The Ocinum basilicumcommonly called basil, is a aromatic plant native to some tropical regions of Asia that has been cultivated by the hand of man for millennia. It is a widely used plant, both culinary and for medicinal purposes, and whose use has now spread throughout practically the entire world.
if you want to learn how to sow and plant basil To grow it at home, keep reading this EcologíaVerde article in which we show you a practical guide for it.
How to plant basil – step by step
To have this plant at home from scratch, first take note of how to plant basil seeds for them to grow. If you want to plant basil seeds, it is recommended to do it in seedbeds. It is possible to sow it directly in soil or pot, but its chances of growing will be much greater in a hotbed with proper care.
- Prepare a seedbed with substrate for seedbeds, you can buy it or make it yourself with one of the ecological mixtures that we ourselves recommend on our page, such as coconut fiber and earthworm humus, which you can find in these links Coconut fiber for plants : properties and how to make it and How to make earthworm humus.
- Distribute the small basil seeds on the substrate, spaced approximately 2 cm apart.
- Water carefully with a watering can with fine jets, thus preventing the water itself from displacing the seeds or burying them. Water to keep the seedbed substrate moist but never waterlogged.
- Locate it where it receives plenty of natural light but not drafts, from which you must keep it protected. In addition, the temperature of the environment in which the nursery is located must never fall below 15ºC.
- Over time, you will see how the seeds change color, taking on a bluish tone, and a few days later they begin to germinate. Between 20 and 30 days after sowing, when the seedlings already have between 4 and 6 true leaves, the basil will be ready for transplanting.
How to plant basil – tips
Once the process of sprout basil, you can move on to transplant it into a larger pot or outside. To know how to plant basilie how to transplant your seedlings or small plant, follow these tips:
- You must carry out the transplant very carefully, taking the small basil seedlings next to their root ball, without removing the soil or damaging their roots.
- If they are very close together, you can transplant them in small groups at once, taking larger root balls to make sure you don’t damage them.
- For the new pot or outdoor area, you can use universal substrate or outdoor plant substrate, although it is worth adding 10% of field soil with a clay texture. A slightly acidic pH, between 5.7 and 6.2, is also recommended.
How to care for basil and grow it
The basil care they are quite basic, since it is a very undemanding plant.
Location
When talking about how to care for a basil plant, the most important thing is to keep it in a location with as stable a temperature as possible and, above all, away from strong drafts.
Temperature
Since it is a plant of tropical origin, basil stops growing when it is in low temperatures, so you should not expose it to temperatures below 15 ºC.
Light for the basil plant
Regarding lighting, put it in a place where it receives abundant natural light, but be careful if the sun is very strong in your area, since an excess of direct and intense sunlight could dry it out. In that case, it is best to find a semi-shaded location, especially in summer.
How to water basil
In addition, you should water this plant whenever you notice the dry substrate or soil. Water regularly, but without abusing the quantities, since waterlogging is never beneficial for the plant. In the hottest months, moderate watering twice a day is recommended.
Fertilizer and pruning
You can also fertilize your basil once a month. We recommend using natural and ecological fertilizer, such as earthworm humus or compost.
This plant must be pruned. To learn how to prune basil, carefully trim its longest stems every two to three weeks, giving it a bushy shape but controlled size. Also, unless you want to get seeds it is good that you eliminate the flowers.
In addition, to complete this knowledge, we recommend reading this other Potted basil care guide.
How to preserve basil
For keep basil freshIt is best to freeze it. To do this, it is necessary to store the leaves, clean and dried, in an airtight container and store it in the freezer. You can too freeze basil as part of a pesto sauce, mashed and mixed with olive oil and salt.
Another option, if you don’t want to freeze it, is to store it in water, but away from direct sunlight. This way you can extend the life of the leaves up to a week or so, without affecting them as much as freezing them.
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