Now You Can Have Fresh Basil in Your Own Herb Garden
Basil is an annual herbaceous plant. Its stems reach a height of just over half a meter. The leaves are green, wide and have different forms depending on the specie. It has small flowers, white and lavender, which appear in the summer. There are over 40 species of this plant. The most common is the Ocinum Basilicum or most commonly known – sweet basil.
You can only grow basil by seeds, which can be sown in seed beds or pots in early or mid-spring. Basil needs direct sunlight, but in hot weather, you need some shade. This plant is very sensitive to frost.
Growing basil requires fertile, moist and porous soil. It is common growing basil indoors in pots as houseplants, located on the sill of the windows in kitchens or terraces. Basil is used as a tonic, stimulant, digestive and as an antiseptic.
Similar to other aromatic herbs like rosemary or sage, is very suitable for growing around other plants that are attacked by insect pests.
As mentioned before, when growing basil you have to take into consideration that the plant needs a lot of moisture. Just be careful because it does not tolerate waterlogging. Well-drained soils are preferred. To encourage bushy growth, the branches should be pruned when the flower buds are formed.
You can grow basil from a seed outdoors or in pots. You can cover the seeds with 0.5 cm. of compost. The land for planting should be moistened before. Basil seeds take about a week to germinate. Due to its small size, it is preferable to plant a seed lot. When the seedlings have developed two sets of leaves, it’s time to pull out the weaker seedlings to encourage the development of stronger ones.
Growing basil requires sunny locations, but allows slightly shaded sites. In cold climates, the leaves turn black when they are in contact with frost. It is preferable not to wet the leaves when watering. Watering can be done three times a week if the plant is below the sun, and if it is cloudy, just once a week.
Composting the soil must be done before sowing the seeds. It may be reinforced from time to time, using organic fertilizer. You must protect the nitrogen content of the ground to enhance the production of leaves. In excess, IT affects the taste of the plant.
To maintain the flavor and aroma of the leaves, it is preferable to cut the flowers, unless you want to collect the seeds. One way to avoid the production of flowers is to harvest the leaves from the top of the plant (after the plant is 20cm tall).
One advantage of growing basil is that the leaves can be harvested throughout the year, proving beneficial to the plant. It is necessary to wait until the plant reaches a height to harvest the leaves.
Enjoy growing basil and take advantage of its multiples uses!