Tulasi Plant Health Guide

Is your Tulasi plant looking sick? Are leaves dropping or changing color? We have compiled this comprehensive Tulasi plant health guide of symptoms and treatments to help diagnose why Tulasi may not be looking healthy, and how to help her. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

Quicklinks:

Bugs:

This section of our Tulasi plant health guide touches on the most common bugs that feed on Tulasi Devi, their symptoms, and how to get rid of them.
Note: Bugs can generally be avoided by maintaining proper humidity levels, soil nutrients, and cleanliness.

Spider Mites:

Identification: Spider mites are the most common pests you’ll encounter. When Tulasi has spider mites she will have some discoloration and will seem like shes struggling or weak. Spider mites are the size of a pinhead and can be identified by the small webs they make, usually in one area. The webs often go from branch to branch and around the undersides of leaves. There will also be little dots on her leaves, and oftentimes you will be able to see the little spiders. They are really easy to miss if you are inattentive and can quickly take over her body.

Symptoms: Discoloration of leaves, stunted growth, wilting in extreme cases, webs, white dots on leaves.

Treatment: Use cotton wool to remove mites and webs off of leaves/branches. Thoroughly spray Tulasi with neem spray (recipe below) until she is dripping wet. Be sure to thoroughly get the underside of her leaves. Repeat this process every 3-5 days until they are fully gone.

White Flies:

Identification: Whiteflies are very small (1mm or smaller) and feed on the underside of leaves. They generally go for small healthy leaves and eventually will grow big and fly around. They leave a sticky liquid on the leaves, if it gathers for to long it will grow mold, so if you see mold there might be some whiteflies around. They’re the second most common bug next to spider mites.

Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, mold on leaves.

Treatment: Get sticky traps to catch the flies as they fly around. For enclosed grow spaces, the Encarsia bug feeds on white flies and is commonly used to treat whitefly infestations. Thoroughly spray Tulasi with neem spray (recipe below) until she is dripping wet. Be sure to thoroughly get the underside of her leaves. Repeat this process every 3-5 days until they are fully gone.

Four Lined Plant Bug:

Identification: Four lined plant bugs look like a little beetle, they are about 7.5mm long, 4mm wide and bright colored. They feed on her leaves and leave brown dot-like indents where ever they eat. The leaves they feed on will sometimes dry up and fall off. They usually come in the late spring and leave eggs that will hatch the following year.

Symptoms: Brown dot-like indents on leaves, dried leaves, falling leaves.

Treatment: If you see them put them outside somewhere and thoroughly spray Tulasi with neem spray (recipe below) until she is dripping wet. Be sure to thoroughly get the underside of her leaves. Repeat this process every 3-5 days until they are fully gone.

Scales:

Identification: Scales are a difficult pest to detect, they hide on Tulasi’s stems and have woody looking bodies that blends in with her bark. As Tulasi grows her stem gets wider, as she gets bigger little cracks in the bark are created, scales feed on these cracks, slowly sucking the life out of her. Scales are usually 3-4 mm in size, oval shaped, and have a brown dot on their back, they can be found on Tulasi’s mature woody stems.

Symptoms: Mold, stunted growth, yellowing leaves, in extreme cases there can be wilting and eventually she will leave if untreated.

Treatment: For enclosed grow spaces the Cryptolaemus or Metaphycus bugs can be used to help get rid of scales. 91% isopropyl alcohol will kill them. Take a cotton swab soaked in the alcohol and rub where the scale is. It’s really hard to find them, so best to just rub all over Tulasi’s stem. If this is not done thoroughly and immediately, then the scales will come back and cause lots of trouble. After some time once they seem to be gone check up on her daily to see if they came back.

Mealy bugs:

Identification: Mealy bugs are common greenhouse pests, they’re small (2-3mm) wingless, soft-bodied and appear like small cotton balls on leaves and stems. They feed on plants by drinking sap through the plants tissue. When they’re population is low they don’t do to much damage, but in high concentrations they cause yellowing leaves and wilting as they slowly kill the plant. They can be easily identified by their appearance and their sticky residue trail which attracts mold.

Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, deformed leaves, waxy thread trail, mold, wilting.

Treatment: For enclosed grow spaces the Cryptolaemus bug can be used to get rid of mealybugs. Thoroughly spray Tulasi with neem spray (recipe below) until she is dripping wet. Be sure to thoroughly get the underside of her leaves. Repeat this process every 3-5 days until they are fully gone. If the neem spray doesn’t do the job then 91% isopropyl alcohol will kill them. Take a cotton swab soaked in the alcohol and rub where the bugs are.

Leafhoppers:

Identification: Leaf hoppers are most common in North America. They’re small (6mm long) slender insects that can be green, yellow, or brown in color. They do not have wings but can jump long distances. They feed on plants by piercing the underside of leaves and drink plant juices. Their saliva is toxic and causes white spots to form on the leaves.

Symptoms: White spots on leaves, curling leaves, yellow leaves, stunted growth, leaf distortion.

Treatment: Get sticky traps to catch them as they jump around. If you see them put them outside somewhere and thoroughly spray Tulasi with neem spray (recipe below) until she is dripping wet. Be sure to thoroughly get the underside of her leaves. Repeat this process every 3-5 days until they are fully gone. This will make the plant bug sick and go away.

Aphids:

Identification: Aphids are 3mm small, soft bodied insects, they can be green, yellow, brown, red, or black in color depending on the species. They have two antennas on their head and two cornincles on their hind. Usually they are wingless but sometimes can have wings. They’re not so harmful in small quantities, but in large amounts they can do alot of damage causing Tulasi to wilt, turn yellow, and grow weak.

Symptoms: Mold, curling leaves, wilting, yellowing leaves, stunted growth.

Treatment: For enclosed grow spaces, Hover Flies or Aphidius bugs can be used to get rid of aphids. Thoroughly spray Tulasi with neem spray (recipe below) until she is dripping wet. Be sure to thoroughly get the underside of her leaves. Repeat this process every 3-5 days until they are fully gone.

Thrips:

Identification: Thrips are commonly found in greenhouses and gardens, they are really small (less than 1mm) yellow or black thin insects with wings. Without a microscope they look like little threads on the leaves. They suck life out of plants, making them turn pale, and weak, and eventually killing them.

Symptoms: Pale leaves, silvery leaves, possible disfiguration of leaves, possible wilting.

Treatment: Get sticky traps to catch them as they fly around. Thoroughly spray Tulasi with neem spray (recipe below) until she is dripping wet. Be sure to thoroughly get the underside of her leaves. Repeat this process after 3-5 days until they are fully gone.

Natural Bug Repellents:

Neem Spray Recipe:
1 liter sized spray bottle
1 liter warm water
½ teaspoon neem oil
½ teaspoon eucalyptus castile soap

Mix oil and soap well in a spray bottle so the oil is evenly mixed. Then add warm water and stir/shake thoroughly. When using the spray, be sure to thoroughly wet Tulasi until she is dripping wet. Thoroughly spray the underside of leaves because most bugs feed there. If the mixture has been left sitting in the spray bottle, after some time it will need to be rewarmed and stirred thoroughly. Give Tulasi Devi some airflow, and let her leaves dry.

For more info why we recommend this spray and how it works, check out our Tulasi Neem Spray article.

Plants That Repel Bugs:
These plants can be grown near Tulasi to help repel bugs.

Nice Bugs That Eat Bad Bugs:
These bugs can be kept with Tulasi in enclosed growing areas, like greenhouses, to combat any bugs that might hurt Tulasi

Tulasi Plant Nutrition Problems:

This section of our Tulasi plant health guide focuses on the most common nutrition deficiencies and how to fix them with liquid nutrient fertilizers.

To avoid nutrient problems and to help Tulasi grow healthy we recommend regularly using the General Organics line of nutrients which include:

General Organics Bio Thrive
General Organics Bio Root
General Organics CaMg+
General Organics Bio Weed

Another option is to regularly use a home made cow dung tea fertilizer as outlined in this article.

Note: Read our article about nutrients.

Common Deficiencies:

Nitrogen Deficiency:

Symptoms: Slow or no growth, pale leaves starting at tip.

Treatment: Use General Organics Bio Thrive and Bio Root every time you water as per manufacturer’s instructions, or apply a homemade cow dung tea fertilizer.

Potash:
Symptoms: Low immunity to diseases and pests, leaf discoloration.

Treatment: Use General Organics Bio Thrive and Bio Root every time you water as per manufacturer’s instructions, or apply a homemade cow dung tea fertilizer.

Magnesium:

Symptoms: Starting from the inner foliage the leaves will turn yellow. Eventually the outer foliage will be affected.

Treatment: Use General Organics CaMg+ every time you water as per manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: Before treating Tulasi for a nutrition deficiency, read the below symptoms of other common problems. The symptoms of a nutrition deficiency can be confused with signs of other problems. To avoid nutrient problems and to help Tulasi grow very well we recommend regularly using the General Organics line of nutrients. Read our article about nutrients.

Other Deficiencies:

Tulasi Plant Watering Problems:

Watering problems are the most common among all. This part of our Tulasi plant health guide clarifies how to diagnose and solve watering related problems.

Over-Watered:

Symptoms: Soil is constantly wet, leaves are pale and turn brown at the tips (brown tips are also a symptom of not enough humidity), and wilting. The most dangerous part of over watering is that the roots can rot, this is known as “root-rot” or “die-back”. Once Tulasi ’s roots start to rot then it can be tough to help her recover.

Treatment: Stop watering her for some time and wait until her soil is dry before attempting to water her again. Follow the instructions on how to water Tulasi here. If her soil is really drenched and is taking a long time to get dry, then replace her soil. If her roots are mushy, black, and falling apart, then she has root rot, look below for how to treat root rot. It will take her time to recover and she should be fine in this regard as long as she is watered properly going forward.

Under-Watered:

Symptoms: When she’s under watered her leaves will turn pale, her soil will separate from the edge of the pot, and soon, all of her leaves will become really soft and wilt. Her leaves will then dry up and she will leave if she doesn’t get a full watering.

Treatment: Water her thoroughly. For more details check out this article. She will go into shock and drop a lot of leaves once she is watered again.

Root-Rot:
Cause: Over watering.

Treatment: Take her out of the pot, take off all soil, cut off diseased roots, and repot her in new soil.

Note: Read our articles on how to water Tulasi and overwatering and underwatering.

Tulasi Plant Leaf Problems:

By reading Tulasi Devi’s leaves we can learn exactly what may be going on. This section of our Tulasi plant health guide touches on the most common leaf problems sevaks encounter.

Green Leaves Falling Off:
Possible cause: Underwatered. Too much fertilizer. Drafts, breezes, temperature changes.

Treatment: Water her on time. If she was given too much fertilizer then flush her roots with water until water flows freely out of the bottom of her pot. Keep her away from breezes, drafts, cold windows, etc.

Note: Read our articles on watering, nutrients, humidity, air circulation and temperature.

Edge of Leaf Brown or Reddish:

Possible cause: Too much sun and heat through glass. Too close to grow lights. Too much fertilizer. Over watered. Low humidity.

Treatment: Move grow lights a bit further away, move her away from direct sunlight through windows. If due to low humidity get a humidifier. Learn more about humidity in this article. If it’s due to fertilizer, flush her soil with water until the water freely flows out of the bottom of her pot. If due to overwatering then follow the instructions in this article.

Yellowing Leaves:

Possible cause: Not enough light. Over fertilizing or in need of fertilizer. The soil is tired. Possibly bugs.

Treatment: If there are only a small amount of leaves yellowing then it likely isn’t a problem and is normal. If a large amount of leaves are falling then check the following things: 

1. Check for bugs.
2. If there are no bugs then she might need fertilizer if she isn’t being given any. If she is regularly being given fertilizer then she might have been given too much, check the manufacturer’s instructions. 
3. May need better lighting.

Note: Read our articles on fertilizers, soil and lighting.

Curling Leaves:

Possible cause: Humidity too low, temperature too cold. Possibly bugs.

Treatment: Get a humidifier. Make sure the temperature is proper. Check for bugs.

Note: Read our article on humidity and temperature.

Sagging/Wilting All Over:

Possible cause: Most likely underwatered or overwatered May have outgrown her pot. Temperature may be way too cold. Possibly a case of untreated bug infestation.

Treatment: 
1. Check temperature. 
2. Check for bugs. 
3. Check if underwatered.
4, If leaf tips are brown then it is likely overwatering

Note: Read our articles on humidity and temperature and watering.

Mold/Mildew on Leaves:

Possible cause: Humidity to high, residue left from bug infestation.

Treatment: Remove affected leaves and spray thoroughly with a baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) spray:

3/4 teaspoon baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1/8 teaspoon of liquid soap 
1 liter of water
Repeat if mildew comes back. Lower humidity, increase air flow, check for bugs.

Note: Read our article on humidity and temperature.

Spots on Leaves:
Possible cause: Most likely from a bug. Could be fungus.

Treatment: Check for bugs. If it is fungus then take off affected leaves and put outside. Spray with neem spray (recipe above) once every 3-5 days or apply powdered sulphur to leaves. Lower humidity and increase air flow.

Note: Read our article on humidity and temperature.

Other Tulasi Plant Health Problems:

This section of our Tulasi plant health guide focuses on a few very easy to treat problems that are very common.

Not Enough Light:

Symptoms: Tulasi’s branches are far apart, leaves are spread far apart and are large. She is “leggy” and weak.

Treatment: Give her direct sunlight. Get better quality or more grow lights.

Note: Read our article on lights.

Moss or Mushrooms on Top of Soil:

Possible cause: Humidity is too high. Soil is too compact. Stagnant humid air.

Treatment: Loosen top layer of soil, add a layer of fresh soil. Watch humidity and air flow.

Note: Read our articles on soil, humidity and temperature.

Fungus:
Symptoms: Yellowing and round brown spots appear on the leaves. May be confused with spots left by a bug.

Treatment: Take off affected leaves and put outside. Spray with neem spray (recipe above), repeat every 3-5 days until all fungus is gone, or apply powdered sulphur to leaves. Lower humidity and increase air flow. Check for bugs.

Note: Read our article on humidity and temperature.

We hope this Tulasi plant health guide was useful, please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Check out our other foundational articles on watering, lighting, nutrients, temperature, humidity and soil to learn how to take care of the Tulasi plant. If you don’t already have a plant, get some seeds here, and watch our video on how to grow them. If you want to deepen your knowledge about the Tulasi plant from ancient Vedic wisdom, check out this amazing book.