if I followed those instructions, then my basil would be dry and wilted at this point. Love/hate relationship with the internet. 🤷‍♂️
 
Puggles said:
I put some herbs in the ground about 3-4 weeks ago and I think they're taking pretty well. But I've noticed that my basil is wilting a bit, that can be a sign of needing water, but also a sign from over watering (root rot). Every morning I check on them and the soil appears dry (at least the visible soil on top) how do I know if I need to add more or less water? We have had a few weeks of unusually warm weather here and the way they are planted they get afternoon sun (that's where they get the majority of their sun anyway).

Also, I've noticed some bugs here and there on them, how do I get rid of unwanted guests?

I was told to use this by a friend. View attachment 113972
But my question is, is it SAFE to eat my herbs that have been treated with this stuff?
Click to expand...
I'd not use it if I could avoid it, but that's me.
Most insects tend to come off herbs quite easily in water when you wash the herbs before use.

If the insects are causing widespread damage to the herbs then maybe, but insects feed other beneficial wildlife in the garden, so I typically just sow more of the herbs than I need and allow some bugs to live.
 
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I once had quite a few tomato plants growing on my window sill in the utility.

I didn't pay much attention to them as they grew well with me just chucking water at them every morning whilst half asleep.

Then kapow greenfly by the boatload.
So I decided to take the organic route.
I put them all outside and let nature take it's course, nature got well fed, I still wonder what those tomatoes would have been like 😂
 
Basil likes deep watering, so give it a little each day, but a lot every 2-3 days.
They can root very deep.
If you only give shallow waterings, then the roots stay at the surface and the plant is more susceptable to drought.

Your spray contains pyrhetroids.
They are basically safe, even straight after spraying.
You could make your own spray of garlic, chili pepper & soap.
Vinegar also works, very diluted.
Just always do a test spray to see if it doesn't burn
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Then kapow greenfly by the boatload.
So I decided to take the organic route.
I put them all outside and let nature take it's course, nature got well fed, I still wonder what those tomatoes would have been like 😂
Click to expand...
Green and white fly have been bad here this year, but not as bad as the vine moth caterpillars. They decimated the leaves on my vine. So no grapes this year, but then it didn't give me any last year and oddly the caterpillars were not such a problem last year.
I just let life live. I don't see the need to kill it all the time.
 
For watering your basil plant, just stick your little finger into the earth next to the plant. It might look dry on top, but if you can feel damp further down, then there's no need to water.
 
Puggles said:
OK, that's what I've been doing, watering a few times a day because it looked like it needed it. I read somewhere that basil should be watered every 2-4 days, but if I followed those instructions, then my basil would be dry and wilted at this point. Love/hate relationship with the internet. 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Basil also likes a water spray on the leaves, so if you feel like it's getting root rot, get a spray bottle with water in it and give that a go. You could also mound up a bit more potting soil around the base to help hold the moisture in.
 
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