Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb that is very easy to propagate from cuttings. In this article, I share with you all the steps, tricks, and hacks that I have learned from propagating rosemary and lavender from cuttings for many years, and I distilled all my knowledge into this article to ensure the highest rate of success with your propagated cuttings.

I personally propagate rosemary every year as it is so easy and a great way to gain many extra plants for free and from my experience, I have developed the best formula and know what to avoid.

The best way to propagate rosemary is from a cutting planted straight into the soil. This method has a much greater rate of success than growing rosemary from seed or growing rosemary cuttings in water.

Keep reading for my best step-by-step guide to propagate rosemary…

When is the Best Time to Take Rosemary Cuttings?

In my experience, the best time of year to take rosemary cuttings from propagation is early Spring.

The temperatures in Spring are still relatively cool, which means that whilst your cutting is in a vulnerable state without any roots, it does not have to contend with the high temperatures. The blazing sunshine of Summer can dry the cuttings out before the roots develop (This is a common mistake!)

In Spring, the rosemary cutting can benefit from the bright light, which provides the energy for growing roots, and the roots have a chance to grow and establish so they are able to draw up moisture and nutrients before having to withstand Summer heat and sun.

May and June are the best months for taking rosemary cuttings as the threat of frost has usually passed and the temperature range is usually favorable so that the cuttings do not lose too much water from transpiration.

However, I have personally propagated rosemary from cuttings in the Summer and early Fall.

The early Fall (September and early October particularly) is still a good time for propagating as the soil has had all year to warm up, and warm soil can increase the rate of root development.

With cuttings taken in the Fall, it is important to provide protection over Winter to prevent the developing plant from freezing.

With Summer cuttings, more precautions are warranted to prevent the cuttings from drying up, such as clear plastic bags to retain humidity, more shade, frequent watering, etc.

I would not recommend taking cuttings in late Fall or Winter as rosemary is usually dormant, therefore the roots would grow too slowly for any real propagation success.

The Most Effective Way to Propagate Rosemary

The best way to propagate rosemary is by taking cuttings and planting them straight into the soil rather than propagating in water.

Why is propagating in soil better than propagating in water?

As rosemary is adapted to tolerate drought, it is more susceptible to rot than most plants, so the cuttings often die back before developing roots.

Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb that grows naturally in gritty soils that do not hold much moisture, so I find it is always best to replicate these conditions when growing and propagating rosemary cuttings.

However, rosemary can develop roots in water. Still, in my experience, the roots that grow are much more delicate than those that grow in soil and, therefore, are liable to break or be damaged when transferring the rosemary cutting into the soil and planting it up.

I have had water roots break off my rosemary cuttings too often when it comes time to plant them up in their potting mix, hence why this is not my preferred method.

I have had a much higher success rate by propagation straight into potting soil.

How Long Does Rosemary Take to Root?

Typically, rosemary cuttings take 3 to 6 weeks to develop a root system, but it can depend on the time of year and the temperature of the soil.

If the soil is warm, the growing conditions are optimal, and the cuttings do not have to contend with stress from temperatures and sunlight. Then, I had the cuttings develop a root system as quickly as 3 weeks, particularly in Spring.

Whereas in colder weather, you can wait as long as 6 weeks for rosemary to develop a good, self sustaining root system.

You can tell when rosemary cuttings develop roots in soil when the cutting starts to produce new growth with a longer stem, side shoots, or new leaves growing.

The new growth indicates the root system is able to uptake the moisture and nutrients required for the rosemary to grow successfully.

It is also worth noting that the type of cutting can influence how quickly the cuttings root.

Rosemary cuttings with soft, flexible, semi-ripe growth develop roots more quickly than those from older woodier growth.

Rosemary Cuttings Root More Quickly with Hormone Rooting Powder

Should you use hormone rooting powder for rosemary cuttings? There is a lot of debate on this, so I did my own experiments to find out for myself…

It is not completely necessary to use hormone root powder to grow rosemary from cuttings successfully. Rosemary can root just by planting them directly in the soil.

However, in my experience with propagating both rosemary and lavender cuttings, hormone rooting powder increases the rate of growth of the roots. Therefore there are a greater number of successfully propagated rosemary plants.

As the roots are quicker to establish, the rosemary plant grows much better.

With a more developed root system, the rosemary cutting can draw up moisture more efficiently, which makes it more resilient to hot weather in the Summer, and I have found they are far less likely to dry out

Whereas cuttings without hormone-rooting powder can often succumb to hot weather.

My best tip: The exciting thing that I discovered was that the cuttings with hormone rooting powder also matured and hardened off before Winter and actually grew better the following year as they had a head start compared to less well-established cuttings without root hormone powder.

So, on that basis, I do recommend hormone rooting powder for rosemary cuttings as it is relatively inexpensive, and I had good results.

The Best Soil For Propagating Rosemary Cuttings

It is critical to use the right potting mix for propagating rosemary from cuttings, as rosemary can be particularly vulnerable to root rot if it is planted in the wrong type of soil.

In the natural Mediterranean habitat, rosemary grows in gritty soil on hillsides with excellent drainage and relatively low-nutrient soil.

It is essential to recreate these soil conditions for your rosemary cuttings to prevent rot.

If the cuttings are planted in damp compost that retains too much moisture or drains too slowly, then they are likely to develop root rot and die back without growing.

When first attempting to propagate rosemary, I made the mistake of planting the cuttings into rich compost, which simply retained too much water, and my cuttings died back.

To emulate the rosemary’s preferred soil type, use around 30% horticultural grit or sand with around 70% peat-free potting soil.

This potting mix achieves the balance of good drainage, soil structure, and level of nutrients to promote good growth for your rosemary cuttings.

It is important to avoid using any potting soil that has any added fertilizer, as rosemary prefers low nutrient soil.

Excess fertilizer causes the rosemary to grow leggy and reduces the concentration of essential oils in the leaves so that they do not smell as potent or taste as strong. Personally, the whole joy of growing rosemary is for the aroma and flavor!

Step 1: Propagating Rosemary Cuttings – Choose the Right Pot and Potting Mix

Choose a pot with a drainage hole in the base and fill it with a potting mix of around 30% horticultural sand or grit and 70% potting soil.

I personally recommend propagating rosemary cuttings in a terracotta or unglazed clay pot as these materials are porous, which allows the potting soil to dry out more evenly. This is important because rosemary is a drought-tolerant herb that is adapted to dryer conditions and can often rot if the soil is too wet.

Plastic pots are impermeable and can retain moisture too long for the rosemary cuttings to tolerate.

In my photos, I have used horticultural sand, but grit and perlite perform just as well.

Important tip: Water the potting mix now before placing the cuttings in the soil to allow the soil to settle and also to prevent the soil around the cuttings from washing away.

Step 2: Choose the Best Cuttings for Propagation

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of selecting a healthy-looking stem for cuttings rather than any weaker, thinner, straggly-looking stems. Ideally, choose semi-ripe growth.

‘Semi-ripe’ in this context just means selecting a stem that is roughly a month or so old, with the top of the growth being greener and more flexible, whereas further down, the cutting has hardened off slightly and is more firm.

Cut a length of rosemary that is around 6 inches long with a sharp pair of pruners.

With sharp pruners, cut back any leaves that are in the bottom half of the cutting, like I did in the photo below:

The more leaves the cutting has, the more moisture it will lose, so removing the lower leaves whilst the cutting still has no roots increases its longevity and reduces the risk of it drying out and dying.

I should emphasize it is important to leave some of the leaves at the top of the cutting to provide the cutting with the energy to grow its roots.

Note that the roots actually emerge from a leaf node, so by removing the lower leaves of the cutting, you are exposing the nodes to the soil from which the roots develop.

The leaf node is a highly adaptable part of the plant that is capable of growing new leaves, branches, and roots to ensure the survival of the plant. (A rather amazing feat of survival, don’t you think?)

Step 3: Coat the Bottom 3 Inches of the Rosemary Cutting in Hormone Rooting Powder

Once you have removed the lower leaves of the cutting, dip it into a pot of hormone-rooting powder, ensuring the bottom 2 or 3 inches of the cutting is coated with the powder.

The potting mix should be soft enough in texture that you can just slot the bottom 2-3 inches of the cutting into the soil, primarily at the edge of the pot.

Why at the edge of the pot?

The reason for recommending placing cuttings around the edge is because the pot can provide additional support to prevent the cutting from falling out of its place.

I personally also place the cuttings in the center of the pot as well just to take advantage of the space, and I find most cuttings take well regardless of where they are placed.

It’s best practice to space the cuttings at least 3 inches apart to give each cutting enough space to access light and room for their roots to develop.

Step 4: Take at least 10 Rosemary Cuttings for Propagation

Even if you follow all the steps perfectly and provide the optimal conditions, there is no guarantee for even the most experienced gardener that all your cuttings are going to be successful, so it is a good idea to spread your bets.

Being generous with the number of cuttings also has another advantage.

Perhaps the most common reason for rosemary cuttings dying is because the soil is too damp for the drought-resistant Mediterranean herb to tolerate.

Top tip: If you have several cuttings in the soil, evenly spaced out, then they can all draw up moisture which means overall the potting soil does not remain damp for as long as it otherwise would. This helps to achieve the right balance of moisture for them to grow and avoid rotting.

As rosemary is adapted to dryer conditions, root rot from damp soil is usually a bigger threat to the cutting’s survival.

If you only have 1 or 2 cuttings in the whole pot, then the potting soil dries out more slowly, which increases the risk of root rot.

Step 5: Use a Transparent Plastic Bag to Prevent the Cuttings from Drying Out

Place a clear plastic bag over the cuttings to conserve moisture.

Whilst the rosemary cuttings do not like excess moisture, when they have just been cut, you are cutting off its means of uptaking water and sustaining itself, so in the first 3 weeks or so, there is a real risk of the cuttings drying out.

The plastic bag creates a slightly more humid microclimate to stop the cuttings from drying out too quickly when they do not have roots.

From my years of experience, I find the importance of using a plastic bag is drastically increased if you are propagating in the Summer when the temperature is high and the sun is at its more intense.

Sometimes cuttings can propagate successfully without using a bag if the weather is more overcast and rainy.

Typically, the bag is only necessary for the first 3 weeks. After around 2 weeks, I sometimes cut the top of the bag slightly to create a balance between humidity and ventilation.

Step 6: Where to Place Your Rosemary Cuttings

In my experience, it is best to place the rosemary cuttings in bright, indirect light for the first 3 weeks or so until I see any new growth.

The new growth on the cutting indicates that it has definitely developed roots. At this point, I moved the rosemary cuttings to an area of the garden with around 6 hours of morning sun but shaded in the afternoon to protect the cuttings from the more intense heat.

The morning sun is less intense, and the temperature is cooler, which provides the cuttings with energy to photosynthesize and further develop their root system without having to contend with the more intense sun and temperatures of the afternoon, which can still dry out the immature rosemary cutting even if it has developed roots.

Step 7: How to Water Rosemary Cuttings

The cuttings need the soil to be evenly moist after watering and then dry slightly before the next bout of watering. How often your rosemary cuttings need watering in your specific climate can depend on several variables, such as temperature, sunlight, and how much moisture the soil retains.

In my experience, the best way to tell if rosemary cuttings need watering is by assessing the weight of the pot immediately after watering and then periodically lifting the pot up to assess the weight as the soil dries. As soon as the pot feels noticeably lighter, it is a good idea to water the cuttings.

I also would recommend leaving some space in the pot so that you can feel the soil to a finger’s depth. Feeling the soil is the best way to detect whether the soil is moist or dry and, therefore, when it should be watered.

The soil should be mostly somewhat moist, with the surface drying out a bit.

As long as the soil is not boggy and you have amended the potting soil with sand or grit, then the cuttings should largely be safe from overwatering.

I would always advise using a rosette on your watering can that pours out a fine delicate stream of water.

The smaller the can, the less water pressure there is, so you can safely water the cuttings without washing the soil away from around the cuttings.

For how to water more mature, fully grown rosemary plants read my article, how to water rosemary plants.

Common Problems With Propagating Rosemary Cuttings

Rosemary cuttings can wilt and die due to both overwatering and underwatering.

If you place your finger in the soil and the soil feels saturated, then you have most likely watered the cuttings too often, or there may be a drainage issue with the pot, such as a lack of drainage holes in the base or blocked drainage holes.

To avoid problems associated with overwatering, always amend the potting soil with sand or grit to improve drainage, plant your cuttings in a terracotta pot as they dry out more evenly than plastic pots, and only water when the surface of the soil starts to feel slightly dry.

What I often do is place the pot on ‘feet’ (usually bricks) so that my pot is elevated off the ground to ensure that excess water can drain from the base efficiently.

I should also emphasize that the plastic bag over the top (to retain humidity) is typically only necessary for 3 weeks as the cuttings should take root and be able to draw up moisture.

If your bag has a lot of condensation on the inside, I would cut little slits in the top corners to allow for some ventilation, as too much humidity can also cause the cuttings to rot when combined with overwatering.

Other common causes for wilting and dying cuttings often have to do with placing the cuttings in too much sunlight.

In the first 3 weeks, I place the cuttings in bright indirect light to give the cuttings time to root before having to contend with full sun.

Even after three weeks after the cuttings have theoretically rooted I only place the cuttings in the morning sun and shade them in the afternoon as the high afternoon temperatures can still dry out the cuttings.

Using hormone rooting powder always helps as the quicker the roots develop, the cuttings can start drawing up their own moisture, and they are less likely to dry out.

Quicker root development also means you can remove the plastic bag earlier to prevent problems with excess humidity and start to treat the cuttings as you would a normal rosemary plant.

If your cuttings keep dying, I urge you to have another go and follow all the tips that are detailed in the steps above, and you should have a good rate of success with your cuttings!

If any cuttings do die, then remove them quickly from the pot as rotting organic material in the pot is not good for the other cuttings, and removing the dead cuttings also gives the other cuttings more access to light and more space for their roots.

Read my article, How to Revive a Dying Rosemary Plant.

How to Care for Propagated Rosemary Cuttings

After 3-6 weeks, the rosemary cutting should have developed roots, and the cutting should display some new growth.

At this point, a clear plastic bag is not necessary, as mature rosemary plants do not like high humidity.

Once the cuttings have rooted, they are far less vulnerable to dying from drought stress, but it is still worth watering them once a week to ensure they do not dry out.

Always water with the goal of ensuring the potting soil is evenly moist. If you water too lightly, the roots grow near the surface and do not establish properly.

In my experience, it is better to keep the rosemary cuttings in the pot than have been propagated in for the first year to allow the roots to develop as much as possible without the disturbance and shock of transplanting.

Suppose you are in a climate with cold Winter and freezing temperatures. In that case, I always keep my cuttings in a cold frame (which is just a mini greenhouse) or a greenhouse, as immature cuttings are more vulnerable to damage in cold weather than mature rosemary plants.

In the following Spring, you can transplant the cuttings into their own pot.

I must re-emphasize the importance of planting rosemary in potting soil amended with sand or grit, as drainage is critical for these hardy Mediterranean herbs.

Locate mature rosemary in full sun and only water if they are in a pot and in times of drought.

Do not add any fertilizer, as rosemary grows naturally in nutrient-poor, sandy soils.

The concentration of essential oils (that are responsible for the fragrance) is higher when rosemary is in nutrient-poor soil with lots of sunshine.

Too much fertilizer causes the rosemary to grow leggy with a weaker fragrance and a weaker taste.

To learn more, read my article How to Care for Rosemary in Pots.

Olive trees lose their leaves due to overwatering, a lack of sunlight, and cold temperatures. Indoor olive tree leaves curl and drop off due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity and because they are in too much shade.

Olive trees are Mediterranean in origin and to prevent your olive tree from dropping leaves, replicate some of the growing conditions of their native environment with well-draining soil, full sun, and protection from freezing temperatures.

Do not worry as I have saved my own olive tree which had bear branches and I share all my experience in this article…

Keep reading to learn why your olive tree is losing its leaves, whether it’s indoors, in Winter, after repotting, or for any other reason, and learn how you can implement the solutions to save your Olive tree from leaf drop…

Why is My Olive Tree Losing Leaves in Winter?

Olive trees are well adapted to hot and relatively dry Mediterranean climates that have mild Winters, usually without freezing temperatures.

If you live in a climate where temperatures reach freezing in Winter (as I do), then I recommend growing olive trees in pots and giving them some form of protection in Winter.

Olive trees do become more tolerant of cold temperatures as they mature. What I have learned from growers in the Mediterranean is that with thicker trunks, the older gnarled olive trees tend to be more cold-hardy than the skinny trucked immature trees, so my advice if you buy a new olive tree is to go with a bigger, more mature specimen.

I personally bought my first olive trees that were skinny young trees, which is a decision I regret because they lost their leaves in the cold.

The leaves of olive trees often drop in Winter to some extent (particularly if they are in climates that significantly contrast the Mediterranean) due to cooler temperatures, fewer hours of light, and lower light intensity. However, I think you all olive trees should be protected to reduce the number of leaves dropping as the olive can die in particularly adverse conditions.

Ideally move the olive tree to a heated greenhouse (If you are lucky enough to have a heated greenhouse!) as this has the benefit of a higher average temperature as well as far more hours of sunlight (olive trees need full sun). You can also place the olive tree in a cool porch or as I did, place mine in my conservatory that preferabely has a South facing aspect for a much light as possible.

It is particularly important to keep the roots insulated (as they are the most cold-vulnerable part of the tree), so use some horticultural fleece or bubble wrap around the pot to keep the cold out.

From experience, I can say it doesn’t necessarily have to reach freezing for the leaves to drop off the olive tree. If the temperature suddenly decreases, this sudden contrast is likely to trigger the leaves to drop.

If all the leaves have dropped off due to cold temperatures, then protect your olive tree from freezing temperatures for the rest of the Winter and locate it in a sunny location. When I protected my trees from the worst of the Winter temperatures, far fewer leaves fell off, and it gave my tree a head start in growing new leaves in the following Spring.

Why is My Indoor Olive Tree Losing Leaves?

If you have recently brought your olive tree indoors to protect it in Winter or recently bought one from a garden center, then I find the olive tree often loses some, if not all, of its leaves due to the contrast in conditions between the outdoors and the indoor environment.

As explained to me by commercial growers, olive trees are often cultivated in very specific, controlled conditions before sale in a commercial greenhouse, and when they are moved, the transplant stress often causes dropping leaves.

Olive trees are sensitive to sudden variation in environmental conditions and can start to curl and then drop their leaves indoors due to:

• Sunlight. Olive trees are native to warm climates with full sun, so there are often too few hours of light indoors for the olive tree to support its leaves and grow.
• Temperatures. Olive trees are not cold hardy, so when they are moved inside, there is often a significant contrast in temperatures, which causes the plant shock and results in dropping leaves. Indoor heating can also cause the temperature to increase at night, whereas the olive tree is adapted to cooler temperatures in the evening, which also contributes to falling leaves.
• Humidity. Houses in Winter (or at any time of the year) often have much lower levels of humidity than outdoors, which can sap too much moisture from the leaves, causing them to curl up and drop off.
• Airflow from air conditioning, forced air, or convection currents from other sources of indoor heating saps moisture from the leaves of the olive tree, causing them to drop to conserve water.
• Differences in the watering frequency or rainfall can also cause stress and contribute to leaves dropping indoors.

It is very common for olive trees to drop their leaves when they are brought indoors, so don’t worry, you are not alone but; this does not mean the tree is going to die; it is just a reaction to the fluctuating conditions indoors, and there are ways to mitigate the impact of the stress so that the olive tree survives after dropping its leaves indoors…

How to Save Indoor Olive Trees…

Here are my best tips to revive the olive tree after losing its leaves and to mitigate any further leaf drop…

• Houses in Winter are particularly low in humidity, so I recommend occasionally misting the olive tree (once every 2 days) to counteract the dry air indoors. This should help prevent the leaves from curling and dropping off.
• Always locate your olive tree in the sunniest window of the house. Bright light is typically not enough for olive trees as they are adapted to growing in open, sunny areas, so try to find an area with as much direct sunlight as possible. This should give them more energy for photosynthesis and help retain any leaves.
• Try to maintain a fairly consistent temperature range, as I find sudden fluctuations are a major cause of falling leaves. The biggest mistake I see is keeping olive trees near radiators or any other sources of heat, as this can dry out the soil too quickly and sap moisture from the leaves.
• Avoid locating your olive tree in the path of any air currents from air conditioning or forced air.
• Higher indoor temperatures, dry air currents, low humidity, and a lack of natural rainfall all cause more water loss from the olive tree than it would typically experience outdoors, which means you may have to increase the frequency of watering to avoid the olive tree losing its leaves due to drought stress. However, this is a balancing act, as overwatering can also be responsible for falling leaves. Give the olive tree a good soak in the Spring and Summer once a week, and scale back the watering to once every 4 weeks in Winter. If the leaves start to curl before dropping, increase the frequency of watering and the humidity by misting the leaves.

If your olive tree has lost all of its leaves indoors, I assure you it can still recover as long as you address any environmental concerns (such as low light or low humidity), and the olive tree should be able to grow leaves when the conditions are more favorable in the growing season in the Spring and Summer.

I know it can be a frustrating game of patience but I promise it is worth it!

Overwatering and Slow Drainage Causes Olive Trees to Drop Leaves

As I previously stated, olive trees are native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, where they grow best on rocky slopes in well-draining soil of low to medium fertility with high temperatures and relatively low rainfall.

These conditions ensure that the soil around the roots is aerated, porous, and drains efficiently to avoid water logging.

If the olive tree has too much moisture around the roots, then this is contrary to their natural preferred conditions and can interfere with root respiration and promote the conditions for root rot.

The most common reasons for too much moisture around the roots that I encounter are:

1. Overwatering.
2. Slow-draining soils.
3. Pots without drainage holes in their base.
4. The use of any saucers or trays underneath the pot causes water to pool around the base.

Heavy clay soil or even unamended potting soil can all retain too much moisture for too long after watering for the olive tree to tolerate, which causes the leaves to turn yellow or brown and drop off.

How to Save an Overwatered Olive Tree that is Dropping Leaves

Whilst you do not need a Mediterranean climate to grow olive trees, it is important to replicate aspects of the native environment to create favorable drainage soil conditions.

• The most important factor is to scale back the frequency of watering. Olive trees need the soil to be relatively dry between each bout of watering or rainfall. I recommend watering potted olive trees about once per week in the Summer and only watering every 2 weeks in the Spring if there has been no significant rainfall. You only need to water olive trees in Winter (about once every 4 weeks or so) if they are indoors. How often you water, of course, depends on your climate, with potted olive trees in arid climates needing more frequent watering and olive trees in more rainy, overcast climates needing less water, so adjust your schedule accordingly.
• Olive trees need well-draining soil that replicates the soil conditions in their natural environment. If the soil is too rich and retains too much water, then this has the same effect as overwatering and results in falling leaves and possibly root rot.
• I personally use a potting mix of about 50% potting soil amended with 25% horticultural grit and 25% horticultural sand (by volume of the pot). This creates the optimal well-draining soil structure. The different-sized particles composed of sand and grit are very effective at mimicking the drainage conditions of the olive tree’s rocky environments creating excellent drainage.

Good soil drainage helps to counteract overwatering and high rainfall to ensure the olive tree’s roots remain healthy.

• I love to place my olive tree’s pot on ‘feet’, which elevate the pot an inch or so off the ground. This helps to further promote drainage, which is particularly important in climates that have higher levels of rainfall than the Mediterranean.
• Ensure that pots have a drainage hole in the base; if not, repot your olive tree to prevent root rot.

If your olive tree is planted in normal potting soil, then I recommend repotting as soon as possible, regardless of the time of year, as if it remains in damp soil, it is likely to die of root rot.

Once you scale back the watering and improve the drainage conditions, the olive tree should be less stressed.

Even if it has lost its leaves, I can tell you from my experience that olive trees are surprisingly resilient, and the leaves can regrow (in the Spring and Summer) when growing conditions are more favorable.

Losing Leaves Due to a Lack of Water

Whilst it is more common for olive trees to lose their leaves due to overwatering, in rare cases, I have seen them lose leaves if the root ball dries out completely and bakes hard in the sun.

If the olive tree leaves shrivel or curl before dropping, then this would typically indicate that your olive tree is suffering drought stress.

The leaves curl to reduce their surface area which helps to conserve moisture. The leaves drop off in extreme drought as a survival strategy to prevent further water loss.

Your olive trees can lose their leaves from drought stress because of:

• The pot is too small and, therefore, is unable to accommodate the olive tree’s extensive root system. One of the olive tree’s key adaptions to drought is that the roots are deep and able to access moisture deep underground. If the pot is too small, then it has less capacity for soil and therefore dries out much quicker. This is often exacerbated by the fact that olive trees need full sun which causes the olive tree’s pot to heat up quickly and bake hard, depriving the olive tree of moisture, and the soil can be hard and difficult for the roots to grow.
• Watering too lightly. Olive trees do not need to be watered as often as a lot of plants due to their resistance to drought, but they do require a good soak. If the soil is watered too lightly, then the moisture does not infiltrate the soil and reach the roots where it is required.
• Keep in mind that a lot of olive trees (that I see in garden centers) have dark, fashionable pots that can absorb extra heat from the soil and dry out the soil too quickly.
• Excess heat from Summer heat waves and low rainfall can also cause some leaves to drop.

How to Save it…

Olive trees that have lost their leaves due to a lack of water often recover due to their resilience to drought.

After a period of drought, it is important to soak the olive tree’s root ball as effectively as possible.

When the soil dries out completely, it can bake hard and repel water off the surface, causing the water to run down the side of the pot without reaching the roots.

Therefore, it is essential to soak the entire pot and even submerge it (if possible) for 10 minutes or so; however, I realise doing this can be tricky.

The way I did this with my olive tree is by entirely submerging my pot of the olive tree in a wheel barrow full of water for around 10 minutes or so, then the moisture can infiltrate the soil effectively and the olive tree can get the drink it requires to help it recover.

If this is not practical (due to the weight of the tree and pot), then water the olive tree as generously as you can and scratch back the surface of the soil to assess whether the water is infiltrating properly.

In this case, I would recommend buying a moisture meter which is a good way to detect whether the water is soaking into the soil properly.

Once the soil has been thoroughly soaked, the structure changes, and it should not repel water in the same way as long as you don’t leave it too long between bouts of watering.

Top tip: All the commercial growers told me that a good way to prevent this from happening is when you come to re-pot your olive tree, use a more porous potting mix of 50% potting soil, 25% horticultural grit, and 25% horticultural sand to create the open porous structure that allows water to easily infiltrate even when it has been baked in the sun.

This process allows the olive tree to recover from drought stress, and as long as you adjust your watering schedule to prevent the soil from baking in the sun, then the leaves should regrow in the Spring and Summer.

Losing Leaves Due to a Lack of Sunlight…

Olive trees can drop their leaves if they are in too much shade.

Olive trees have specifically adapted to growing in open areas in full sun in their native Mediterranean habitat, so if they are in the shade, the leaves can turn yellow and fall off, with poor overall growth of the tree, so do not locate your olive trees in the shade.

Always locate your olive tree in as much sun as possible, whether that is out in the garden, greenhouse, or in a south-facing window indoors.

It is particularly important to locate olive trees in South facing, sunny windows when bringing the olive tree indoors for Winter protection as there are fewer hours of sun and lower intensity of light in Winter so the olive tree requires as much sun as possible to stay healthy and prevent leaf drop. My porch is South facing, so it works well for storing my olive tree in Winter.

Lack Of Fertilizer can Contribute to Leaves Dropping

Olive trees are not especially heavy feeders as they are adapted to growing in rocky soils that do not necessarily retain a lot of nutrients.

However, if they have been in the same pot for several years, then the olive tree’s extensive root system can exhaust the potting soil of available nutrients, which can reduce the rate of growth and cause the leaves to turn yellow or brown and fall off.

As olive trees are specifically adapted to growing in specific conditions in the Mediterranean, it is important to use an olive tree fertilizer (instead of an all-purpose fertilizer), which provides the olive tree with the right nutrients at the optimal concentration.

When my olive tree lost its leaves, this is the fertilizer that I used to help it rejuvenate. I found that the growth of new leaves can be a bit sluggish without fertilizer as growing all new leaves is such an energy intensive process.

I applied the fertilizer once a month in the Spring until about mid summer, and my olive tree looked much better for it.

Why is My Olive Tree Losing Leaves After Repotting?

Olive trees often lose some of their leaves after repotting due to stress. This is very common, and the leaves grow back in the Spring and Summer as long as the growing conditions are favorable such as:

• Locating the olive tree in full sun.
• Watering when the soil has a chance to dry out ( to prevent root rot).
• Protecting the olive tree from freezing temperatures.
• Repotting the olive tree into a pot that is only slightly larger than the previous pot.
• Repotting the olive tree in potting soil that is amended with horticultural grit and sand for improved drainage.

Believe me, if you ask any olive grower in Greece, they will tell you that Spring is always the best time to repot your olive trees as this is the time of year when they are most resilient.

Something that you should bear in mind is that larger pots have a greater capacity for soil and, therefore, a greater capacity for moisture. If you repot your olive tree into a pot that is too large, then the soil is likely to take too long to dry out, which promotes the conditions for root rot and causes the leaves to drop, so always choose a pot that is only slightly larger than the previous pot.

I personally make sure my new pot is only 2 inches or so larger in diameter than the previous pot for this reason.

Remember that olive roots like to grow deep more so than outward, so when choosing your pot select a deeper pot rather than just a wider pot.

If you do not have a deep enough pot, I would recommend looking online, as this is an important step to save your tree.

A classic mistake that I see people make when repotting their olive tree is firming the potting soil. Avoid firming in the potting soil too much, as this pushes out the oxygen from the soil, which interferes with root respiration.

My love tree recovered from repotting (with the help of the fertilizer that I previously mentioned) in the early Spring, with new leaves emerging in around March. I think the new leaves would grow without the fertilizer, but your tree is likely to look a bit sparse. However, 2 years after my olive tree lost its leaves, mine is not looking great!

(Read my article, how to revive a dying olive tree).

Key Takeaways:

• Olive trees lose their leaves as a reaction to cold temperatures, overwatering, a lack of sunlight, and because of a contrast in growing conditions when they are brought indoors for Winter protection.
• To revive olive trees that are losing leaves it is essential to protect them from the cold, locate them in full sun, and only water when the soil has dried.
• Olive trees can regrow their leaves when you recreate the conditions of their native environment with more sunlight, gritty well-draining soils, and mild temperatures in Winter.
• Indoor olive tree leaves can curl before falling off in dry homes due to the lack of humidity, fluctuating temperatures, and lack of sunlight. Locate the olive tree in a sunny south-facing Window, mist the leaves, and keep it away from any direct sources of heat, and the leaves should regrow in the Spring.

In this article, I share with you all the knowledge I learned to help save your olive tree if it looks like it is dying…

The most common reason for a dying olive tree is usually root rot due to overwatering and slow-draining soils. Olive trees are drought resistant, preferring to grow in gritty, well-draining soils, and usually do not need watering. Damp soil causes root rot, which turns the olive trees’ leaves yellow before dropping off and dying back.

Whilst overwatering is the most common reason for a dying olive tree, here is a table summarizing other reasons I have identified for dying olive trees…

Olive trees usually die back because they live in conditions significantly contrary to their native Mediterranean environment. But I can assure you that you can still grow olives in different climates…

I revive dying olive trees by recreating some of the conditions of their natural Mediterranean environment with full sun, well-draining gritty soils, and avoiding watering unless there is a drought. Olive trees can die back in Winter but often recover in Spring with warmer temperatures and more sunlight.

Keep reading to diagnose why your olive tree is dying and for my step-by-step guide on how to save it…

Why is My Olive Tree Leaves Losing Leaves?

• Symptoms. Leaves often turn brown or even yellow and fall off.
• Causes. Not enough light, cold temperatures, Winter dormancy, and sudden temperature fluctuations are the most common causes of shedding leaves, with slow-draining soils or overwatering being contributing factors.

Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean where they thrive in full sun with relatively high temperatures in the Summer and mild Winters, in well draining soil and fairly dry conditions.

If your olive tree is losing leaves, it is usually because it is living in conditions that are significantly contrary to their preferred conditions.

Olive trees need to be in the sunniest place in your garden to have enough energy to sustain themselves and for the energy-intensive process of developing and producing olives in the Summer.

The most common cause of olive leaves dropping is a lack of light, as olives prefer open sunny areas. In shady conditions, the olive leaves often turn brown and drop off and do not produce any fruit.

The other major cause of olive trees dropping their leaves is in response to cold temperatures, and olives struggle to survive in harsh Winters. My olive trees struggle in my cold climate.

I was told by the commercial growers that How resilient your olive tree is to cold temperatures depends on the tree’s age, size, and maturity, with younger, smaller trees being more likely to drop all their leaves and die back in Winter.

Even on mature olive trees, the newer, more tender growth is still adversely affected by cold temperatures with leaves turning brown and dropping, so I would avoid pruning in late Summer as this can stimulate new growth which is more susceptible to the cold.

Olive trees can survive brief periods of freezing weather, particularly the bigger, more mature specimens, but for smaller, less mature trees, extended periods of freezing temperatures without any insulation likely result in a dying olive tree. I have been told by the experts even the mature trees are likely to die back at temperatures of or lower than 14°F (-10°C).

A great tip I was told is that olive trees are colder and hardier if the temperature decline is more gradual towards winter, giving the softer, more tender growth time to harden off.

Sudden drops in temperature can result in a significant amount of leaves falling off.

Cold temperatures in winter also reduce the rate of evaporation from the soil, which can cause the olive tree to become stressed, causing the leaves to turn yellow and drop off.

How I Saved it…

• I always plant olive trees in an area of full sun to prevent leaves from dropping off. The most important characteristic of the olive tree’s native Mediterranean range to recreate when growing olive trees is in full sun: planting the tree in an open sunny area and well-draining soil. Olive trees are surprisingly resilient when it comes to transplanting, and if the tree is in the shade, I would recommend transplanting or cutting back any overhanging tree boughs that may be overgrown and cast shade on your garden to save the olive tree. With more light, the tree has more energy to regrow leaves.
• My best tip: Treat younger, less mature olive trees with thinner trunks, like citrus trees, in Winter to avoid losing leaves. Keep a close eye on the weather forecast to anticipate whether to either protect your olive tree with horticultural fleece or move the olive tree indoors. If the temperatures are approaching freezing 32°F (0°C) due to a sudden fluctuation, then I use some fleece around my olive trees with more tender new growth as this can prevent frost damage and prevent any more leaves from falling off.
• I move young olive trees indoors if prolonged freezing temperatures are forecast. Olive trees often come back from a temporary cold snap, but extended freezing temperatures can cause younger trees to die back. Olives need as much sun as possible, so ideally, move them to a heated greenhouse, sunny porch (this is what I do), or conservatory in Winter if you live in a cold climate. Keep in mind that olive trees require a mild winter temperature at night of between 35-50 F and warmer day temperatures to set buds for fruit (a process known as “vernalization”), so avoid high indoor temperatures at night during winter.
• If a more mature tree with a large trunk has lost its leaves, then typically, the damage is localized to the newer growth, and the olive tree should be able to recover in Spring and regrow its leaves, although prolonged temperatures of 14°F (-10°C) are likely to be the cause of a dying olive tree. Horticultural fleece always helps to insulate excessive damage and leaf loss. However, this is obviously prevention rather than a cure.

Even if the cold has caused the olive tree to lose all its leaves and die back, then the great news is that the rootstock underneath is still insulated from the cold and can regenerate, so it is likely the olive tree can recover.

The commercial growers in Greece told me that they have documented cases of wildfire burning the olive tree or severe frost appearing to cause the tree to die back, only to revive the following year thanks to the rootstock surviving underground.

Why are My Olive Tree Leaves Turning Yellow or Brown and Dying?

• Symptoms. Leaves turn yellow or brown and sometimes droop in appearance or drop off the tree. The leaves can also curl up.
• Causes. Too much moisture around the roots due to overwatering, slow-draining soils, or pot drainage. Occasionally, drought and dry soil cause the leaves to turn yellow.

Usually, the reason for olive tree leaves turning yellow is because of overwatering or slow-draining soils. Olive trees grow in well-draining, gritty soils in their native environment with high temperatures and infrequent rainfall. Too much water around the roots can cause root rot, resulting in yellow leaves.

Olive trees are drought-resistant trees that can even thrive on rocky hillsides (as long as they are in full sun) with very well-draining soil conditions that are often gritty and do not hold much water.

Common problems when cultivating olive trees is that they are watered too often or planted in rich soil that holds lots of moisture and drains slowly after bouts of rainfall.

Too much water around the olive tree’s root system restricts the level of oxygen in the soil, preventing root respiration.

If the roots cannot respire properly, they cannot transport moisture and nutrients to the olive tree’s leaves, which causes them to turn yellow or brown, depending on the extent of the stress.

If the soil remains boggy for too long, then this can promote the conditions for fungal diseases such as root rot, which also results in yellowing leaves.

Most climates also have more frequent rainfall then the olive trees, Mediterranean climate, especially in the Winter, which increases the risk of olive tree leaves turning yellow or brown and dying back.

This is why I always recommend that olive trees be planted in pots with drainage holes in the base and avoid using saucers or trays underneath to allow for good drainage when they are grown outside a Mediterranean climate.

If excess water cannot drain away from the base of the pot, then it can pool around the roots, promoting the conditions for yellow leaves due to root rot.

How I Saved it…

• If you live in a climate with higher levels of rainfall, then I recommend planting your olive trees in a pot with well-draining soil. Pots have much more favorable drainage conditions than garden soil and dry out much more quickly, which replicates the well-draining soil conditions of the olive trees’ native range. This helps excess water drain away from the roots, increasing root respiration and reducing the risk of the leaves turning yellow.
• I always plant olive trees in a well-draining compost mix, which mimics the soil composition of their native soil. Good drainage is the most important factor in preventing olive tree leaves from turning yellow and dying. Commercial growers use a potting mix made of normal multipurpose compost and at least 20% horticultural grit. In climates with higher levels of rainfall, I increase the proportion of grit up to around 50%. While they may seem to have a high proportion of grit, bear in mind that olive trees have specifically adapted to drought and thrive in gritty soils in their native environment.
• Only water your olive tree if it is an immature plant or in times of severe drought to avoid promoting the conditions that cause yellowing leaves. My established olive trees often do not need watering, particularly if they are planted in garden soil, and additional watering is likely to be the reason for the olive trees’ leaves turning yellow. Potted olive trees can require a good soak in the Summer if there is particularly low rainfall.
• I place the olive pot on bricks or chocs to ensure good drainage. Elevating an olive tree’s pot off the ground ensures that excess water can drain effectively from the bottom of the pot. If the pot is directly on a patio slab, sometimes it can pool underneath the pot and create unfavorably damp conditions in the soil around the roots.
• I personally recommend planting olive trees in unglazed clay or terracotta pots to avoid the leaves turning yellow. Clay and terracotta pots are porous (as opposed to plastic, which is impermeable), which allows the potting soil to dry out more evenly, which is particularly advantageous if you live in a cooler climate with higher levels of rainfall.

I should also point out that olive trees can become yellow and brown due to a lack of water, but this only typically happens due to a combination of prolonged drought and if the olive tree is in a pot that is too small.

The smaller pots have less capacity for soil and, therefore, less capacity to hold moisture and so can potentially dry out too quickly for the olive tree’s roots to draw up moisture, which can cause yellow leaves and for the leaves to fall, in which case the olive tree should be transferred to a larger pot.

However, as olive trees are drought-resistant plants, it is far more often the case that yellowing leaves are because of too much moisture around the roots for too long, due to overwatering or poor drainage.

If you improve the drainage and scale back the watering, then this should prevent the olive tree from dying, and it should revive over the next few weeks and months. It may take some time to revive as olive trees can be reasonably slow-growing.

Why is My Olive Tree Drooping and Dying?

The reason for olive trees drooping is because of too much water around the roots or too much fertilizer. Excessive nitrogen fertilizer can cause the olive tree branches and leaves to become weak and sappy, causing a drooping, wilting appearance.

Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean, where they can grow in rocky hillsides. The soil on rocky hillsides does not retain much moisture or nutrients.

Therefore, olive trees are well adapted to growing in gritty, well-draining soils that are not necessarily very nutrient-rich.

If they are given too much fertilizer, too often, or in too high a concentration, then the olive tree can droop and the excess nitrogen can promote drooping foliage growth at the expense of flowering and olives.

Normal fertilizer is often too rich in nutrients such as nitrogen for the olive tree, and it is therefore important to use a fertilizer specifically developed for olive trees which is available from garden centers or online.

These special fertilizers contain all the nutrients the olive tree needs to support growth, flowering, and fruiting without risking any drooping due to too much nitrogen.

I have seen a case where excess nitrogen was in the soil as a result of runoff from lawn feed.

Nitrogen is water soluble, so it dissolves in rain and can run off the lawn and onto adjacent planting areas, where your olive tree may be planted.

How to Revive it…

To revive a drooping olive tree, mimic the olive tree’s Mediterranean conditions by planting in gritty and well-draining soil and only water in times of drought.

Avoid using any fertilizer until the following spring, and only use a specific olive tree fertilizer. The tree should show signs of recovery in the following months.

It is also worth moving your olive tree (if it is potted) into the sunniest area of your garden if possible as this helps to replicate its natural conditions and should help the tree recover.

Important tip: It can be beneficial to prune any excess growth back in the Spring if you are keeping the olive as an ornamental plant to retain a nice shape, but if you are growing for fruit, be careful of pruning too drastically as this is likely to impact the yield of olives significantly.

Avoid pruning at other times of the year as pruning typically stimulates new growth, and if you prune in Late Summer or Fall, the new growth does not have time to harden off before Winter and can die back due to cold temperatures.

Why is My Olive Tree Not Growing?

If your olive tree appears not to be growing, this is because olive trees are naturally slow growing and grow even more slowly if they do not have enough sun, the temperatures are too cool, or the pot size is too small, which restricts growth. Olive trees have dwarf cultivars which grow slowly and only attain a relatively small size.

I find excessive pruning also tends to limit growth as the olive leaves are what provides the energy for the growth of the tree, and if the branches have been pruned back extensively, then thee are less energy for growth.

For olive trees in pots, check at the surface of the soil and, if possible, at the base of the pot to see if the roots are pot-bound, in which case I would transfer the olive tree to a pot one size up.

Important tip: I would avoid transferring the olive to a pot that is significantly larger then the previous pot as larger pots have a grater capacity for soil and therefore a greater capacity to hold moisture, which means they dry out much more slowly, which can of course increase the risk of root rot, for these drought tolerant Mediterranean trees.

Always locate your olive tree in full sun, particularly if it is growing slowly or losing leaves.

Many of the dwarf cultivars of the olive tree only attain fair modest sizes of around 6 feet tall , whereas the commercially grown olive trees can grow 50 ft (15 meters) in height.

Olive trees are relatively adaptable, but the more distinct your climate is from a Mediterranean climate, particularly in terms of temperature, the more likely the olive tree is to grow more slowly.

Key Takeaways:

• A dying olive tree is usually because of overwatering and slow-draining soils. Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean, where they grow in full sun, with infrequent rainfall and gritty soils. If the soil is too damp, the leaves turn yellow or brown and drop off with a dying appearance.
• Olive trees lose their leaves due to a lack of direct sunlight and cold temperatures. Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean, where they grow in open areas with full sun and high temperatures. Too much shade or a sudden drop in temperature causes the leaves to turn brown and drop off.
• The reason for drooping olive trees is usually because of too much fertilizer. Olive trees grow in gritty soils that are low in nutrients in their native environment. Too much fertilizer causes the leaves and branches to turn droopy and promotes foliage growth at the expense of flowering.
• The reason for olive trees not growing is usually due to lack of sunlight, the pot being too small, the temperature being too cold, or the olive tree’s leaves and branches being pruned back significantly, and the olive tree not having the energy or nutrients to grow.
• To revive a dying olive tree, mimic the olive tree’s natural environment by locating it in full sun, planting it in well-draining gritty soil, and only watering potted olive trees in times of drought.

In this article, I share with you all the experience, tips, tricks, secrets, and techniques for saving basil…

The reason for basil leaves turning brown, wilting, and dying is because of dry soil due to underwatering, excess sun or wind, high temperatures, or small pots that dry out too quickly. Basil needs consistently moist soil. If the soil dries out, the basil wilts to conserve moisture and often turns brown with a dying appearance.

However, if your basil plants turn yellow then I discovered this is due to overwatering or a lack of nutrients in the soil, usually because the pot is too small and does not contain enough compost from which the basil’s roots can uptake nutrients.

If the basil is drooping, I find this is most often due to a lack of pruning. Your basil should be maintained at 6-8 inches to encourage more leaves and to prevent a drooping appearance.

Of course, Not enough sun, too much fertilizer, and overwatering can also contribute to basil drooping or wilting in appearance.

To revive a dying basil plant, it is important to recreate its preferred conditions of 6 hours of morning sun and consistently moist soil basil in a large pot, so the roots can access the required nutrients and protect basil from intense afternoon sun and high temperatures…

(Note that basil is an annual herb that grows in the Spring and Summer before setting seed and dying back in the Winter).

Keep reading for how to save your dying basil, whether it is wilting, turning brown, turning yellow, or drooping…

Basil leaves Wilting, Turning Brown and Dying

• Symptoms. Basil plants wilting and drooping, sometimes turning brown or yellow.
• Causes. Overwatering, underwatering, pot is too small and dries out too quickly, high temperatures, too much sun, too much wind.

The reason for basil plants wilting is usually because they are not being watered often enough in hot weather and the pot is too small. Basil requires the soil to be evenly moist. In hot weather, the soil can dry out before the basil’s roots can draw up moisture, which causes the leaves and stems to wilt.

Basil is adapted to growing in soil that is consistently moist yet well-draining. This balance of consistent moisture, yet still well-draining, is achieved with porous, friable compost and frequent watering, particularly in the Summer.

If the soil dries out for any amount of time, then the basil wilts rather quickly due to the proportionally large leaves and herbaceous stems (rather than woody stems), which can lose a lot of moisture.

Too much wind and too much sun can really exacerbate water loss by drying out the soil and increasing transpiration from the leaves and can cause them to turn brown with a dying appearance.

Basil is capable of growing well in full sun, but at the hottest times of the year, basil prefers the morning sun followed by shade at midday and the afternoon to protect it from high temperatures.

Basil also wilts temporarily in high temperatures, particularly if there is a sudden and significant temperature increase.

The reason basil wilts at high temperatures is that wilting reduces the surface area of the basil leaf, which effectively reduces water loss and conserves moisture.

The basil often revives later in the day when the temperatures have cooled.

Pots that are too small are also a common reason for basil wilting.

Smaller pots have less capacity for soil and, therefore, less capacity for moisture. In hot weather, the smaller pot dries out much quicker, causing the basil to wilt.

How to Revive a Wilting Basil Plant and Basil with Brown Leaves

The key to reviving a wilting basil plant is to keep the soil consistently moist, locate the basil in an area of morning sun followed by afternoon shade, and shelter the basil from excess winds. After a good soak, the wilted basil should revive.

• Give the basil a generous soak so that excess water trickles from the pot’s base. This ensures that the soil is evenly moist and the water has reached the basil roots where it is required. Watering generously also encourages the basil’s roots to grow and establish, increasing the basil’s resilience.
• Water basil as often as required so that the soil is consistently moist. How frequently you water basil depends on the weather. Typically, watering basil with a good soak once a week if it is planted in a good-sized pot can be sufficient, but at the hottest times of the year, it may be necessary to water basil every 1-3 days. Test the soil with your finger to determine how quickly the soil is drying out and water accordingly.
• Plant basil in a good-sized pot. It may not matter how often you water basil (to prevent it from wilting) if the pot is too small. Small pots have less capacity for soil and, therefore, less capacity for moisture. Smaller pots can dry out on hot, sunny days before the basil’s roots can draw up water, causing it to wilt. Ideally, plant basil in a clay, ceramic, or terracotta pot at least 10 inches across to ensure enough soil and moisture to prevent the basil from wilting.
• Locate basil in the morning sun, followed by afternoon shade whilst the basil is wilting. Basil can enjoy the sunshine in the morning whilst the temperatures are cooler. Temperatures typically peak after midday, so find a shady afternoon spot so your basil can recover from wilting.
• Shelter wilting basil from significant winds. Wind saps moisture from leaves (which can leave them brown and crispy) and dry out pots. Basil appreciates some airflow as it reduces the risk of fungal disease but keeps basil out of direct winds whilst it recovers.
• Prune away any brown leaves. Leaves often turn brown as well as wilt as a result of drought stress. These brown leaves do not recover any and are not good for eating, so prune them back to healthy growth with a sharp pair of pruners. Pruning back helps stimulate more growth and prevents basil from bolting (flowering and turning to seed). Prune back to a height of around 6-8 inches and with the right care, the basil should survive.

With morning sun, followed by shade in the afternoon, consistently moist soil, a large pot, and regular pruning, your basil plant has all the resources it needs to revive.

To learn more about how to water basil according to the conditions, read my article on how often to water basil plants.

Do bear in mind that basil plants are ‘annuals’ which means they grow from seed and die back within the same season, so if your basil is wilting and turning brown late in the year, this is a natural part of the plants cycle and not necessarily because of problems with care or cultivation.

(Read my article, why is my basil flowering to learn more, and how to prevent flowering so that basil produces tasty leaves for longer.)

Basil Leaves Turning Yellow

• Symptoms. Basil plants turn yellow, often with brown spots. Basil may also have a drooping appearance.
• Causes. Overwatering, slow-draining soils, pots without drainage holes in the base, pots that are too small, nutrient-poor soil.

The most common reason for basil turning yellow is because of overwatering and slow-draining soils. Basil needs consistently moist soil, yet well-draining soil. If the soil is boggy or saturated as a result of overwatering, then basil leaves turn yellow and droop due to a lack of oxygen around the roots.

Whilst basil requires the soil to be consistently moist, it is imperative that it also drains well, so that the soil does not become boggy around the roots.

Excess water around the roots excludes oxygen from the soil, which prevents root respiration and interferes with the roots’ ability to draw up moisture and nutrients. If the roots cannot draw up moisture or nutrients, the leaves turn yellow, which is a sign of stress.

Boggy soil also promotes the conditions for fungal diseases such as root rot and Fusarium wilt, which also turns the basil leaves yellow, brown, or black with a dying appearance.

Planting basil in pots without drainage holes in the base or the use of saucers and trays underneath basil plants (if you are growing indoors) can also cause the soil to become saturated and turn the leaves yellow.

Basil in a small pot or in soil low in nutrients can also turn yellow. If the pot is too small, then there is less compost from which the basil’s roots can uptake nutrients, which causes the leaves to turn yellow and droop.

How to Revive Basil with Yellow Leaves

• Scale back the watering. Basil requires the soil to be moist rather than saturated, so if the soil feels damp, then reduce how often you water your basil. Typically, basil may only need watering once a week if it is in a big pot with good compost and the weather is not excessively hot or sunny. However, at the height of summer, with high temperatures and blazing sunshine, you may need to water basil once every 1-3 days to prevent the soil from drying out.
• Always plant basil in pots with drainage holes in the base. It is essential that excess water can drain effectively after watering so that the soil does not become saturated. Re-pot your basil into a pot with drainage holes in the base and perhaps prop your pot up on ‘feet’ so that the pot is elevated off the ground slightly to ensure the water can drain effectively.
• Empty saucers and trays underneath basil pots regularly. If you grow basil indoors, it is common for the leaves to turn yellow due to excess water pooling around the bottom of the pot after watering which causes the soil to be too damp for the basil.
• Re-pot basil if it is in a small pot. Basil sold in stores and markets is often sold in pots that are too small for long-term cultivation. The small pots have less soil and, therefore, less available nutrients for the roots to uptake. Repot the basil into a much larger pot with good quality (peat-free) potting compost. This ensures that the basil roots have enough space to establish and access the nutrients they require, which ensures a healthy plant and good flavor.

If the basil leaves are turning yellow due to small pots and a lack of available nutrients, the basil has a good chance of recovery in the next few weeks.

Wait for new growth to emerge, and then cut back any yellow leaves as they have an impaired flavor and often a bitter taste.

If the basil leaves are turning yellow due to saturated soil, then they can be much more difficult to revive.

However, if you ensure the basil has good, well-draining compost and water can drain freely from the base of the pot, then the basil may start to revive.

If it is still relatively early in the season (ideally June at the latest) then I recommend sowing more basil seeds as they germinate quickly and you can have new productive basil in (if conditions are optimal) around 4 weeks (basil typically germinates in 5-10 days).

Basil Plant Drooping

• Symptoms. Basil has a drooping appearance and may grow leggy with sparse leaves rather than a compact bushy appearance.
• Causes. Not pruned regularly, too much fertilizer, not enough sun, basil drooping at the end of the growing season.

The most common reason for basil drooping is that it is not pruned often enough. Basil should be pruned every 2 weeks, to 6-8 inches to prevent it from drooping and maintain a productive plant. Basil can also droop due to, too much fertilizer and not enough sunlight.

Basil should be maintained to a height of 6-8 inches to keep the plant compact, bushy, and more productive.

A regularly pruned basil plant produces more leaves then basil that is allowed to grow higher the 8 inches which eventually turns droopy under its own weight.

Basil also has a drooping appearance at the end of the growing season, as they are annual plants that live for the Spring and Summer months before setting seed and dying back in the Fall or Winter months.

This is why it is a good idea to freeze your harvested basil leaves at the end of the season for a supply of homegrown basil through the Winter.

Basil also prefers a generous amount of sun with 6 hours of morning sun, followed by afternoon shade (to prevent the basil form wilting due to high temperatures at the hottest times of year).

If the basil does not have enough light, then it tends to grow leggy with fewer leaves, turn yellow, and droop downwards as it weakens whilst searching for more light.

Too much fertilizer also promotes excessive growth, which turns the plant droopy. Too much Nitrogen in the soil from fertilizer causes the leaves to grow but decreases the concentration of essential oils in the leaves, which are responsible for the basil’s aroma and flavor.

The resulting growth is also droopy and more susceptible to damage from pests.

How to Revive Drooping Basil

• Prune basil every 2-3 weeks to a height of 6-8 inches during the height of the growing season. Pruning basil frequently to the right height encourages more leaves to grow and a more robust plant that does not droop under its own weight. Pruning basil once every 4 weeks is usually sufficient to prevent the plant from drooping when growing conditions are not optimal because of overcast days or cool temperatures.

Here is a helpful YouTube video on how to prune basil so that the plant is healthy and the flavor is at its best…

• Prune basil immediately if you see flowers emerging (If you are growing basil for culinary purposes). Once basil has flowered, it begins to develop seeds, at which point the basil stops producing leaves, and the flavor of the leaves is not as pronounced. If the basil has flowered and developed seeds, then it has effectively reproduced and achieved its goal as an annual plant, at which point it starts to droop with a dying appearance. If you prune regularly before flowering, this prevents the plant from drooping and encourages the growth of more leaves for longer in the season. The basil leaves often taste bitter after the basil has flowered.
• Prevent basil from drooping by locating it within 6 hours of the morning sun. This amount of direct sun ensures the basil is at its most productive and prevents the basil stems from growing droopy and unnecessarily leggy as they search for more light. Shade at midday and during the afternoon when temperatures are highest prevents the basil from wilting due to excess heat and helps to keep the soil at the optimal level of moisture. In cooler climates, basil can often tolerate midday and afternoon sun for most of the growing season, although I would still recommend providing afternoon shade if the temperature suddenly increases significantly.
• Scale back the use of fertilizer. Basil grows well in good compost and does not necessarily require additional fertilizer, as this risks drooping stems and impairs the flavor by decreasing the concentration of essential oils. Once excess fertilizer has been applied, it can be difficult to revive the drooping appearance, but I would recommend cutting the basil back to 6 inches, which should help stimulate some new growth and help the basil to recover.
• Basil is an annual plant that lasts one year and droops with a dying appearance at the end of the growing season. Basil eventually turns brown and droops with a dying appearance at the end of its life cycle, which only lasts a year. Depending on your climate, basil plants can stay productive until early Fall if pruned regularly.

Key Takeaways:

• The reason for a dying basil plant is usually because of dry soil due to underwatering or the pot being too small and the soil has dried out too quickly in the sun and in high temperatures. Basil needs consistently moist soil to prevent the plant from wilting, turning brown, and dying.
• The reason for basil leaves turning yellow is usually because of overwatering. Damp soil excludes oxygen from the soil which prevents root respiration and reduces the root’s ability to draw up the water and nutrients that the basil needs which causes the leaves to turn yellow and droop as a sign of stress.
• The reason for drooping basil can be because of not pruning often enough, too much fertilizer, or not enough sun. Basil should be pruned to 6-8 inches to prevent drooping. Too much fertilizer causes the basil to grow quickly with weak, sappy growth that has a drooping appearance.
• To revive dying basil place it in the shade and buffer it from excess wind, ensure the soil is consistently moist but not saturated, and prune back any brown leaves. If the basil is wilting because of drought, basil should perk up and recover after a generous watering.

In its natural habitat, rosemary grows in well-draining soils, full sun, and infrequent rainfall. To grow rosemary successfully in pots and containers, we need to emulate these conditions.

I have grown rosemary all my life and have accrued lots of experience growing and caring for rosemary in my job at a garden nursery.

In this article, I share with you all the tips, techniques, and secrets that I learned from my own experience and on my trips to Mediterranean countries, speaking directly with growers to make sure your rosemary thrives…

Plant rosemary in pots with a well-draining potting mix of 30% grit and 70% compost. Grow rosemary in clay or terracotta pots 12 inches across in full sun and water rosemary every 2 weeks with a thorough watering, so excess water trickles out the base of the pot.

For those of you in a rush, I created a table summarizing the main points of rosemary care:

Please keep reading to learn how to grow and care for rosemary in pots and containers so that they produce leaves with the strongest fragrance and best taste, and to for my the best tips so that the potted rosemary survives Winter…

Best Pots and Containers for Rosemary

Clay and terracotta pots are my favorite choice of pots for growing rosemary. Clay and terracotta have a porous structure to allow the potting soil to dry out more evenly after watering to avoid root rot. I really like Clay and terracotta as they do not heat up as quickly as plastic pots in the sun and resist weather better.

Of course, our rosemary plants are Mediterranean herbs and grow in well-draining, gritty soil that does not hold moisture around the roots.

Whilst you do not need to be in Mediterranean climate to grow rosemary it is important to emulate some of the conditions by ensuring the soil can dry out evenly.

Choose a clay or terracotta pot for growing rosemary as the material is porous which allows the soil to dry evenly rather then plastic pots which can retain too much moisture and risk root rot, because in my experience root rot is the most common reason rosemary plants die back.

I must emphasize that the most important characteristic of any rosemary pot or container is that it has drainage holes in the base to allow excess water to escape after watering to allow the soil to dry between bouts of watering, which helps us mimic the conditions of the rosemary’s native environment.

Pro tip: Ideally, I would choose a pot that is at least 12 inches across. This size ensures the rosemary’s roots have enough room to establish and that the pot has a large enough capacity for soil, which acts as insulation to the rosemary’s roots (the roots are the most cold-sensitive part of the rosemary), which is obviously very important if you live in a climate with freezing temperatures in Winter.

What I love to do is prop my rosemary pot on ‘feet’ or stones to elevate the pot off the ground to ensure water can drain freely from the bottom of the pot after watering. This is a way I prevent my rosemary suffering root rot.

(Read my article, choosing the best pots for rosemary).

Planting Rosemary in Pots and Containers

Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb that has adapted to growing in gritty, well-draining soils on mountainsides in countries such as Spain.

Therefore to grow rosemary in pots and containers, we should strive to emulate these seemingly harsh Mediterranean soil conditions for the rosemary to produce leaves with the strongest flavor and aroma.

I have experimented with lots of potting soils over the years, and I have concluded that my rosemary plants grow best in potting soil composed of 30% horticultural sand or grit and 70% compost. Rosemary grows best in slightly acidic soils of pH 6.5-7, with a high inorganic content, aerated, well-draining structure, and relatively low soil fertility.

Rosemary can grow in a wide range of soils but pH 6.5-7 is optimal which is well within the typical range of most multipurpose compost and potting soils.

The most important soil characteristic for rosemary is good drainage, so add approximately 30% horticultural sand or grit (by volume of the pot) and 70% multipurpose compost to emulate the soil drainage of the rosemary’s native Mediterranean hillside environment and ensure that moisture drains efficient away from the roots after watering to avoid root rot.

If you live in a climate of high rainfall, then I recommend being more generous with the sand and grit to counter the effects of all the rainfall and ensure the optimal balance of moisture for rosemary to thrive.

In my experience, grit does perform slightly better then sand as a soil amendment in high rainfall.

When I was under the tutelage of commercial growers of Mediterranean herbs, they taught me that too much grit is always better than not enough to ensure good drainage is essential.

As we discussed, the most common reason for rosemary dying is root rot which we can easily avoid by planting our rosemary in pots with good drainage and watering them with the right frequency.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying rosemary plant).

Before planting your rosemary in the pot, I recommend adding a 1-inch layer of gravel to the bottom of the pot or container which prevents the drainage holes from becoming blocked by compacted soil and ensures good drainage.

Rosemary Pot and Container Care- Watering

What’s the most important aspect of caring for potted rosemary? Watering!

I must emphasize the importance of watering rosemary in pots and containers with a generous soak so that excess water trickles out of the pot’s base. Overwatering is the most common reason rosemary plants die, so wait until the top 4 inches of the soil dry before watering again.

I was taught that watering rosemary thoroughly encourages the roots to grow deeper and properly establish in the potting mix, which further increases the rosemary’s resistance to drought.

If you water too lightly, then only the top inch or so of the soil becomes moist which causes the roots to grow near the surface of the potting soil and reduces the growth and resilience of the rosemary.

How Often to Water Rosemary in Pots

Rosemary is a drought-resistant herb that thrives in well-draining potting soils and requires watering less frequently than most plants. So, if you’re like me and occasionally forget to water your potted plants, I can assure you that rosemary is very forgiving!

If there has been no rainfall, I water my potted and container rosemary once a week in the hottest and driest weeks of Summer. In cooler climates with overcast weather, I water rosemary every two weeks. Always wait until the soil feels somewhat dry before watering again.

In climates with mild Winters in which you can keep potted rosemary outdoors, the rosemary does not require any additional watering in the Fall and Winter as it is in a dormant state and can attain the required moisture from the environment.

In colder climates, rosemary must be brought indoors to protect it from cold (or you can just wrap yours up with horticultural fleece to protect it from frost like me). In this case, rosemary should be watered every 4-6 weeks with a good soak.

Rosemary requires significantly less frequent watering as the plant is dormant, and there is a higher risk of root rot in the Winter.

Watering once every 4-6 weeks in the Winter strikes the balance of ensuring the rosemary has enough moisture to survive but does not risk root rot.

(Read my article, how often to water rosemary).

Potted Rosemary Care in Winter

Rosemary is not cold hardy, so bring your pots indoors in climates with freezing Winter temperatures or use horticultural fleece to protect rosemary against frost. If indoors, locate your potted rosemary in as much sun as possible and water every 4-6 weeks to prevent the rosemary from drying out completely.

Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb that has adapted to living in climates with mild Winters that do not experience frost and is cold hardy to USDA zone 6.

Some rosemary varieties can tolerate light frost but if you want to ensure their survival over Winter, I have had great success using horticultural fleece to insulate my rosemary at night or you can bring the pot indoors a place it in a sunny window.

In colder climates the importance of well draining soil and larger pots increases. A larger pot has the capacity for more soil which acts as insulation for the cold sensitive roots.

Pro tip: I always use a nice big pot that is proportionately larger than my rosemary plant when I grow rosemary in cold climates, as the soil is the best form of insulation for its roots. I combine this with using horticultural fleece, and my rosemary now survives every Winter!

Rosemary is at greatest risk of root rot in Winter as cold temperatures typically mean damp soils that stay moist for a long time (which promote the conditions for root rot and fungal diseases to thrive).

As we discussed, if you live in a colder climate with more rainfall, it is imperative to use lots of grit in the potting mix to increase the aeration of the soil and improve drainage.

Grit does not hold onto moisture in the same way that organic material does, so it is the perfect soil amendment for growing rosemary and countering damp conditions in Winter. If you do not have horticultural grit to hand, I have also used succulent and cacti soil successfully as a soil amendment.

Where to Grow Rosemary in Pots and Containers

When I was strolling the hills in Spain near Mount Tibidabo, I saw rosemary growing on the hillsides in its native Mediterranean environment, enjoying the full sun.

While we don’t need to live near Barcelona to grow rosemary, we do need to replicate some of the conditions of its native environment to get the best out of our potted rosemary.

Locate your potted rosemary in an area of your garden with full sun (at least 6 hours) with some airflow around the foliage. The commercial growers told me that the more sunlight, the higher the concentration of essential oils in the rosemary’s leaves, increasing its aroma and flavor.

Rosemary is grown commercially in hot and dry countries around the Mediterranean, in blazing sunshine with warm temperatures and an occasional breeze. It thrives in these conditions.

If you grow your Rosemary in the shade, I tend to find it grows leggy, and the leaves do not smell as strong, flower, or have the same culinary value without several hours of direct sunlight.

Try to avoid placing your potted rosemary in a corner or anywhere without an occasional breeze. Some airflow helps to dry the foliage after rainfall and overhead watering and reduces humidity, which prevents fungal disease.

(Read my articles on why is my rosemary turning brown, yellow or black).

How and When to Prune Rosemary– Pots and Container Care

Prune rosemary anytime in Spring after the threat of frost has passed and anytime in Summer. I must caution you against pruning in the fall as this stimulates new growth that is more vulnerable to frost damage.

Pro tip: Pruning your rosemary every year stimulates new growth and encourages a bushier, more productive, rounded plant.

Pruning is very simple. All you have to do is cut off the top third or the top 3 or 4 inches of growth with a sharp pair of pruners. This encourages newer growth, which hosts the leaves with a higher concentration of essentials that are responsible for the aroma and taste of rosemary.

What I do is prune my rosemary as and when I require it for cooking, but I typically only prune in the Spring or Summer. If you want to enjoy the taste of rosemary all year round, try cutting it in Summer and freezing it as rosemary retains its flavor when defrosted for cooking.

Please read my article, How to Propagate Rosemary from Cuttings.

Key Takeaways:

• Clay and terracotta pots are the best choices for growing rosemary. They are porous, allowing the soil to dry evenly, and are thicker than plastic pots or planters. This means they do not dry out as quickly, bake hard, and resist frost better in the Winter.
• Grow rosemary in pots and containers at least 12 inches across. A pot this size has enough soil to insulate the rosemary’s roots from frost in Winter.
• Rosemary is a drought-resistant herb that should only be watered when the soil around the roots has dried out. Water the rosemary thoroughly so that excess water trickles from the pot’s base, then wait for the soil to dry before watering again.
• Plant rosemary in a potting mix that is 70% compost and 30% horticultural sand or grit. A gritty potting mix ensures the soil has a porous structure for good drainage, which emulates the soil conditions of rosemary’s native hillside and the gritty soil conditions in its natural environment.
• Grow rosemary in full sun (at least 6 hours). More hours of sun correlate with a higher concentration of essential oils in the rosemary’s leaves, which increases the taste and aroma of rosemary foliage. Rosemary does not grow well in the shade.
• Potted rosemary does not require any fertilizer. Rosemary has adapted to growing in gritty soils, without much nutrients, and thrives in these conditions. Fertilizer decreases the concentration of essential oils and, therefore, reduces the aroma and flavor of the rosemary’s leaves.
• Prune rosemary anytime in the Spring up until mid-summer. Prune the top third of growth to stimulate newer growth and create a rounded, bushy appearance that resists adverse weather conditions better.
• Mature potted rosemary plants can tolerate a light frost but should either be brought indoors in Winter or wrapped in horticultural fleece to protect them from frost. Place rosemary in a sunny window and water every 4-6 weeks to prevent the rosemary from drying out completely.

In this article, I share with you everything I have learned so your mint can grow free of drought stress, and you can have more mint than you know what to do with! (I had to start giving mine away!)

My best advice is to water mint plants twice a week, watering thoroughly so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot or container. Mint plants require the soil to be evenly moist but not saturated to prevent wilting and avoid root rot. If the top inch of the soil feels dry, give your mint plants a good soak.

For those of you in a rush, I create a quick reference table for typically how often to water mint according to different conditions:

Keep reading to learn how to establish a watering schedule for your mint plant that works for your climate and conditions and how to know when your mint needs more or less water…

How to Water Mint Plants (Indoors and Outdoors)

From experience, I found the secret to healthy mint plants is to water mint is to give the soil a really good soak and then wait until the soil is only somewhat moist to a finger’s depth before watering again.

I do this to achieve the balance between watering enough to meet the mint’s moisture requirements, but not to risk overwatering.

I always water my mint plants thoroughly so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot or container, as this indicates that the water has infiltrated the soil so that it is evenly moist and the roots of the mint plant can access the moisture that they require.

Mint is, of course, perennial (it comes back every year), and some of my own mint plants are 15 years old, which I personally attribute to watering thoroughly every time I water. Here’s why this is important:

Watering the mint thoroughly, encourages the roots to grow and establish in the soil, which makes the mint more hardy and drought-resistant during high temperatures in Summer.

If you water your mint plants too lightly with just a sprinkle of water then only the surface of the soil is moisten which encourages the roots to grow shallow, nearer the surface which makes the mint plant much more vulnerable to drought as the roots cannot access moisture further in the soil.

Every time I see poor growth from mint plants, I have learned that watering too lightly is usually the cause (a lack of sunlight is another very common cause).

Pro tip: Ideally, you should water mint plants in the morning as this charges the mint with water before a hot summer day so it can grow and make the most of the sunshine. I have had much better results watering in the morning rather than in the evening.

How Often to Water Mint Plants?

This is a tricky balance, and in my experience, it requires some personal experimentation and close observation.

Mint should be watered as often as required to keep the soil moist but not saturated. Generally, this means watering mint thoroughly when the top inch of the soil feels only somewhat moist. Do not let mint plants dry out, as this causes the plant to wilt.

There is no universal watering advice that works for mint plants in every climate, different exposures to sun, and different pot sizes, as this can all have a bearing on how quickly the soil dries and, therefore, how often you should water your mint.

I have grown mint in both hot climates and mild climates. I personally found when I lived in California that I had to water my mint twice a week in the Summer, and I remember watering every 2 days during one partial heat wave.

Now that I live in a milder climate, I find that watering once a week is sufficient! I think this highlights the need for a little testing on your end.

Another thing that you need to be aware of is that larger pots have a greater soil capacity and, therefore, a greater capacity to hold moisture. If your mint is planted in a good-sized pot then typically water your mint with a really good soak twice a week in Spring and Summer.

I experimented with growing mint in several different pots when I lived in a hot climate. Based on my primary research (granted, on a small scale!), I concluded that the bigger and deeper the pot, the better for maintaining the moist soil that our mint plants love.

However, I must emphasize the importance of adjusting how often you water mint according to the hours of sun and the temperature.

The best way to establish how often to water your mint according to your climate and conditions is to monitor the soil to detect when the top inch of the soil starts to feel somewhat dry, at which point you give your mint plant a thorough watering.

I do this with my finger as I find I can personally detect moisture far more precisely than using a moisture meter. I have personally experimented with using moisture meters, and I just found that they were not sensitive enough, so their guidance on watering was unreliable.

By monitoring the soil, you can ensure the mint has the correct balance of moisture to stay healthy, prevent wilting, and avoid root rot.

The monitoring of soil also lets you know when to adjust how often you water your mint plants, to ensure they receive enough water at different times of the year and under the different conditions that can affect how quickly the soil dries.

How Often to Water Mint Plants in Pots?

I learned that good watering practices should be in a cohesive strategy with the right type of pot, the right pot size, and good potting soil or compost that helps to retain moisture to keep your mint healthy and hydrated.

(To learn more about this read my articles, best potting soil for herbs and best pots for herbs).

Smaller pots dry out a lot quicker in full sun in which case you could have to water your mint as often as every day at the height of Summer, so ideally plant your mint in a pot that is around 12 inches across so that the roots have more moisture and nutrients to access to prevent drought stress.

I learned this the hard way when my mint shriveled up in full sun during the Summer due it being planted a tiny pot!

Good compost or potting soil that retains moisture yet allows excess water to drain effectively (to avoid root rot) can help to maintain the optimal balance of moisture for mint plants in pots.

Water your mint plants as often as required to keep the compost moist. This might mean every other day in a heat wave, but usually, once a week is a good rule of thumb. Be reactive to see when the soil feels as though it is starting to dry and water accordingly.

How to tell if you are Watering Mint too Often or Not Often Enough

Our first indication that our mint plants are not receiving enough water is a wilted appearance with leaves that may curl or droop. Mint leaves curl or droop to reduce their surface area, which minimizes transpiration and water loss through the leaves, which I think is quite a clever survival strategy!

If left underwatered, the leaves of your mint can often start to turn yellow from the bottom of the stem, but I have also seen underwater mint turn brown and crispy, which I figured out was due to the combination of dry soil and scorching sun.

The good news is that our mint plants are hardy and resilient and often mine perks back up after a really good soak.

When my own mint plant was suffering from underwatering, I placed it in the morning sun followed by afternoon shade (to protect the mint during the hottest part of the day), and my mint perked up after a really good soak.

I have personally experimented with lots of potting soil for mint plants to determine which performs best. I have tried:

• Store bought potting soil.
• Homemade garden compost.
• Well rotted manure.

Out of all three the garden compost worked the best, which I think is because it had a good amount of leaf mold (which is incredible for holding moisture). It is in this garden compost that my mint grew the best.

Store-bought compost is okay as long as it does not contain peat (as this dries out and becomes hydrophobic) and manure worked well too, but It didn’t hold moisture quite as long as the garden compost, hence why it is my preferred potting medium.

From my experience, it is difficult to overwater mint plants if they are planted in good compost. Compost has a good porous, aerated structure that allows excess water to drain away, significantly reducing the risk of root rot.

The only time I have seen people encounter problems with overwatering is because they have compacted the soil too firmly when planting the mint. If you from the soil too much, you push oxygen out of the soil, and it becomes less porous, which means it can get boggy and cause root rot.

If the mint is in slow draining soil, that stays saturated between bouts of watering (as opposed to just evenly moist), then the mint roots are starved of oxygen (which is require for root respiration) and can no longer function properly which makes them unable to draw up moisture and nutrients and the leaves turn yellow with a drooping appearance.

This, of course, can also happen if you do not have a pot with drainage holes in the base.

Pro tip: I put my potted mint plants on little ‘feet’ (just some decorative stones) which elevates the pot off the ground and allows water to drain from the base of the pot efficiently. I started to do this because once my mint plant pot was on a patio, and the water pooled around the bottom of the pot without escaping properly, which caused root rot.

(If your mint is overwatered and turning yellow read my article, how to revive a dying mint plant).

How to Often Water Mint Seeds and Seedlings?

Water mint seedlings every 1 or 2 days so the soil is evenly moist but not saturated. The soil’s surface should feel as though it is drying slightly between each watering. Newly emerging seedlings require watering daily in hot temperatures, whereas more mature seedlings only require watering every 2 days.

Again, we need to react to the environmental conditions when we think about watering mint seeds and seedlings. In cooler climates or on overcast days, they should be watered once every two days, but you should adjust your watering according to the amount of sun and level of heat, with daily watering often necessary in hot climates or on sunny days.

If you water mint seedlings too often, then this can exclude oxygen from the soil which is needed for the development of roots, and promotes the conditions for fungal disease.

I had to learn a method of watering my mint seedling through some trial and error; what I found worked was to allow the surface of the soil to feel as though it is drying slightly between bouts as this allows oxygen into the soil as an aerated porous soil structure is essential for the developing roots to function properly.

Also, keep in mind that the roots of mint seedlings are not significantly developed, which can leave the seedlings vulnerable to drought if the temperature is too high, in too much direct sunshine, or because of underwatering, hence why daily watering is required for the young seedlings in hot temperatures.

I did a little experiment to determine the best way to grow and water mint seedlings. I grow 50% of my plants in full sun and 50% in morning sun, followed by afternoon shade.

What I discovered was that the seedlings grown in the morning sun followed by afternoon shade grew better and had better roots than the mint plants grown in full sun. I concluded that the reason for this was that the mint grown in the morning sun was able to retain a little more moisture, and the seedlings could grow without having to contend with afternoon heat.

Both seedlings eventually grew, but the seedlings in the morning sun grew to be more robust and larger plants thanks to their early advantage of better root growth.

Always water in the morning which charges the seedlings with water for the day and gives the soil a chance to dry slightly by the evening which helps mitigate the risk of fungus and mildew.

Watch this helpful YouTube video for a visual guide on how to water seedlings:

Key Takeaways:

• Mint plants prefer moist but not saturated soil, so water them thoroughly twice weekly to ensure they have enough water to prevent wilting and root rot. If the top inch of the soil feels dry, give your mint a generous soak.
• Always water mint thoroughly, as this promotes good root development. Watering too lightly causes shallow root growth, making mint plants more vulnerable to drought.
• Water mint in pots with a good soak so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot. This ensures that enough water has infiltrated the soil and reached the roots to prevent the mint plant from wilting.
• Water mint plant seeds and seedlings once every day or so, ensuring that the soil is evenly moist but not saturated to avoid promoting fungal diseases such as root rot.

I have grown rosemary in both hot and dry climates and milder and rainy climates, and I learned through first-hand experience that a different potting mix is better for different climates. I have also been fortunate enough to speak directly to growers in the Mediterranean, where rosemary is grown commercially, for their tips and secrets.

In this article, I share with you the results of my experiments to give you the best rosemary potting soil mix for your climate…

Whilst overwatering is the most common reason for potted rosemary plants dying, the correct potting soil is as important as an optimal water schedule because if the rosemary’s roots are sat in potting soil that retains lots of moisture, then causes root rot even if you are watering your rosemary the appropriate amount…

Rosemary needs potting soil that drains quickly, does not hold lots of moisture, and has relatively low fertility to grow well and produce the best aroma. Aim for two-thirds compost and one-third horticultural sand to create the best potting mix for rosemary.

Keep reading to learn how to create the best potting mix, why you should avoid peat moss, and how to avoid common mistakes when potting rosemary…

Criteria for Good Potting Soil for Rosemary Plants

• Well-draining, porous soil that does not hold onto moisture for too long.
• Aerated soil structure allows for efficient root respiration (rosemary does not like compacted soil).
• Medium to low fertility soil.
• Rosemary requires soil high in inorganic matter (similar to the sandy, gritty soils of its native environment).

I think it is best if we understand where rosemary grows naturally so we can understand its preferred soil type.

Rosemary is a herb that originates in the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe, where it grows naturally on hillsides in Spain, Portugal and France.

On its hillside habitat, rosemary thrives in sandy or gritty soils that are relatively low in nutrients and drain very quickly, holding little moisture.

Hillsides naturally offer good drainage, and the gritty, aerated, porous soils ensure that excess moisture does not sit in the soil around the roots, as this promotes the conditions for root rot, which is one of the most common problems that affect rosemary growers.

Therfore we have to avoid soils that retain lots of moisture such as amended compost with wetting agents or clay soils as these soils increase the chance of fungal disease affecting your rosemary which can turn the leaves yellow, brown, or black causing it to die back.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying rosemary plant).

If rosemary is planted in soil that is rich in nutrients such as loam soil, compost with added fertilizers, or soil that has been amended with manure (which is very high in nitrogen), then these soil conditions are contrary to the low fertility, gritty, sandy soil conditions that the rosemary has specifically adapted.

I spoke to someone who has used left over potting compost that had added nutrients and it turned the rosemary to grow droopy, and the excess nitrogen in the soil reduced the concentration of essential oils in the leaves which are responsible for rosemary’s distinctive aroma and flavor. Therefore if you plant rosemary in fertile soil it will not taste or smell anywhere near as good nor display as many flowers.

Rosemary actually grows very well in pots and containers as pots have favorable drainage conditions which mimics the well draining conditions that naturally occur on hillsides.

The key to keeping potted rosemary healthy in your garden is to replicate its well-draining Mediterranean soil conditions…

How I Create the Perfect Potting Soil for Rosemary

Whilst I can assure you that you do not need a Mediterranean climate to grow rosemary, you can easily recreate the soil conditions.

To create the best soil for rosemary in pots we need to emulate the sandy, gritty, medium to low fertility soil conditions in its native Mediterranean environment.

This can be achieved by amending ordinary multipurpose compost with coarse horticultural sand or grit.

The horticultural sand and grit effectively mimics the inorganic portion of rosemary’s natural soil which is very sandy and stony ensuring excellent drainage and a porous structure creating space for oxygen in the soil which is important for root respiration and preventing any soil compaction which can slow drainage.

To effectively replicate rosemary’s Mediterranean soil, mix at least 30% horticultural sand or grit with 70% compost.

Too much sand or grit is always better than not enough as the sand very effectively mitigates the risk of root rot which is the more common reason for a dying rosemary plant.

So, I know that sand and grit are the best soil amendments for rosemary in pots from my conversations with commercial growers in the Mediterranean. They carefully optimize every part of the growing process, so I can assure you that they have it down to a fine art.

My Rosemary Potting Soil Experiment!

I have personally grown rosemary in both dry climates and rainy climates, so I did a little experiment. I grew 5 rosemary plants in sand and 5 plants in grit. The reason for the experiment was to measure what is the most effective soil amendment for rosemary in different climates.

I found that it didn’t really matter whether you used sand or grit in hotter climates, and the rosemary showed good growth without any appreciable difference between the two different soil amendments. When I moved house to a more rainy climate (in the Pacific Northwest), I conducted the same experiment.

I can tell you from experience growing rosemary in a hot and dry climate was different from a rainy climate. The rosemary that grew in the gritty soil grew much better than the rosemary grown in the sandy soil.

The conclusion that I made was that grit has a larger particle size, which means that it drains that little bit better than the sand. One of my rosemary plants planted in the sand actually developed root rot and died, and 2 others were not in good condition as the rosemary planted in grit thrived! The superior drainage of the gritty soil was better for growing in the rainy climate!

Therefore, if you live in a climate of higher rainfall (such as the Pacific Northwest or Northern Europe), then I recommend using potting soil with grit to grow your rosemary rather than sand.

Rosemary has specifically adapted to tolerate drought conditions and dry soils, so it is important to emphasize how much rosemary requires the soil to be well draining.

Another way of tackling this problem is just to add a higher proportion of grit or sand. Adding more sand or grit to the mix helps to counter the effect of high rainfall climates, and your rosemary should grow very well once it is growing in its preferred well draining conditions.

I have spoken to commercial lavender, rosemary and Mediterranean herb growers in Washington and Oregon who recommend amending their potting soil with as much as 50% horticultural sand or grit to 50% multipurpose compost to provide the optimal balance of drainage to grow rosemary successfully despite a rainy climate and conditions.

The sand and grit also play another important role in that they help to create the right level of soil fertility for rosemary.

As surprising as it may sound rosemary thrives in lower fertility soils and produces the best aroma and flavor from the leaves as well as the most flowers.

Sand and grit do not contribute much nutrients to the soil which helps to balance out the fertility of the compost for your potting soil to mimic the same level of soil fertility as their Mediterranean range to ensure your rosemary has the best aroma and flavor.

The rosemary can attain all the nutrients they require from the gritty compost mix.

Avoid this mistake!

It is important to note that you cannot substitute horticultural sand with ordinary beach sand in your rosemary potting mix.

Horticultural sand is coarse and has a larger particle size than ordinary beach sand, which has much finer grains.

The horticultural sands’ larger size allows more air into the soil and allows water to drain more efficiently.

Beach sand particles can be very small and actually create a soil mix that drains too slowly as well as exclude oxygen with a less porous structure.

Horticultural sand, grit, or perlite is usually available for a good price in garden centers or on amazon.

(Read my article, choosing the best pots for rosemary).

Avoid Amending Rosemary Potting Soil with Peat Moss

The reason I avoid peat moss is because peat bakes hard in full sun (rosemary requires full sun) and becomes hydrophobic when it dries which means it repels water from the surface of the potting soil.

This can then cause water to run off the surface of the soil and down the side of the pot without actually infiltrating and reaching the roots.

Rosemary is a drought-resistant plant but if water is being deflected off the surface of the soil then the roots cannot draw up any moisture and the rosemary can die back.

Always prioritize a peat-free compost or potting soil when creating your potting mix for rosemary which should be labeled clearly on the packaging.

Aside from peat content, I should emphasize you should also not pot rosemary in any compost that has wetting agents or added fertilizer, as both of these characteristics are in contrast to rosemary’s preferred soil conditions.

Ordinary multi-purpose compost amended with sand or grit is the optimal potting mix for rosemary.

(It is important to know when to water potted rosemary to compliment well-draining soil to maintain the optimal balance for moisture for potted rosemary, so read my article, how to water rosemary for all the best practices of watering).

What is the Potting Soil pH for Rosemary

From my research, Rosemary is native to regions with calcareous soils which are typically alkaline in pH and the preferred pH range for rosemary is pH 6-7.5 (which is slightly acidic, neutral, and slightly alkaline) but some rosemary varieties are capable of tolerating pH 4.3-8.3.

I can assure you that all standard commercially available potting soils and compost fall within the ideal pH 6-7.5 range, with only soils that are labeled as ericaceous, should be avoided as this means it has been formulated for plants such as camellias, which prefer higher levels of acidity.

There is not need to amend the soil with lime or any other material that raises the pH to alkaline. Whilst it may not hurt the rosemary it could potentially harm it if you add too much.

(Read my article, how to care for rosemary in pots).

Key Takeaways:

• Rosemary prefers poor, dry, sandy potting soil with relatively low fertility. Create the best potting soil for rosemary with two-thirds compost and one-third horticultural sand, which recreates the optimal soil conditions of rosemary’s native Mediterranean environment.
• Avoid planting rosemary in potting soils with added fertilizers or in soils that retain too much moisture, as these conditions promote root rot.
• Horticultural sand or grit has a larger particle size and helps to mimic the porous aerated soil structure to which rosemary is adapted, which promotes good drainage and reduces the risk of root rot.
• Rosemary can grow in acidic, pH-neutral, and alkaline soils. Compost and sand potting mixes do not need to be amended with lime, as rosemary grows well in the typical soil pH range.

I have learned through some trial and error that the type of the pot and size of the pot is very important to grow rosemary successfully.

Here, in this post, I share with you all the tips and secrets I have learned…

Clay and terracotta pots measuring at least 12 inches across are the best pots for growing rosemary. Clay and terracotta are porous, which allows the soil to dry after watering; they do not heat up as quickly in the sun compared to plastic or metal pots and provide more protection from frost in Winter.

Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb that has adapted to resist drought and prefers the soil to dry out somewhat between bouts of watering.

Keep reading to learn which pots and containers are the best for growing rosemary and how to avoid the most common mistakes when growing potted rosemary…

Best Pot Size for Growing Rosemary

Rosemary can come in a variety of sizes, with some varieties growing as much as 2 or 3 feet across (such as ‘Tuscan blue’), whereas some varieties stay much more compact with annual pruning.

However, I recommend that you plant your rosemary in a pot that is at least 12 inches wide with the same proportional depth, even if you have a smaller variety of rosemary or if the rosemary is at an immature stage of growth.

It is important to plant rosemary in a pot or container that is at least 12 inches because the pot needs to have enough capacity to hold enough soil for the rosemary’s roots to stay insulated in the Winter and so that the pot does not dry out too quickly in the blazing sunshine in the middle of Summer.

A 12-inch pot also has enough room for the rosemary’s roots to develop so it can access the moisture and nutrients it requires to grow and stay healthy.

• I must emphasize the importance of the 12 inches depth of the pot. Here’s why…

When I first started growing rosemary, my own rosemary was planted in a nice wide pot, but it wasn’t particularly deep. I noticed my rosemary had stunted growth and hadn’t grown much for nearly 2 years. It also didn’t look as healthy as it should.

I learned that rosemary has surprisingly deep roots, even as smaller plants. My rosemary’s roots had reached the bottom of the relatively shallow pot, which caused it to stop growing.

When I transferred my rosemary to a deeper pot, it resumed growing and still looks glorious to this day!

Rosemary of all types grow very well in pots, and pots have more favorable drainage conditions compared with garden borders and flower beds, which is important because rosemary are Mediterranean plants that are adapted to well-draining conditions, which helps to avoid root rot.

As rosemary is a Mediterranean plant, it grows, smells, tastes, and flowers the best when it is full sun.

However, we should remember that full sun can drastically increase the rate at which pots dry out on the hottest days, which is why having a larger pot with a good capacity for soil is so important, as smaller pots than 12 inches can dry out so quickly that the rosemary roots do not have enough chance to draw up the moisture they need.

It is also worth considering that pots essentially raise the rosemary’s root system above ground, which can expose the roots to cold temperatures in Winter. I now live in a cold climate that goes below freezing in Winter.

People in my area have accidentally killed their rosemary by planting it in pots that are too small…

From my research, I discovered that rosemary roots are the most cold-sensitive part of the plant. Ordinarily, the surrounding soil acts as insulation from the cold to maintain a temperature during Winter that the roots can tolerate.

If the pot is too small, then it does not contain enough soil to properly insulate the roots from the worst of the cold, which can cause your rosemary to die back in Winter.

A larger pot has enough soil to insulate the roots and protect them from frost in climates with colder Winters so that they survive and flower well the following year.

(Read my article, best soil for rosemary in pots).

Best Material Rosemary Pots

Rosemary are hardy plants when they are established and growing in the right conditions, and they can grow in pots made from any material, but some types of pots are more favorable for growing rosemary than others.

I did an Experiment to See Which Pots are Best for Rosemary…

From my own testing, I can tell you that I have personally grown rosemary plants in metal, plastic, clay, terracotta, and ceramic-style pots.

I had so many rosemary plants (because I propagate them every year, which I recommend you do because it is so easy!) that I decided to do a little experiment!

I grew rosemary in every type of pot I could find (as I mentioned, metal, plastic, clay, terracotta, and ceramic). To keep things fair, I made sure every pot was 12 inches across and 12 inches deep. I also used the same potting medium of 70% potting soil to 30% horticultural grit to keep things fair.

Keep in mind that I was living in the Pacific Northwest USA at the time, which has relatively high rainfall.

I planted my rosemary in their respective pots at the start of spring in March and monitored how each rosemary plant faired throughout the year. In particular, I was interested in how often each pot needed watering (as watering and problems with overwatering are the most common reasons people struggle to grow rosemary).

My initial hypothesis was that the rosemary would grow better in the clay, terracotta, and unglazed ceramic pots as they are porous, which allows the soil to dry out more evenly.

The Results! Which Pot was Best?

By the end of the Summer, my rosemary in the porous clay pots grew more by about an inch to each stem, and I actually thought they had a slightly stronger fragrance compared to the rosemary that grew in the plastic pots.

Rosemary in the terracotta and ceramic pots also grew well. What I noticed is that the soil in the porous pots (clay in particular) dried out more quickly after rainfall, which I see as an advantage when growing rosemary as it recreates the well-draining dry soil conditions of the rosemary’s native environment and reduces the risk of root rot.

I also discovered something quite interesting that I hadn’t really considered before the experiment started. The ceramic, clay, and terracotta pots were much thicker than the tin, plastic, and metal pots, which meant the soil did not heat up as much.

The soil in the plastic pot on a very hot day would heat up so quickly in the sun that the soil was bone dry by the end of the day, and even the drought-resistant rosemary began to wilt slightly as a sign of stress (and needed watering more often). I think this is the reason why the rosemary in the plastic pot did not grow as much as the others.

The metal pot was also impermeable (as is plastic, of course), and I noticed the soil stayed perhaps uncomfortably damp for longer after rainfall.

The rosemary in the metal pot was affected by the soil heating up in the sun too much, just like the plastic pot, and damp soil after rainfall, which caused the leaves to wilt even after watering, which is a sign of root rot, so I had to reduce how often I watered the rosemary in the metal pot to stop it from dying.

My Verdict!

Whether you live in a hot and dry or cool and rainy climate, my personal recommendation is that ceramic, clay, and terracotta pots are all great options. The clay pots are, in my opinion, the best option due to their porous, breathable structure and ability to survive winter (my terracotta pot broke in winter due to weathering).

The porous nature of these pots allowed the soil to dry out nicely and gradually, and the rosemary thrived.

I also noticed that in Winter, the thicker pots insulated the rosemary’s cold-sensitive roots more effectively, which ensured they survived despite a cold climate.

The rosemary in the thin metal pot actually died in the Winter, which I attribute to the cold, although the higher winter rainfall also probably played a part from my research and personal experience, root rot is the most common problem when growing rosemary).

One thing I would say in favor of the plastic pots is that they were much lighter, so if you had to move your rosemary pots around a lot, say if you are reorganizing your patio or bringing your rosemary to a more shelter spot in Winter as some rosemary varieties are not cold hardy the plastic could be a good option.

For more information, read my articles:

• how often to water rosemary.
• how to care for rosemary in pots).

Good Drainage is Key for Rosemary Pots and Containers

Whichever style of pot or container you choose for your rosemary the most important feature is that it has to have drainage holes in the base to allow excess water to escape after watering.

If the pot does not have drainage holes, then water collects in the bottom, and the soil around the root of the rosemary plant becomes saturated, which promotes the conditions for root rot, causing the rosemary to turn yellow, brown, or black and die back.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying rosemary plant).

It is important to emphasize that drainage holes should also be kept clear to allow water to escape easily away from the roots.

Soil can become compacted in pots over time, so the best way to ensure that the drainage holes stay clear is to use a 1-inch layer of gravel on the bottom of the pot before potting soil.

The gravel maintains a porous, aerated structure at the base of the pot to allow water to drain away easily, as soil compacted at the base can cause the water to drain slowly and cause boggy conditions.

Avoid this Common Mistake!

A classic mistake I see when people have potted rosemary is that they choose the right type of pot without good drainage in the base but place the pot on a tray to prevent water from spilling on their patio of watering the rosemary.

Rosemary originates in the Mediterranean region of Europe and requires dryer soil conditions than most plants. If the pot is on a tray with water around the base, it is contrary to rosemary’s preferred conditions and can cause root rot.

Pro tip: If, like me, you live in a climate of high rainfall, then I recommend using ‘feet’ under your rosemary pots to elevate them off the ground slightly which ensures good drainage and prevents watering pooling around the base of the pot. I learned the hard way when I had one rosemary die because water drained out the pot but was trapped on the patio slab underneath, which caused damp conditions and root rot!

Read my article, How to Propagate Rosemary from Cuttings.

Key Takeaways:

• Clay and terracotta pots are the best pots for growing rosemary. Clay and terracotta pots are more breathable than plastic and metal pots allowing the soil to dry out more efficiently, they do not heat up too quickly in the sun and resist frost damaging the rosemary’s roots in Winter.
• Clay and terracotta pots that measure 12 inches across can hold enough soil for the rosemary root system to develop and provide enough insulation to protect the rosemary roots from the cold.
• Always plant rosemary in pots with drainage holes in the base to allow excess water to drain away from the roots and prevent root rot.
• Avoid placing your rosemary on a tray as this collects water, and the soil stays boggy, causing root rot. Placing your pot on stands is best practice to allow for good drainage and prevent root rot.

I grow almost all the popular culinary herbs every year, so I always have a supply to add a burst of flavor to my cooking. I have encountered all the problems that we are going to discuss in this article.

Through my research, personal experience, and trial and error, I can share with you some great tips and secrets to keep your herbs green. I’ll also tell you exactly what to do step by step if yours are turning yellow!

Most often, Herb leaves turn yellow because of overwatering or underwatering, which prevents the herb’s roots from transporting nutrients and water properly to the leaves, which causes them to turn yellow and drop off. Herbs with root rot turn yellow and have a drooping appearance.

I created the following table to help you identify the specific reason your herbs are yellowing:

Keep reading to learn my secrets for how to solve this issue…

Herbs Turning Yellow due to Root Rot and Fungal Disease

• Symptoms. Leaves and possibly stems are turning yellow and brown with a drooping appearance.
• Causes. Watering too often, slow draining soils or pots without drainage holes in the base.

I think at some point, all gardeners have encountered this problem, particularly with herbs that originate from the Mediterranean region of Europe…

The most common reason herbs turn yellow is too much moisture around the roots, which promotes root rot and fungal diseases. Root rot is caused by overwatering, slow-draining soils and pots without drainage holes in the base, and it causes the leaves to turn yellow and droop.

All of our herbs require well-draining, porous soil with a light, friable structure that allows water to infiltrate effectively.

If the soil becomes saturated, then herb roots can develop root rot, and they can no longer respire, which prevents them from drawing up the nutrients and moisture they need. If nutrients and moisture cannot reach the leaves, they turn yellow as a sign of stress.

All herbs suffer when there is too much moisture around the roots but our Mediterranean herbs in particular (lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano) are adapted to growing in dry sandy soils which drain very quickly and hold less moisture which leaves them more vulnerable to root rot.

For Mediterranean herbs, we need to amend the soil with sand or grit to emulate the sandy Mediterranean soil conditions and, ideally plant them in pots (with drainage holes in the base) for more favorable drainage and water them less often.

(Read my article, how often to water herbs).

The key is to avoid planting herbs in clay soils or boggy areas as they retain too much moisture, and your herbs are likely to turn yellow and die back.

How I Save Yellow Herbs with Root Rot

• Scale back the watering. Mediterranean herbs typically require watering once every 2 weeks when in pots and do not require any water at all once established in garden borders. If you are watering more frequently than this, you are overwatering your Mediterranean herbs, and this is the most likely cause of your leaves turning yellow.
• Annual leafy herbs such as basil, cilantro, dill, mint, chives, and parsley require consistently moist soil, so they should be watered more often than Mediterranean herbs. However, the soil should be evenly moist rather than saturated or boggy. I recommend using your finger to detect the soil’s moisture. It should feel moist to a finger’s depth but not boggy and smelly.
• Improve the soil drainage. I have tested growing Mediterranean herbs with many different soil amendments and different levels of composition. What I found that works best is soil that is approximately 70% compost to 30% sand or grit, as this helps us effectively recreate the well-draining, gritty soil conditions of their native Mediterranean environment. Creating the right soil mix for Mediterranean herbs is critical to avoid root rot and yellow leaves, so watch my video on how to create the optimal potting mix for lavender. (please note that the same soil mix applies to all Mediterranean herbs).

• Transplant your herb into a different pot with drainage holes in the base. As we discussed, our herbs should always be planted in pots and containers with drainage holes to allow excess water to escape after watering and prevent the soil from becoming saturated. Be careful of saucers and trays underneath your potted herbs, as these can keep the soil at the bottom of the pot damp and prevent water from draining away from the roots effectively.
• When you are transplanting your herbs, inspect the roots. Trim off any dark roots that feel mushy, rotten, or have a bad smell. Roots should be lighter in color (they can look brown and woody on some herbs) and feel firm without any significant smell. Trim any diseased-looking roots back to healthy growth with a sterile pair of pruners. Wipe the blades of the pruners with a cloth soaked in disinfectant (I use hand gel) to prevent spreading any fungal pathogens to otherwise healthy roots.

• Replace the soil. Discard the old potting soil as it can host the fungal pathogens that are responsible for root rot so it could potentially reinfect the plant. Replant leafy annual herbs (such as basil and cilantro) in good compost and Mediterranean herbs in compost amended with sand or grit.
• Cut back any yellow leaves. Any yellow leaves are not likely to recover if overwatering is the cause, so I always cut them back to the base of the plant with sterile pruners.

If most of the leaves of the herb are yellow or the roots are mostly rotten then the herb is likely to die so discard it and replant new herbs in different pots.

Preventing root rot is always better than trying to solve it, so the best option may be to replace the herbs and adhere to the best practices of watering (once every 2 weeks for Mediterranean herbs), planting herbs in the appropriate soil (amended with sand or grit for Mediterranean herbs) and planting your herbs in pots with drainage holes to prevent root rot and yellow leaves.

(Read my articles on the best pots for herbs, the best soil for herbs, and how to revive dying herbs for more information on preventing root rot).

Underwatering Causes Herbs to Turn Yellow

• Symptoms. The symptoms of drought-stressed herbs are similar to those of overwatered herbs (somewhat confusingly), with yellow leaves and a wilted appearance.
• Causes. Underwatering, small pots, soil that drains too quickly.

To distinguish whether your herbs are turning yellow from underwatering or too much water, drought stress is the cause if…

1. The herb’s leaves are turning yellow from the bottom of the plant.
2. The leaves appear wilted and can curl inwards.
3. The soil feels dry and baked rather than boggy.

Mediterranean herbs are drought resistant, as they have adapted to the hot and dry Mediterranean climate.

They actually thrive in well-draining soils, so most of the time, it is overwatering that causes their yellow leaves rather than underwatering, although this can happen in pots that are too small.

This happened to me with my sage plants. They were in a small plastic pot in full sun at the height of Summer. The soil baked hard, and I noticed water just trickled off the surface without infiltrating properly and reaching the roots.

Our leafy annual herbs (such as basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, and chives) on the other hand are more likely to suffer drought stress which causes the leaves to turn yellow with a wilted appearance.

The leafy annual herbs require the soil to be moist (yet well draining) which is achieved by planting them in compost as compost can retain moisture, yet has a porous structure that allows excess water to drain away from the roots which is the perfect balance for annual herbs.

Of course, the right frequency of watering is also very important for preventing drought stress and ensuring every time it is a thorough watering rather than a light watering, so the moisture reaches the roots where it is required.

How I Saved My Yellowing Herbs Because of Drought Stress

• Give your herbs a thorough watering so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot. Whether your herbs are planted in raised beds, garden boarders, or in pots they all require a generous soak to ensure the water reaches the roots. Light watering causes the roots to grow near the surface of the soil which increases the herb’s vulnerability to drought.
• As for my sage plants, I had to submerge the whole pot underwater for 10 minutes to alleviate the stress of drought. As we discussed, the water was trickling off the surface as the soil had baked hard. The only antidote to this is to soak the whole root ball underwater, which allows the soil to absorb water properly.
• Water leafy annual herbs so that the soil is consistently moist. How often to water your herbs depends on many variables, such as climate, weather, and soil, so my best advice is to ensure that the compost feels moist to a finger’s depth in the soil. When the soil starts to feel as though it is beginning to dry out, give your herbs a good soak. Typically, I find this means watering every 3-7 days, depending on the time of year, but watering leafy annual herbs nearly every day can be required at the hottest times of year.
• Always plant your herbs in a larger pot of around 12 inches across, if possible. Herbs can grow perfectly well in small pots, but it should be noted smaller pots dry out much quicker in the sun as they have less capacity for soil and, therefore, less capacity for moisture. Larger pots have more soil and, therefore, hold more moisture for the herb’s roots to uptake water and nutrients as required.
• Plant your annual herbs in good compost if your soil is sandy. Leafy annual herbs require good compost to avoid drought stress and yellow leaves. If your soil is sandy or stony, it is likely to drain too quickly for leafy herbs and therefore, it is better to grow your herbs in pots with good compost or significantly amend your soil with lots of organic matter (leaf mold and compost are the best materials for retaining moisture) to create the optimal balance of moisture for your herbs and prevent yellow leaves from droughts stress.

Pro tip: Here is a really great hack that I was taught by a herb gardener in a hot climate. Amend your potting soil with leaf mold if you are growing leafy herbs in a hot climate. Leaf mold is the best compost amendment as it can retain more moisture than any other type of organic matter, and it still has a porous structure to allow excess water to drain, which creates the perfect environment for your leaf green herbs.

Since I have started implementing this tip none of my herbs have wilted or turned yellow! Of course this advice applies to growing herbs like chives, corriander, mint, basil cilantro etc. and does not apply to the mediterrean herbs (rosemary, lavender, sage etc.) which need dryer soil.

Reviving herbs turning yellow from drought stress is a lot easier than from overwatering, and often, the herbs can make a good recovery if you create the optimal conditions and increase the watering.

I would still trim back any yellow leaves back to the base, and I can assure you, if you are taking good care of your herbs, they often grow back with vengeance! I have had to do this basil a few times and it always grows back nice green leaves.

The lack of Sun Could be Turning Herb Leaves Yellow

• Symptoms. Poor stunted or very slow growth. Stems can grow leggy as the herb grows to the strongest source of light. Leaves turn yellow, usually from the bottom of the herb.
• Causes. Mediterranean herbs require full sun (6 hours or more) and turn leggy and yellow in the shade. Leafy annual herbs (such as basil and cilantro) can grow in partial shade but turn yellow in full shade.

As we have talked about, our Mediterranean herbs thrive in full sun in their native range in Southern Europe, so locate them in the sunniest area of your garden, or they grow leggy, turn yellow, and die.

If your Mediterranean herbs have turned leggy, what I would recommend is to propagate them from any healthy growth, as Mediterranean herbs do not respond well to being pruned back as much as leaf herbs.

Here is my guide to propagating rosemary from cuttings (I love propagating as it is super easy and fun!).

For our leaf herbs, what I have done to address this problem is to trim back any leggy growth by at least one-third and with some herbs such as basil, back to the base to stimulate new growth.

My herbs recovered in 4 weeks with lots of new green leaves (but bear in mind I did this in Summer, and the growing conditions were favorable; it may take a little bit longer to recover if growing conditions are not as good).

Our leafy green annual herbs, such as basil, prefer morning sun followed by afternoon shade.

This allows them to grow to their best in the sun yet protects the herbs from drying out as temperatures peak in the midday and afternoon. When I lived in Southern California, I found it essential to hide my leaf herbs from the heat and sun of the afternoon.

If your leafy annual herbs are in too much shade, move them to an area of more sun and trim back any drooping affected growth, which stimulates healthy green leaves to grow, which have a much better culinary value.

Nutrient Poor Soil Can Causes Herb Leaves to Yellow

• Symptoms. Poor stunted growth, with leaves yellow and brown.
• Causes. Sandy soil or smell pots that have limited soil and therefore limited nutrient availability.

We need to remember that our Mediterranean herbs are native to Southern Europe and grow in sandy, gritty soils that are medium to low in nutrients.

Therefore, herbs such as lavender and rosemary actually thrive in nutrient-poor soil, so the reason they are turning yellow is more likely due to overwatering or damp soils.

However, Mediterranean herbs typically prefer a soil pH of 6.5-7.5, so if your soil is particularly acidic, then this can prevent the roots from drawing up certain nutrients in the soil, which can cause foliage to turn yellow.

If your garden soil is very acidic (lower than pH 6.5) then always grow herbs in pots instead (which is what I recommend).

Commercially available compost and potting soil are within the appropriate pH range to grow herbs unless it is ‘ericaceous’ compost, which means that it is formulated for plants that prefer acidic soil conditions.

Leafy annual herbs such as basil and cilantro grow best in compost or in a vegetable garden amended with organic matter (which contains more nutrients) rather then sandy soil which can cause the leaves to turn yellow due to a lower concentration of soil nutrients.

My own annual herbs that were planted in a relatively small pot have sufferd a nutrient deficiency and turned yellow before.

I was able to diagnose that this was because the smaller pot had less soil and, therefore, less nutrients available for the roots, which caused the leaves to turn yellow.

My solution was to replant my herbs in a larger pot with new compost, and my herbs recovered and started growing again.

You can also add some fertilizer, I try to avoid using chemical fertilizers on my herbs so I use organic fertilizer in the form of liquid seaweed, which i think is magic as my herbs grew back and looks fabulous in 3 or 4 weeks! It really improved my harvest.

Of course, I cut back any yellowing foliage to stimulate new growth, which was healthy and green.

Can You Eat Yellow Herb Leaves?

No. Do not eat the yellow leaves of herbs, as they are unlikely to taste very good and contain a much lower concentration of the essential oils that give herbs their aroma and flavor. Instead, prune back your annual herbs to around 8 inches tall to stimulate new growth of healthy green leaves with a much better flavor.

If you have any more questions, please leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you!

Key Takeaways:

• Herb leaves turn yellow because of root rot caused by overwatering. Overwatering herbs prevents root respiration, which interferes with the root’s ability to draw up moisture and nutrients from the soil. As a sign of stress, the leaves turn yellow and droop.
• Herb leaves turn yellow because of dry soil. Annual herbs such as basil and cilantro require moist, porous soil and frequent watering in hot weather to prevent leaves from turning yellow and wilting. Small pots dry quickly in the sun, causing herbs to turn yellow as a sign of stress.
• Mediterranean herbs require 6 or more hours of sun, whereas annual herbs require partial sun and turn yellow with poor growth in too much shade. Move your herbs to a sunnier location and cut back any yellow growth to stimulate healthy green leaves.
• If your soil is sandy or gritty or your pots are very small, annual herbs such as basil and cilantro can turn yellow due to a lack of nutrients. Repot your herbs in a larger pot with good compost and cut back yellow leaves; the herbs should recover.

I have been growing different herbs and gardening all my life and I have personally encounter all the problems that I talk about in this article.

I’ll talk you through how to identify the specific reason why your herbs are wilting and give you a step-by-step guide on how to implement the solutions that I have learned to save your herbs!

Drooping herbs can result from overwatering, underwatering, extreme heat, or too much fertilizer. Mediterranean herbs such as lavender and rosemary mostly droop because of overwatering and fertilizer, whereas leafy annual herbs such as basil and cilantro often droop due to underwatering and heat stress.

As there is a wide variety of reasons for drooping herbs, I created a table to help you pinpoint the problem…

But first, there is something I should clarify…

The most important distinction between popular herbs (which influences why they droop) is that Mediterranean herbs such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano are adapted to tolerate drought and grow in dryer conditions with lots of sun and sandy soils that are lower in fertility whereas leafy annual herbs such as basil, cilantro, dill, parsley, mint and chives prefer more soil moisture, regular pruning and can grow in partial shade.

Keep reading to learn my best solutions…

1. Watering Herbs Too Often Causes Drooping

I find this can be a surprising reason for many people who have just started growing herbs because I think it sounds a little counterintuitive…

Watering herbs too often excludes oxygen from the soil, which interferes with the herb’s root’s ability to uptake moisture and nutrients. This causes herbs to turn yellow with a drooping and dying appearance. Overwatering also causes root rot, resulting in herbs turning yellow and drooping.

One of the most common reasons our Mediterranean herbs, such as lavender and rosemary, droop is that they are overwatered.

I think for us to appreciate what is causing our herbs to droop, it is best if we understand how our herbs grow in the wild…

Mediterranean herbs are drought resistant as they are specially adapted to the climate of Southern European countries such as Spain, Italy, and Greece where they experience infrequent rainfall, in full sun, and grow in sandy well-draining soils.

Therefore, if planted in pots without significant rainfall, I find my herbs generally require watering once every two weeks in Summer, and in my experience, they do not require any additional water once established in garden borders.

If you ware watering more often then this then you are overwatering your Mediterranean herbs (or perhaps there has been too much rain) and this is the reason they are drooping, so scale back the watering immediately, so that the roots have a chance to dry out and your herbs can recover.

As Mediterranean herbs prefer dryer conditions, they are particularly vulnerable to root rot from overwatering, which causes them to turn yellow or brown and droop.

(If your herbs are turning yellow, brown, and drooping, read my articles on how to revive a dying Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, and Oregano for more information on how to save herbs with root rot).

However, our annual herbs, such as basil, parsley, and cilantro prefer moist soil conditions and are therefore less vulnerable to drooping because of overwatering. However, they can still droop as a result of saturated soil which excludes oxygen from the soil which is required for root respiration.

If the roots cannot respire, they cannot uptake moisture and nutrients causing the herb to droop, turn yellow, and die back.

To solve the problem, the first thing that you do is to scale back the watering of your annual herbs, as they typically only need to be watered once every 3-7 days.

(Exactly how often to water your herbs depends on several factors, read my article on how to water herbs to learn more about when to water your herbs according to your conditions).

Once the soil has had a chance to dry out, it should return to normal in the following weeks.

My method of watering herbs is to feel the soil to a finger’s depth. If the soil still feels moist and cool, then this is perfect, and you can delay watering for a day or two until the surface of the soil feels slightly dry; then I give it a really good soak.

Do consider that overwatering, slow-draining soils, and pots without drainage holes in the base all have the same effect of retaining too much moisture around the roots of herbs, causing them to droop, as in the photo above.

So, to resolve the problem, you can either drill some holes in the bottom of the pot or do as I did and find a transplant of your herbs to a different pot if you have one handy as I did. The parsley in the photo rebounded and perked up after 2 weeks once I sorted the drainage.

Therefore, I always emphasize to people starting to grow herbs that they should always plant their herbs in pots with drainage holes in the base and avoid using a saucer or tray underneath the pot, as this can effectively prevent excess water from draining away from the roots, causing root rot.

Pro tip: What I often do with my herbs is place the pot on ‘feet’ (I just use decorative stones) to elevate the pot off the ground when I grow them on my patio. This allows the water to flow freely from the base, which prevents root rot. I can also tell if my herbs are watered sufficiently, as water should always trickle from the base as a visual cue that the moisture has reached the herb’s roots where it is required.

(Read my article, on How to Revive Dying Herbs if your herbs are drooping, yellow, and have a dying appearance).

2. Slow Draining Soils Results in Drooping, Dying Herbs

From experience, I see that this is more of an issue with the woody Mediterranean herbs.

Herbs’ stems and leaves droop in slow-draining or saturated soil, which promotes the conditions for the fungal disease root rot and prevents the herb’s roots from drawing up the nutrients and moisture they require. As a result, herbs droop, turn yellow and die back.

All herbs require well-draining soil with a porous structure that allows water to infiltrate, allowing moisture to reach the roots yet draining away effectively so that the roots are not sat in boggy, saturated soil.

If the soil drains too slowly because the herbs are planted in clay soil or boggy areas of the garden then this promotes the conditions for root rot and other fungal disease pathogens which cause herbs to droop and turn yellow.

As we discussed, Mediterranean herbs, in particular, suffer in slow-draining soils and even regular, unamended compost as they retain too much moisture, which is contrary to their preferred soil conditions.

Our favorite Mediterranean herbs, such as lavender and rosemary, are native to the relatively dry climate of Southern Europe and grow in sandy or gritty soils, often on hillsides, which are very well-draining.

Sandy soils create a very porous soil structure that allows water to drain quickly and does not retain moisture like organic matter (such as compost or leaf mold) does.

If you have clay soil or boggy areas in your garden then it is best to grow herbs in pots as they have have more favorable drainage conditions and you can customize the potting mix to suit your herbs rather then trying to amend the existing garden soil which can be difficult.

I personally used to live in a house that had a garden with clay soil. It was too difficult to grow most herbs in it (due to poor drainage and just) even if the soil was amended with grit, so in this scenario, I would recommend using pots or perhaps raised beds and planters.

If you have identified that the problem is with your slow-draining soil, then I recommend that you transplant them quickly.

Replant your herbs in a pot that is ideally 12 inches across and for Mediterranean herbs (such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano) I use a potting mix that is approximately 70% all-purpose compost to 30% horticultural sand or grit.

(Read my article, choosing the best pots for herbs).

I have experimented with amending my own potting soil and even spoken to some commercial herbs growers, and they all told me that the secret is that this mixture of sand, grit, and soil replicates the conditions and typical proportions of Mediterranean soils to provide optimal levels of drainage for your herbs.

Watch this video on creating the optimal soil mix in pots for lavenders, which is applicable for all Mediterranean herbs as they all require sharp drainage:

For annual leafy herbs (such as basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, and chives), I would repot the plants in a pot ideally sized 12 inches across (pots this size contain more soil and can retain more moisture, so the herbs do not suffer drought stress).

As we discussed, leafy annual herbs require more moist soil conditions than Mediterranean herbs, so plant them in ordinary compost or leaf mold. These materials can retain moisture yet also have a porous structure that allows excess water to drain away from the roots, creating the perfect balance of moisture for your herbs.

I personally love a grow leafy herbs in a combination of 50% compost and 50% leaf mold.

This potting mix has given me the best results as the leaf mold can hold lots of moisture and has a lot of nutrients whilst also having a well-draining structure.

My parsley, mint, and chives grow much better in this potting mix (as they all love moisture). I’ve also found that this mix of soil helps mitigate the risk of drought stress in the Summer.

Once your herbs are in the right soil, water appropriately, and are grown in pots that have drainage holes in the base then they can start to recover.

3. Underwatering Causes Herbs to Wilt (hydrophobic soil)

Herbs such as basil and cilantro droop because of dry soil. Leafy annual herbs require well-draining, yet consistently moist soil and frequent watering in hot weather to prevent wilting. Smaller pots dry out quickly, causing herbs to droop, so they should be watered more often.

The leafy annual herbs such as basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, dill, and chives all grow in best soil that is consistently moist yet well-draining.

The optimal balance of moisture for these herbs is achieved with porous, friable compost or potting soil and frequent watering.

If the soil around the roots of annual leafy herbs dries out for a significant time then they wilt quickly due to their larger leaves which loose a lot of water and preference for moist soil (Mediterranean herbs such as lavender and rosemary have much thinner leaves which is an adaptation to reduce water loss and survive drought).

My basil tends to wilt first in a drought because its large leaves lose more moisture due to their surface area compared to, say, parsley, which often has curly leaves. However, I’ve observed that it retains moisture a little better in drought.

If the top inch of the soil has dried out, water your annual herbs thoroughly. When watering potted herbs, ensure that water trickles from the base of the pot after watering to ensure the water has reached the roots.

However, there is another issue that I have personally encountered. If your soil dries out completely, then the potting soil can become hydrophobic, which just means it repels water off the surface, and the moisture does not infiltrate the soil properly and doesn’t reach the roots where it is actually required.

The surface may look damp, but it still feels dry if you push your finger into the soil. Another way you can tell with potted herbs is to just pick up the pot and assess the weight because, of course, it should feel noticeably heavier if the soil has actually soaked in the moisture. Does your pot feel suspiciously light after watering?!

So, what do we do in this scenario?

I can tell you from experience that just watering isn’t effective, so what I do for my potted herbs is to fill my wheelbarrow with water and sit the pots inside. This allows the soil to rehydrate after a period of drought properly.

When you soak it like this, the structure changes and it should be okay when you water it again as long as you water it more regularly.

If it is a hot summer day with blazing sunshine, shade your herbs during the hottest part of the day to allow them to recover from their drooping state without having to contend with high temperatures.

As long as your herbs have not suffered severe drought stress from chronic underwatering, they should recover in the next few days after a generous watering. My underwater herbs usually perk up in a day or so.

Pro tip: Always water at the base of the plant rather than overhead watering to help prevent fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Water in the mornings to charge your herbs with water before a hot day.

As you can see in this photo, the soil has come away from the side of the pot because it is so dry. If this is the case for your herbs, water them immediately and try to water them proactively every few days to prevent the soil from drying and the herbs drooping.

I would also consider repotting your herbs to a larger pot as I can tell you they retain moisture much better and cope better with drought.

4. Exceptionally Hot Weather Causes Herbs Leaves to Curl and Stems to Droop

On the hottest days of the year, herbs droop their stems and curl their leaves temporarily as a survival strategy to cope with drought and heat stress. The drooping herb attempts to reduce the surface area of the leaves to decrease water loss and preserve moisture.

Nearly all types of my herbs droop as a response to heat waves as a mechanism to conserve water and survive, so increasing watering does not alleviate the drooping appearance.

Our Mediterranean herbs, such as sage and oregano, are adapted to the blazing sun and high temperatures in the South of Europe, and drooping temporarily in reaction to an overwhelming heat helps them to minimize water loss from the leaves and does not generally harm the plant in any way.

If your herbs are drooping because of high temperatures, then the effect is usually temporary, and the herb recovers when temperatures have cooled down in the evening.

Even at the hottest times of year do not water Mediterranean herbs more then once a week even if they are drooping in the heat as they are very sensitive to root rot from overwatering. Mediterranean herbs are drought resistant and thrive in Summer even if they occasionally droop.

My sage plant in the photo above perked up and looked great later that evening when the temperature cooled!

For the leafy annual herbs such as basil and cilantro, it is important to keep the soil moist as they are native to environments with more shade and grow in soils that hold more moisture, therefore they are less well adapted to coping with high temperatures hence their propensity to droop more often then Mediterranean herbs.

One year, when there was a seemingly neverending sequence of heat waves, I moved all my leafy annual herbs to a location in the morning sun and shaded them in the afternoon because it was so hot, and they were always drooping despite good watering.

They were able to benefit from the morning sun and had a reprieve from the scorching midday and afternoon sun.

In cooler temperatures, your herbs should perk up again. If not then there is a different reason why your herbs are drooping.

Again, I would consider moving your herbs to a bigger pot if they are always drooping and use some leaf mold in the potting mix to help retain more moisture.

5. Too Much Fertilizer Causes Stems to Droop

I think this is a mistake that we all make as gardeners at some point…

What happens is that too much nitrogen fertilizer causes stems and leaves of herbs to weaken and droop under their own weight.

As we discussed, Mediterranean herbs such as thyme and sage are adapted to low-fertility soils. Fertilizer decreases the concentration of essential oils in the leaves, reducing aroma and flavor and causing the herbs to droop.

Mediterranean herbs (such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano) grow in sandy or gritty soils, often on hillsides in their native environment.

These sandy soils do not retain nutrients or moisture, and the sand or grit itself does not tend to contribute much nutrients to the surrounding soil.

So, I can assure you these herbs actually thrive in low fertility soil.

Too much nitrogen, which is a key ingredient in fertilizer, promotes foliage growth at the expense of flowers, aromas, and flavors. The resulting growth tends to be floppy and droop down without much flavor or culinary value.

Our drooping herbs, due to fertilizer, are also much more vulnerable to pests (such as aphids) and disease in their weakened state, which are normally a rare problem for herbs.

Even the leafy annual herbs (such as basil, cilantro, and mint) do not require any additional fertilizer if they are planted in good compost, as it impairs their flavor.

Also, consider that certain soil amendments such as manure are high in nitrogen and can cause the same drooping effect and reduce the concentration of essential oils in the leaves which give herbs their aroma and flavor.

The key to healthy, non-drooping herbs is to avoid the use of fertilizer and plant Mediterranean herbs in soil amended with sand or grit, as this emulates the level of soil fertility in which they grow best in their native environment.

Even for basil and cilantro, the best-tasting leaves I have grown have always been planted in ordinary multipurpose compost without any fertilizer or additional soil amendments, as these are the conditions to which they are accustomed. Their essential oils are at a higher concentration, which gives them their distinctive flavor.

6. Lack of Pruning

Annual leafy herbs such as basil and cilantro can droop because of a lack of pruning. Our leafy herbs should be pruned every 3 weeks during Spring and Summer to prevent them from growing too tall and drooping under their own weight.

Annual herbs such as basil, cilantro, mint, and parsley can grow very fast in the Summer when they have enough moisture, enough sunlight, and warm temperatures, which is great if you use your herbs for cooking.

Pro tip: I often have so much basil that I actually freeze it! I experimented with drying, but as basil has such a higher moisture content, I found that freezing was a better way to keep that delicious flavor.

If you neglect basil, it quickly grows tall and perhaps spindly and often droops under its own weight. At the peak times of year, it is important to harvest your herbs perhaps once every 3 weeks and aim to keep the herbs at a height of around 8 inches.

Watch this helpful YouTube video for how to prune basil:

Pruning regularly to a height of 8 inches the herbs helps to keep your herbs healthy, and bushy with lots of new leaves that have the best flavors.

As I said, if you have more herbs than you know what to do with them, I would freeze them in a freezer bag and use them at your convenience!

I should also emphasize that runing every three weeks also prevents your herbs from flowering too early. After the herbs have flowered the leaves do not taste quite the same and the herb can die shortly after, so pruning helps with extend their growing season.

Simply cut your herbs back with a sharp pair of pruners or scissors every three weeks to a height of 8 inches to prevent annual herbs drooping and ensure a productive plant with lots of leaves.

Note that our Mediterranean herbs should generally only be pruned once per year, and for lavenders and rosemary, it is important to not cut back into the woody growth. Annual pruning of your Mediterranean herbs in Spring prevents leggy drooping growth.

7. Not Enough Sunshine Causes Leggy, Drooping Growth

Mediterranean herbs such as lavender and rosemary require full sun. If the herbs are in too much shade, they grow leggy and droop as they search for more light. Herbs such as basil or cilantro can display poor drooping growth when in too much shade.

As I previously mentioned, my leafy annual herbs always grow best and produce the best-tasting leaves when they are in the morning sun, followed by afternoon shade.

This ensures that the herbs have enough light to grow but do not suffer heat stress when the temperature typically peaks in the afternoon and the annual herbs can tolerate a lot more shade then Mediterranean herbs and still grow well.

In really low levels of light, herbs grow tall and towards the strongest light source. This causes them to grow weak and droop down.

This happened to me when I first started growing my herbs!

What I did was cut any drooping growth back to around 8 inches long and move my herbs to an area with more light. New leaves started to emerge in the next three weeks, and my parley was revived!

It is more difficult to revive drooping Mediterranean herbs as they do not like regular pruning.

However, you should move your Mediterranean herbs to an area of full sun (6 hours or more) to ensure healthy, robust growth that does not droop. In the late fall or early spring, you should cut back any drooping growth with a sharp pair of pruners.

Key Takeaways:

• The most common reason herbs droop is dry soil. Potted herbs dry out quickly in the sun, which causes them to droop as a sign of heat stress or dehydration. Move the herb to a cooler area and water thoroughly so it can recover from a drooping appearance.
• Mediterranean herbs such as lavender and rosemary droop because of saturated soil. Mediterranean herbs are adapted to well-draining, sandy soil. There is too much moisture around Mediterranean herbs to droop and turn yellow or brown because of root rot.
• Herbs often have a drooping appearance as a reaction to high temperatures. Herbs, leaves, and stems droop or wilt temporarily in the heat to reduce surface area, decreasing water loss and conserving moisture. The herbs usually recover from a wilted appearance when the temperature cools in the evening.
• Herbs droop when planted in slow-draining soils such as clay or in pots without drainage as they retain too much water around the roots, causing root rot. Herbs require well-draining soil with a porous structure to allow water to drain away from the roots to prevent drooping.