The tulsi plant at home: simple care rules
Why tulsi dries up, how much sun and water it needs, what to do about the flower spikes and how to save it in winter.
Updated 25 Oct 2026
Tulsi is a hardy plant, but a few mistakes can dry it out.
- Sun: it needs several hours of direct sun each day. In shade it grows leggy.
- Water: water when the soil dries. Regular watering is fine, but never let water stand at the base, since the roots rot. The pot must have a drainage hole.
- Flower spikes: when the flower spikes (manjari) appear, pinch them off so the plant keeps making new leaves. You may offer the manjari to the deity.
- Winter: heavy cold or fog stresses it; cover it at night or move it indoors near a window.
- New plants: once the spikes dry, shake the seeds onto soil, and seedlings come up within a few weeks.
Bowing before you pluck a leaf is the custom in many families. Many also avoid plucking leaves after dusk.
