Nutrition
- Even in the best of soils, a potted Tulasī will need additional nutrients to replace those she uses.
- Generally, in a pot, nitrogen is the first nutrient that requires replacement.
- Nitrogen evaporates from soil especially in hot weather while Tulasī is growing.
- When Tulasī has an inadequate supply of nitrogen, her lower leaves will turn yellow and fall off.
- To replace nitrogen and most other important elements, add a one-inch layer of aged cow manure to the top layer of her soil.
- Or water Tulasī every other week with a tea made by soaking overnight one part dried manure or other composted material in three parts water (mixed to a weak tea color). Never use fresh manure as this will burn her.
- After these applications, Tulasī’s leaves should become green in two to three days.
- In very hot weather, cow manure alone does not always furnish nitrogen quickly enough. Therefore, use fertilizers such as “Miracle Gro,” whose nutrients come from natural sources. Avoid fertilizers with slaughterhouse or sewer-treatment facility by-products.
- Notwithstanding the above, Tulasī may still require extra iron treatments several times a year, especially when her upper leaves and mañjarīs are pale yellow-green instead of deep green.
- Do not over-fertilize a potted Tulasī. If the concentration of nutrients becomes too high, “fertilizer burn” will occur and she will wilt. This is because the excess salts prevent her from absorbing water from the soil.
- Consequently, the branch tips will quickly turn black and die, and black patches will manifest at both edges of her young leaves before they fall. As soon as this begins to happen:
- a. Flush Tulasī with a large quantity of fresh water to wash the excess salts from the soil.
- b. Take at least fifteen minutes to do this, allowing the water to flow out.
- c. This should stop the spread of the black areas; however, the blackened tissue cannot be saved.
- To prevent fertilizer burn, water Tulasī once weekly and let the water run out of her drainage hole. Also, heed the instructions on packaged soil supplements.
- Give Tulasī extra nutrients only when she is growing and can use them. This means reduce or even halt the introduction of supplements during autumn and winter when she has stopped growing.
