This small pot actually has several basil plants in it. There are several reasons it could be drooping, and often with plants what we see isn’t the response to just one condition but a combination of conditions. Here is what may be going on:
1. Yes, you are correct that Basil likes it on the warm side. So cold from the window (especially the temps in your area on Wednesday night/Thurs AM!) can make them droop.
2. Lack of good light will cause the older leaves to yellow and fall off. So if you bought this plant to use in cooking, pick the largest, older leaves first to use before they yellow. You could put a regular lamp with a “gro light” in it near the plant and keep it on for 12 hours a day – that would help. Such full-spectrum lights need to be very close to the plant to do any good.
3. Over watering and under watering cause the same symptoms: drooping leaves. Water the plant really well and then wait until the soil is dry, but before the plant starts to wilt, to water well again.
4. You might want to put this group of plants in a larger pot asap – that will help even out your watering schedule and encourage the plants to grow. Since you’re a new gardener, here’s something you should know about plants: what happens in the soil is reflected up above. So a plant that has room to grow more roots will produce more growth up on top. But a plant that is root-bound, and doesn’t have enough space for root development, won’t produce more stems and leaves.
5. Fertilize with a general fertilizer used according to directions after you’ve watered the plant recently. (Another tip: never fertilize a thirsty plant.)
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