This is how you keep a basil plant alive

When I was away for a week for New York Fashion Week I had a lovely babysitter for my basil plant. That babysitter also had a housemate, so the two of them should have been able to keep that thing alive. What do you think? Not a chance. Dead as a doornail. Thanks a lot. It was really a nice one, you know, one of those plants you grab at the supermarket and every time you think: how can such a thing be so incredibly cheap ? But the answer is also immediately: because it doesn’t last longer than 12 hours. But folks, that really depends on you. Love is the most important thing. You have to give them a lot of love and follow these tips. Babysitter, are you reading along? This is how you keep this lovely little plant alive next time.

Look, if you really want to do it professionally, then you repot the plant into another pot with fresh soil, then taking care of it is much easier, but I assume you won’t repot it, but just keep it in the same container you bought it in.

The plant does very well on a windowsill where a lot of sunlight comes in. Sun on the little head is a must.

Place the pot in a shallow dish. Pour a little water in there every day so that the water can be absorbed from below (there are always holes in the pot) through the roots.

Always give lukewarm water. So not cold and not warm either.

You have to be a little careful when removing the leaves you are going to use. Be really gentle with the plant.

Dry leaves probably mean thirst. No panic. You do need to snip those leaves off with scissors and give it an extra drop of water, then it will really be fine again.

Buy fresh burrata at the cheese shop, nice meaty tomatoes, and a really good olive oil. Put everything on a plate with your own homegrown basil. I say winning!