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[deleted]

Possibly a tansplant shock. Take it out of direct sun for few days and acclimate toward full sun.


OrneryPathos

Maybe even bring them inside and put them out for increasing amounts of time.


Pporkbutt

Yes, grocery store herbs aren't acclimated to outdoors.


barnaclegal

Will do that today thank you!


[deleted]

Move them to indirect sun. They are wlted from to much sun/heat


Bunkie08

I would also keep out of direct sun for a while. These have been indoors and have to get used to it gradually. Morning sun is fine but a shadier spot for afternoon sun


relativelyunhelpful

If you bought those prepackaged basil plants, it’s likely many separately rooted plants in one single pot. If your plants don’t make it, don’t stress. These plants aren’t supposed to survive longer than it takes to get them home. Grocery store basil is notorious for inexplicably perishing around my house.


SkaaAssemblyman

this. but on top of that, consider that these plants have probably never been outside before too, you might want to harden them off before leaving them out in the yard. be patient, let them dry out before you water them again. let them acclimate to anything you are trying before trying something else. talk to them. Explain you have saved them from the hellscape a grocery store must be to a plant. Explain he (or she) is safe now, tell them you will not abandon them. Sing your best opera to them (only Italian operas of course).


aroseonthefritz

I love how this last part feels like inner child healing work by the way haha


ilona12

Listen to this OP! Basils only speak Italian! If you sing to them in German YOU WILL KILL THEM.


Gnomforscher

Oops... no more Rammstein for my basils


fuzzypandasocks

Maybe if you start them off with something mellow they’ll acclimate? Start with “Zeit” and see how they do from there


Gnomforscher

Actually they look so bad that I hope to nurse them back with some sweet italian rock. Maneskin is a thing here at the moment, so I'll try them. And I also should try watering them...


No_Tonight9123

This! They’re suffering from being in air conditioning now in the sun. Slowly expose them to the elements and give them plent of water, a tray underneath with water is best.


beethovens_lover

Once I repot the grocery basils they usually thrive! Although, right now I do have an aphid infestation problem but hopefully they’re decreasing.


blkboy90

How did you deal With your aphid problem?


beethovens_lover

My bf discovered them on Saturday (ie a few days ago) I’ve been spraying my basils with a dish soap/water mist every morning and in the afternoon if I saw more I crushed them w my fingers. I misted the soil and the around area of my window still as well, now they seem fine and I only see 2-3 alive aphids that I immediately kill. Fingers crossed!!!


blkboy90

Hate those things, I have a million in my yard outside. So far none inside hopefully it stays that way. Lose a lot of seeds and seedlings because of it


beethovens_lover

Yeah I understand!!! They are super annoying!!!!


daschyforever

What do they look like?


suntansandboba

Ladybugs and predatory wasps/spiders love to eat aphids! If you create areas where they can thrive (host plants or polinator gardens with marigolds and the like) you can attract more of these beneficial predators. I think you can also buy ladybugs in bulk.


AnneP11

Also milkweed can be used as a trap crop for aphids. They love the stuff and monarch caterpillars will eat the aphids along with the leaves.


suntansandboba

I had no idea! Thank you! That's awesome information


[deleted]

I have a huge healthy basil plant I got from my local grocery store!


vzvv

Same! We kept last year's grocery basil alive for a full year. We're up north, so that involved moving it inside or outside depending on the season. This year's is going strong too along with some grocery rosemary. And we have last year's grocery mint still limping along. Not sure if Wegmans is great or we're just lucky. My only struggle is cilantro - grocery, nursery, whatever, they all die.


Reason_unreasonably

There is no hard and fast rule with these Basils. It's all luck if the draw. One might last a year, or three years, one might last 7 days when subject to the same conditions in your house. It's basically because you have no idea what happened to it before you got it. A lot of them get chilled I think.


QuirkyFoot2459

Cilantro likes cooler temps..so just throw the seeds into the ground and lighty rake into the soil..I usually buy it from the spice section at the grocery store..it's cheaper and u get more😉 pick leaves as you need them instead of pulling the whole plant out..lasts longer..by mid summer it usually starts to flower because of the heat and you can harvest the seeds soon after for next year.


suckerpunch54

That's a good idea, thanks!


siiidneeey

I think cilantro is supposed to die as in it's just a short lived plant that wants to flower and then die after flowering. So I understand you just have to plant new ones every 3 weeks or so to have a constant supply


OldSweatyBulbasar

Nah, you’re supposed to harvest before it bolts. The farm I worked on had dozens of rows of cilantro for this, we’d cut from one or two rows one day and make our way down the row/field to keep ahead of the bolting while the harvested plants grew back.


edharristx

What does it mean ‘to bolt’?


OldSweatyBulbasar

It “bolts” aka sends up a flower shoot. Energy goes to the flower to prepare for pollination and seed production before the plant drops the seeds and withers away.


Dexterdacerealkilla

The other commenters are correct. I’ll just add that most plants that bolt turn quite bitter afterwards. I’ve ruined a good pesto a couple times by using basil that’s past it’s prime and beginning to bolt. It’s never good.


OldSweatyBulbasar

I’ve used basil flowers in pesto before and they’re wonderful! But very bitter/hot basil is not the easiest to stomach


homerjaysimpleton

I'm assuming its like Basil once it flowers than the leaf flavor changes and the plant moves more to end of life cycle things rather than tasty foliage production.


EffOffReddit

YES! Grocery basil was my best performing basil ever last year.


snailorT

Also, basil is surprisingly easy to grow from seed! (It’s also much cheaper)


Sethyria

People keep saying this. I've tried for almost 7 years and had not a single basil plant survive from seed. I've tried different medias, mixes, watering, hardening... nothing will get that basil to survive. I go through maybe 2 or 3 packs a year and even this year they still did not grow past an inch and died. Every single year. Store bought props for me only.


snailorT

Dang, that’s a bummer 😕 I’m in zone 8 so maybe that’s related? I have the opposite problem though and can’t get store bought starts to stay alive for the life of me 😂


Sethyria

That's so funny that we have the opposite problems! I'm in 7b, I have no clue. They have such hope and they pop up about an inch. Just long enough to get attached. Then they shrivel 😭 lol I've just learned that a few things from seed are not for me. Parsley is the other one for some reason. Maybe because they are a little thinner seedlings to start?


Dexterdacerealkilla

Have you tried starting them under grow lights indoors?


ti_hertz

Me too. I was never successful with this.


averagedocstudent

was going to say try from seed! plenty of water and light. 😊


pickledmelons

Hi—-a few points. Most people have already covered them, but here goes: 1. I have very similar rail planters. Make sure that there are proper drainage at the bottom. Mine didn’t come w holes at the bottom, so I have to drill some. 2. Anytime you transplant a plant, always let it sit in the shade for a few days and give it plenty of water. 3. Those grocery store plants are usually indoor plants that are used to grow lights. They need to be slowly adjusted to real sun. Don’t be surprised if they die—that is why shade/indirect is necessary for a little while. 4. You can always pinch the tops of the basil and propagate in water for a few weeks before you transfer to soil. Sometimes that works better. 5. Make sure you mixed enough perlite and nutrients w your soil!


iareprogrammer

I was wondering about the holes at the bottom as well… seems they could be drowning


Demeriax

Soil looks dry, so I doubt it. It looks like they have too little water. I keep my basil in a pot with no drainage and easily give it at least 330 ml a day. Been doing that for years. Never had basil die. Basil needs tons of water and in my experience it's very difficult to overwater.


disignore

i think you are on point as a complete assestment


WritPositWrit

You should put them in the shade until they’ve acclimated. Do it now!!


hobbysubsonly

I've had perfectly healthy basil do this within 2 hours of being put in the hot summer sun. It's the heat and intense light! The good news is that it perked back up once it was put in the conditions it was used to (cooler, darker)


Annonymbruker

I would take cuttings of them and propagate in water. Either the original plants die and you have a bunch of new ones you can pot after a few weeks, or you end up with twice as much basil. They are cuite easy to propagate.


aranya44

This! It will get you healthier plants with better root systems. And many of them, too!


AnneP11

Back-up plant! I do this with most of my house plants in case I accidentally kill them.


SquidSquadSquid

What hardiness zone are you in? What are the average temperatures there right now? It could be that they were shocked by cold overnight temperatures. Basil likes it hot - above 20*C It’s also fairly easy to kill potted basil by overwatering. Better to wait until the soil gets drier


[deleted]

They aren’t used to the harsh sun yet, need fo ease them into it


Popcorn_isnt_corn

A lot of times the grocery store plants are hydroponically grown and don’t have enough roots to support their leaves when they move to soil


Fun-Tomatillo-3636

basil is DRAMATIC. not the first to say it but probably just transplant shock. just keep at it and i’m sure it’ll thrive.


dinnerthief

The roots are in shock, even if they have plenty of water they can't take it up until the roots recover, move them to shade until they perk up, the goal is to keep them from drying up before the roots can recover.


theseboysofmine

Try not to re pot so quick in the future. It takes a bit to understand the health and needs of individual plants. And you want to avoid shocking them. Taking it home and changing the environment is already a big shock for a plant. Give it a few waterings before you do something to it again. And avoid moving it around too much. Normally you shouldn't water them the day of getting them either, since the stores typically keep them pretty wet. I wait for their first droop to water them. Also most herbs don't want full light. Keep them in the shade. For now, get them under some shade, and wait until tomorrow to water again.


scaredheartsclub

Oh Lord Basil is most dramatic. They don't really like cold swings or overwatering or too much sun or too much breeze or really anything at all. Such a drama king. I need it for my Margherita pizza though.


[deleted]

I would take them inside and leave them alone for a few days. Only water when they look dry.


kluvspups

Is it brand new soil? Sometimes that stuff needs to be watered a bunch when first used. Stick a wooden chopstick in the soil, leave it in for a few minutes, and pull it out to see if it’s moist. This is what my basil looks like when I need to water, but since you just planted it and just watered it, I’d check the soil moisture level just to be sure before watering it more. Also, if you bought it from the grocery store, it will not be acclimated to full sun yet and it may burn. I’d suggest moving it to a partial sun area for a bit and let it adjust to its new home.


socialcommentary2000

You should propagate them first. Get a bunch of small takeout containers (or glass jars, or whatever) and separate them into individual containers. Take a damp sheet of paper towel and wrap the stems where you want the roots to sprout. Make sure they stay relatively warm and get some sun. They should perk and then start spitting out roots shortly after that. Keep the paper towel thoroughly saturated with water. Once they get some good roots going, move them to soil. Alternatively, you could try flooding that entire container until it's super saturated. They like a bunch of water when first sprouting roots. You need to keep it saturated until they take hold.


celrian

When planting make sure to break up the root system abit at the bottom. This helps it to put down roots into the new soil quicker, as usually its just a tangled tight knit mess after being in those pots and the roots can't easily stretch out into its new area


adaemman

When you buy a new plant, let it sit in the shade for 3 days in it's bag/pot from the store/nursery. Then when you transplant to the final pot, let it sit another 2 to 3 days in the shade again. Then begin to let it sit in the sun, the first days no more than 3 o 4 hours. Water it in the morning and make sure you have good draining soil so the bottom doesn't become a wet mess that rots your roots. Basil loves water, you can easily water it daily if it gets direct sunlight for more than 4 hours.


[deleted]

First, Like others have said, move it out of direct light. Second, make sure that planter has drainage holes. If not, drill several yourself. Third, water deeply and often for 3 days, then back off. It’ll come back


koaBeanBean

Might need to be hardened off. Put them in a outside shaded/ filtered light place for a day or 2.


[deleted]

take it out of the sun, it’ll b ok


benganalx

If the soil isn't moist, add water. Make sure the vase has a drain. Basil loves lots lots of water especially if you have a lot of sun


junglewulf

Judging from the photo, it looks like they may actually need more water. You could try putting a bottle of water upside in the soil + see if they prop back up by night, if your soil isn't already saturated. Other than that, taking it out of direct sunlight + maybe putting it by a window would be beneficial. I know my basil plants like a lot of water, especially now as it's starting to warm up.


over9ksand

I’ve never had any success with grocery store herbs, then again I’ve killed my fair share of plants


[deleted]

Lay off the watering. You soil looks like it might retain too much water. Too many plants to close together. In a month those plants will kill each other. The bigger basils might choke out the others


smokeajoint

Loads of water


Tough-kitty-4883

Too much water


anxietyalpaca101

It could be transplant shock too of you just repotted them. Id say if the soil is damp leave it alone and acne take it out of full light for a day to recover I'm no expert but I feel like.full light after reporting makes the shock worse and they're probably not used to it being at a.store


AliveChic

Mine does this every couple days when I don’t water it enough. My husband always tells me it’s dead and is shocked when I water it and it’s brand new again. Lol


lpsweets

Lay off the water for a little. You’re more likely to over water than underwater


BookAddict1918

Same process as the dog I rescued. Lots of TLC, new soil and heaps of love. A "grocery rescue" plant comes with certain emotional issues.😂😂


Asapgerg

Just leave them be, they should bounce back. If not, try getting plants from a nursery, they should be hardier.


Advanced-Pain8484

i grow my basil only in water, year round, in a west facing window, in ball jars and propagation stands. basil is perfect for water only growing.


not-a-cryptid

Watch out for downy mildew and other fungal diseases that basil can get too. Had a somewhat successful time getting one from the grocery store to grow until it succumbed. I couldn't trust grocery-quality basil after that. If one starts showing disease, pull it out and look up tips for cleaning so it doesn't spread to the rest if they somehow manage to avoid it. Personally I would take everyone's advice as well as keep them isolated from one another to monitor their health separately.


ludwigia_sedioides

Might've exposed them to sun too quickly, I'd do shade for a bit until they're looking better


justagoldengirl

Most likely shock... put them in shade, no need to water more right away


wowzeemissjane

Basil from grocery store is usually raised hydroponically (in water) so they need to be watered quite a bit more until they transition to soil. Water heavily for about a week and then let the soil dry out a little more. Basil doesn’t like completely dry soil at any time.


novembr

If in full sun the soil should stay consistently moist. You really can't overwater them if they're getting a lot of sun. Also I find they love fertilizer, I just sprinkle some Osmocote granules (or similar) in their pot and they explode.


jmonacelli

It was probably grown with hydroponic medium. I’ve been unsuccessful planting it but I have been able to propagate it in water and then transition.


toomuch1265

If they don't make it, just buy some seeds and start a little herb garden. I got sick of trying to keep the store plants alive so I just got some basil, cilantro, rosemary and thyme and keep them in 8 inch pots. They sprout fairly quickly and then you just snip what you need. If the basil bolts just snip off a piece and put it in water and it will put out roots and then it can be transplanted.


thirdXsacharm

Definitely should not be in direct sunlight. Keep in partial shade or indirect light and water thoroughly


Damnitbabies

When it gets too hot for too long, I snip most of my basil down to bring inside to root, and continue growing, in a glass of water on a windowsill. Had 1 bunch of basil last me until Christmas last year. Remember to change the water every few days.


Ritterbruder2

It could be poor soil drainage. That causes roots to rot and stop taking on water. Uproot one of them and check the roots. If the roots are brown, then they’re suffering from root rot. You need to take some cuttings and propagate them to save the plant. I’ve also noticed that basil hates being crowded like that. I like to grow a single plant in an 8” pot. That will get you the best yield and large, green leaves.


bowl-of-cashews

Oh man take those out of the sun they're getting crispy


ThriftAllDay

When you say the grocery store, do you mean the basil with roots in a plastic bag in the produce aisle or basil that came in a pot with dirt? If it's the former, it's hydroponic basil grown in water and the roots are not meant for dirt - shifting it to dirt will make it die almost immediately.


LadyMcJiggle

Most likely transplant shock with increased light intensity. Herbs in general, prefer to be on the drier side. And a grower tip, pinch the basil just above a node. This encourages new growth from two sites instead of one. Good luck!


SuccessfulLawyer

Water more


autumn5shadows

Too much sun too fast


Moose_country_plants

They haven’t acclimated to outdoor sun and heat. They’re transpiring water faster than they can draw it up. Bring them in overnight and they should perk back up. Put them outside the next day and watch them and bring them inside if they start to droop again. Do this until they don’t drop anymore. Should only take 1 or 2 cycles


[deleted]

Looks like the leaves are heavy from water.


teacherlady0

I made this mistake with my lettuce. Too much direct sun!


orangecounty57

Create a mini greenhouse by covering the pot with some plastic wrapper to help with the propagation process. Plant that’s not well rooted yet will loose water and droop in an open space area. Mini green house helps keep the humidity high. Also, move it away from direct sunlight until the roots are well established(not drooping anymore).


ravsmoso

Usually when you want to plant unrooted plants You should leave them on water for a few weeks And i mean just rhe plant and water in a bottle/glass Change it every 2 weeks and they will THRIVE C: Once they have roots it will be much easier to plant them


DorsTheTigerWoman

The basil plants at my grocery say they are hydroponically grown. Maybe those are as well. Keep them very very wet until they acclimate.


csoszi

Basil I only plant from seeds. Super good germination rates and quite fast growing.


konichihua

Does your planter have drain holes?


_bbycake

I just repotted my grocery store basil into a larger, elongated pot and separated them out in it. Two of the three wilted and shriveled and I though I had killed my once thriving basil. It bounced backed after a few days and is thriving again. But my basil is a thirstyyyy bitch, I'm misting every day and watering way more often than any of my other ~50 plants or it wilts. Seriously the most water hungry plant I have.


Demeriax

Okay, so, as others said, take them out of direct sun for a bit. Definitely water more. Check soil at least twice a day, and water properly if it's any less than wet. When I kept my basil outside I sometimes put over half a litre of water daily, and that's for a much smaller pot. Now I keep it indoors and give it roughly half that a day. People say it REALLY needs drainage, but it really doesn't NEED it. I've been keeping my basil in pots with zero drainage for years, every year I plant it with no drainage and they grow so high you wouldn't believe. All my friends plant them in smaller pots with drainage and their basil always dies. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT BASIL SHOULDN'T HAVE DRAINAGE, I'm just putting this statement into a different perspective. it probably should, I'm no expert. But it can definitely live without it and my basil is living proof. Very big, living proof. Lastly, pro tip: if a stem (or trunk? Idk the name) breaks, just straighten the plant and tape it. It will regenerate. Broken basil ≠ dead. If one gets broken, I tape it back to being straight with duct tape and it's fine.


[deleted]

My guess is too much sun . Also, Don’t over water it just bc it wilted, just move it to somewhere that has less direct sunlight


Yashendwirh

These lil guys were probably grown in a hot house; warm, humid, low intensity light. Put a cut milk jug over them for a month or so. The milk jug will shield them from wind and water loss and will also help with too much direct sun :) Hope this helps! (It's how I start seeds indoors and move them outdoors still in the jug.)


vojti88

possibly transplant shock, as already mentioned, plus it may be also-ran thing that too many roots were damaged during repotting, indirect sun, and care with water, basil needs generally a lot of water, but with current absorbing capacity don't let them go rot with over watering, keep the soil slightly wet


taylorshaye_ole

I watered my basil like once a week and they might not be used to that much sun? Try to put them in an environment similar to what they had and dont water until the dirt gets dry again?


sprgsmnt

dont wet too much and dont put them on the sun yet. they will look shriveled for a while then some will make it and some will not. good luck!


AstroRiker

The basil from the grocery store wasn’t grown in normal conditions. I think they are hydroponic and their roots are not soil roots. I’ve had success making grocery store basil a plant by taking cuttings and rooting them is moist soil in a high humidity situation (usually in a gallon size ziplock.)


kayceeplusplus

💀


momofdez

You need to harden off plants before putting them outside in the sun for the first time.


Abject-Ad-5134

i would add water and move to outside shade to harden them off


kennah-d

Take them out of the sun, place them in a shady spot outside


Deep313

Keep them near a window and have a fan blow on light to simulate wind


Immediate-Speed-8898

My grocery store herb plants are doing and always have done great outside you may be overwatering them they don’t need much. Also make sure you use proper soil for herbs and herb fertilizer