How To Save Tulsi Plant From Dying (Revive Tulsi Plant)

How to save tulsi plant from dying?
To save tulsi plant from dying grow it in fast draining soil & keep it in a location that receives good amount of direct sunlight, water it often to keep the soil moist and feed it with good compost every 30-35 days. Check under it leaves regularly for pest attack

Tulsi is considered a holy plant in India which can be grown easily but taking care of tulsi plant is not everyone’s cup of tea.

That is why many people struggle to keep it alive.

In this post, I will tell you everything about how to save tulsi plant from dying and revive it back.

How to save tulsi plant from dying

Quick Tips of How to save tulsi plant from dying

WateringWater frequently & keep the soil moist. Do not overwater
Potting soilRich fast draining soil.
PruningKeep pruning regularly for better and bushy growth.

Signs of Dying Tulsi Plant

  • Losing Leaves at high rates
  • Leaves turning yellow/brown/black
  • Plant looking all dried up/shriveling
  • Leaves have holes or eaten

How to Save Tulsi Plant From Dying – Revive Tulsi Plant

How to save tulsi plant from dying

Watering the right way

You need to understand this fact that every plant has different water requirements and you cannot water them the same way.

Watering carelessly is one of the most common mistake people make while growing tulsi plant and it might be the reason why your tulsi plant is dying.

You might be overwatering or underwatering it.

So, how can you make sure you don’t do any of those.

Before watering your tulsi plant, insert your finger 1-2 inch inside the potting soil to see if its dry or not.

If it feels moist then don’t water it. Only water when the top 1-2 inches of the soil gets dry.

Water a tulsi plant just enough to make the soil and not flood it with water.

If the leaves starts to turn yellow it means you are overwatering it and the roots might have started to rot.

In such condition, let the soil dry out completely and then water it again and never keep the soil soggy.

If tulsi leaves are turning brown then you might be underwatering the plant.

Regular Pruning (How to Revive Tulsi Plant)

Pruning a tulsi plant keeps it health in check, whenever you see that it has dried leaves and dead branches, use a pruner to cut them off.

This allows the healthy leaves and branches to use the nutrition rather than wasting it on dead branches and leaves.

Anyway, pinching new growth also promotes new and healthy growth in tulsi plant.

Does Tulsi Need Direct Sunlight?

Tulsi plant needs a good amount of sunlight and will do best in 4-5 hours of direct morning sunlight and partial sunlight for rest of the day.

Tulsi Plant Sunlight

Although, you need to protect it from the harsh direct afternoon sunlight as it can burn the leaves of tulsi and your plant will start to look all dried up and unhealthy.

If you cannot manage to move it under shade during afternoon then it is best to provide it partial sunlight all day long.

Sunlight deprived tulsi plant cannot survive for a long time and will ultimately die.

To save your tulsi plant from dying, try to provide it as much of direct morning sunlight as you can provide.

Also read – How to grow Shevanti Plant from Flower

How to Save Tulsi Plant From Insects (How to save tulsi plant from dying)

Tulsi attracts a lot of bugs towards it and there are high chances these bugs are eating up your plants.

Check behind the leaves if there is any white fungus like things or white small insects hopping from one place to another.

If yes then they are the reason your plant is dying.

How to save tulsi plant from these insects?
Spraying a good quality neem oil (like this one on amazon) mixed with few drops of soap water over infected leaves is the best way to get rid of these bugs and save your tulsi plant from dying.

Also, remember to never spray insecticide (neem oil in this case) in presence of sunlight as it will result in burning the leaves, always apply insecticides and pesticide in the evening.

Don’t spray it regularly & wait for at least 21 days before spraying it again.

Potting Mix For Tulsi Plant

Tulsi Plant in potting soil

One of the reasons your plants might be dying is because of using a potting soil that is not suited for tulsi plant.

Tulsi plants thrive best in fast draining soil which can flush out excess water quickly through the drainage holes.

If the soil that you are using is not capable of removing excess water, this results in overwatering and ultimately suffers from root rot.

To avoid this always use a potting mix which has good drainage capacity (like this one from amazon), you can also add perlite in your already available potting soil to improve its draining ability.

If you want, you can always make your potting soil at home as well.

How to Fertilize Tulsi Plant?

Does tulsi plant need fertilizer?

Yes, tulsi plant need fertilizer, in fact tulsi plant is a heavy feeder and should be fertilized every 30 – 35 days to keep it healthy and alive.

If you regularly pluck the leaves of tulsi, you should never keep it deprived of food.

For this you can provide it with well rotted cow dung, leftover tea leaves that are washed properly and dried, or a fertilizer (this one) which is made specifically for tulsi plant.

Whenever you provide it with fertilizer, remember to water it immediately as this starts the breaking down of compost.

Winter Care For Tulsi Plant

Tulsi plants love warm weather and cannot handle cold temperatures that’s why tulsi plant dies in winter mostly.

If your plant is outside the room and the temperature goes below 10 degree Celsius then you should consider taking it inside during night to save it from dew.

You can also cover it with polyethene to save it from cold winds, frost and maintain warmth.

Water Tulsi Plant Less During Winters

You should only water the plant when the top 2-3 inches of soil is totally dry because during winters there is not much evaporation and most of the water is retained for a longer time.

If you water them carelessly during winter every day without first checking the soil then its root might start to rot.

Taking care of tulsi plant in Summer

To take care of tulsi plant in summers, make sure you are not keeping it deprived of water as the water will evaporate very quickly and your tulsi plant will be due for watering.

Regularly check its soil and try to keep it moist all the time.

Keep your tulsi plant under green net to save it from the harsh sunlight of summer or its leaves will start to dry out and fall.

Tulsi plant grows the most during spring and summer season, so provide it good amount of fertilizer during this period.

Wrapping Up:

I hope this guide will help you to revive your dying tulsi plant.

If you have any other doubts then do comment below.