Viral hack transforms a £1.50 basil into a thriving houseplant
If you love the idea of growing herbs and home but have limited houseplant success, this could be the hack you need.
Houseplants are expensive, and if you’re anything like me, often hard to look after!
The feat of keeping houseplants alive and healthy can sometimes make them seem unworthy of the price tag, especially if you’ve never had much success with them
Enter the new £1.50 supermarket basil hack from interior designer Leanne Kilroy, who posts at @goodboneslondon.
A simple trick went viral with millions viewing her amazing basil plant, grown from the £1.50 basil sprig. How? I hear you ask, allow us to share her methods.
Simple, though well timed, it’s important to wait until the weather in your area is no longer chilly – so now at the end of April is absolutely perfect.
How to achieve the viral £1.50 basil hack
Get your green fingers at the ready, you’ll be plucking fresh basil from your home grown plant in no time.
You will need:
- A pot with a drainage hold, something with a diameter of 18-24cm will give you a big plant
- An oversized saucer or bowl – something that will hold plenty of water
- Soil for potting
- Basil plant from the supermarket – split one between two pots if necessary
1. Repotting
Start by repotting the original supermarket basil into its new pot, and keep it well watered.
Let the water drain out of the bottom. Make sure to place it in a warm, sunny spot indoors.
2. Switch up watering
After a few days, water from the bottom rather than the top – to keep it alive through the seasons.
To do this, fill up the oversized saucer or bowl and keep it full.
You will notice the basil becoming thirsty as the weather gets warmer so this is essential.
3. Make sure it has grown before trimming
Leanne recommends waiting at least a month before you start trimming bits off your basil, as you need it to be growing.
After a month, trimming leaves will keep it healthy and bushy.
Trim it by cutting off the stem above the leaf rather than plucking leaves off the stem, as plucking leaves direct will kill the plant.
If flowers appear, cut them off as they will limit the growth. The plant should last you for 8-9 months – plenty of time to enjoy fresh basil and a healthy houseplant!
Where can I watch the viral £1.50 basil hack?
You can watch Leanne’s skills in action in her viral Instagram reel here.
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