July 14, 2025, 3:28 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Caprese, pesto, or garnish for summer drinks–basil is a true jack-of-all-trades in the kitchen. However, sometimes the leaves are riddled with holes. myHOMEBOOK explains the reasons and solutions.
A basil plant from the supermarket rarely survives more than a few weeks. However, those who manage to turn the potted plant into a permanent resident in the kitchen, on the balcony, or in the garden, or even grow their own basil plants, can enjoy a bountiful and aromatic harvest. It’s frustrating, though, when holes suddenly appear in the basil leaves. What are the causes? And how can the holes be avoided?
Overview
Reasons for Holes in Basil Leaves
Basil needs sun, warmth, and plenty of water. Yet, despite all the care, the leaves can suddenly become perforated. The cause often lies with animal visitors–and sometimes with care mistakes.
Slugs
Especially with basil that is outdoors, slugs are among the most common culprits. They feed on the leaves at night, leaving large, irregular holes. A telltale sign: slime trails on the soil or the plant’s leaves.
Tip: Place the pot on a raised surface or attach copper tape around the pot’s edge–this keeps slugs away. Coffee grounds or mandarin peels can also be effective against slugs.
Aphids and Thrips
Aphids and thrips suck the cell sap from the leaves, leading to small holes. Often, the insects are hard to spot with the naked eye. Aphids reveal themselves through sticky honeydew, and thrips through shiny spots on the leaf surface. The leaves are often not only holey but also deformed over time.
Tip: A strong jet of water, neem oil, or hand-picking can help. Spraying with a mild soap solution (such as castile soap) can also be effective. Indoors, yellow sticky traps can help detect thrips early, as they stick to them.
Caterpillars and Beetle Larvae
Especially moths or small beetle species like to lay their eggs on basil leaves. The emerging caterpillars then eat through the basil leaves–often quickly and visibly, leaving variously sized holes and other feeding marks.
Tip: Check leaves for eggs or larvae and carefully remove them.
Burns
Sometimes, it’s not animals behind the holes, but environmental factors. If the leaves are watered during midday heat and get wet, small tissue damage can occur due to the magnifying glass effect, which later looks like feeding damage.
Tip: Water basil in the morning or evening directly at the root area, not from above over the leaves.
How to Keep Basil Healthy
- Location: A bright, warm, but wind-protected spot is ideal–indoors or outdoors. Avoid midday sun.
- Watering: Basil needs plenty of water, but waterlogging should be avoided. Ideally, give a sip of water daily that doesn’t leave water in the saucer. When in doubt, check the soil moisture with your finger. The soil should never completely dry out.
- Air circulation: Especially with dense planting, fungal infections can occur. Or the plants may block each other’s light and air. Therefore, ensure sufficient space between plants.
- Harvest: Regularly harvest entire shoot tips–this stimulates growth and ensures a well-branched basil bush.
- Repotting: Basil from the supermarket often suffers during transport and is usually planted too tightly in a small pot. It helps to repot the plant into a larger pot and trim it a bit at the start to prevent it from “falling apart” with long, thin shoots.
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Using Basil: Not Just for Italian Dishes
Those who manage to protect their plant from holes in the basil leaves and follow other care tips can use the aromatic leaves for a variety of dishes. It doesn’t always have to be just a topping on pasta, pizza, or Caprese. In summer, making refreshing basil ice cream is also an option.
Ingredients:
- 200 grams of sugar
- 200 ml of water
- 20 basil leaves
- one large organic lemon
- 250 grams of yogurt with 3.8% fat
Preparation:
- Boil sugar and water to create a sugar solution, then let it cool.
- Wash basil leaves and pat them dry.
- Grate the lemon peel, then halve and squeeze the lemon.
- In a blender, first puree the basil leaves with the sugar water, then add lemon peel and yogurt. Add just enough lemon juice to create a smooth mixture.
- Pour this into a container and place it in the freezer for four hours. If you have time, stir occasionally for more creaminess. Preparation in an ice cream maker is also possible.