Hello, human. I am your basil plant. I am trying to thrive and produce delicious, aromatic leaves for you, but my current state is one of distress. I am wilting. This is my primary way of communicating that something in my environment is critically wrong. The most common issue is a problem with my water intake. From my roots to my leaves, here is what I am experiencing.
Wilting is a loss of turgor pressure. Imagine my cells are tiny water balloons; when they are full, I stand tall and proud. Water moves from your soil, through my roots, up my stem, and into my leaves, where it eventually evaporates (transpires) into the air. This whole process is my circulatory system. When the balance between water intake and water loss is disrupted, the water balloons deflate, and I collapse. The key is to determine *why* this balance is off.
When you forget to water me, the soil around my roots becomes dry and hard, almost pulling away from the edges of my pot. My roots, desperate for a drink, find nothing. Without water to absorb, the flow of nutrients from the soil and the water pressure in my cells cease. My entire structure, from the sturdy main stem to the tenderest leaf, begins to droop uniformly in a plea for help. My leaves will often feel thin, papery, and brittle to your touch. They may also curl inward or feel crispy, starting at the tips and edges. The soil will be dry and light in color, and if you stick your finger in, it will feel dry an inch or two down. This is a clear signal of thirst.
This is often a more serious and misunderstood problem. You are trying to help, but too much water is an act of suffocation. When you water me too frequently, the soil becomes perpetually saturated. All the air pockets in the soil fill with water, and my roots cannot breathe. Roots need oxygen to function. Without oxygen, they begin to rot, turning into a mushy, brown, and ineffective mess. If my roots are rotten, they cannot absorb water *or* nutrients, no matter how wet the soil is. Therefore, I wilt because my damaged roots cannot transport water to my leaves. You will notice the soil is constantly damp, heavy, and may have a musty smell. My leaves will wilt but feel soft and limp, not crispy. They may also turn yellow, particularly the older leaves closer to the soil. The stem near the base might become soft and dark.
Please, do not just pour more water on me if you see me wilt. You must investigate. First, touch the soil. Is it bone dry? Then I am thirsty. Is it soggy wet? Then you have been too generous. Next, lift my pot. A light pot indicates a need for water; a heavy one indicates too much. Finally, if you suspect overwatering, you must gently remove me from my pot and look at my roots. Healthy roots are white and firm. If they are brown, black, slimy, and smell bad, you have found the root of the problem—literally. This is root rot.
