Overcrowding Your Herbs
Cramming basil and thyme too close might seem like a space-saving hack, but restricted airflow is a recipe for fungal diseases—downy mildew on basil and gray mold on thyme. I once packed mine shoulder-to-shoulder and ended up with a soggy, sickly patch!
Aim for 8–12 inches between basil plants and at least 6–8 inches around thyme. That little breathing room lets air swirl, drying dew quickly and keeping leaves crisp. Healthy plants resist pests and diseases far better than crowded, stressed ones!