Tulasi Devi in good health
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Yellow leaves may be caused by many factors.

(1) Iron deficiency (corrected by plant food containing iron chelate =fe)

(2) Iron + magnesium deficiency (when the tips are burned and browned off).

(3) Lack of a small piece of extremely dry cow dung being crumbled and added to water once a month.

(4) A need to repot her, due to all the nutrients in the soil being depleted

(5) Over-watering. If the tulasi is very small and is the only one receiving watering by many devotees in one house, she can have root rot. What she really likes is to be watered completely wet one time, then to have the soil not watered at all and allowed to dry out completely until it pulls off the side of the pot before she is watered again.

If in doubt which of the above is the cause of the specific yellowing and falling off of the leaves, you should consult a botanical garden (look in the phone book). There is sometimes a botanical hotline for consultations.

Tell them you have a tropical plant, Occumum sanctum, a relative of basil, with yellow, falling leaves. They should give you some commonsense advice to rectify the problem.

I hope this helps you serve her.

"Chant the Hare Krsna mantra continuously and render service to the tulasi plant by watering her and offering prayers to her. In this way you will very soon get the opportunity to be sheltered at the lotus feet of Krsna." (Antya 3.137)

Tridandi Bhiksu, Bhakti Visrambha Madhava

© dipika.org November 21, 2003