Can you grow basil outside
Basil - How to Plant, Grow and Harvest
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This popular annual herb is easy to grow from seed sown indoors in spring, or even from young plants bought in supermarkets, and provides repeated harvests throughout the summer. When growing from seed, you can choose an array of flavours, leaf colours and textures, from sweet, aromatic Italian varieties to spicy Thai basils.
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Sow
Seeds are best started off indoors from late February to mid-summer. Fill a 7.5cm (3in) pot with seed compost, firm down and sow a few seeds over the top – most will germinate so only sow a few more seeds than you need. Cover with a thin layer of vermiculite, water gently and pop it into a propagator or cover the pot with a clear plastic bag, secured with an elastic band.
After germination, remove from the propagator or take off the bag, place in a warm, bright spot, such as a sunny windowsill, and water regularly to keep the compost moist. When the seedlings are large enough to handle and have their first true leaves, transplant into their own 7.5cm (3in) pot filled with multi-purpose compost.
Grow
If you don't have the time or space to grow basil from seed, you can simply buy a pot of basil from a supermarket. This will contain lots of plants, which can be separated and potted up individually.
Keep basil plants indoors until all danger of frost has passed, then harden them off to gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions.
Choose a warm, sunny, sheltered planting site with well-drained soil, or a container filled with multi-purpose compost. You can keep a plant in a pot going all summer long by moving it into a slightly bigger container every time roots show through the drainage holes – plants could end up in a 20cm (8in) container. You can also plant basil in a greenhouse, where it makes a good companion to tomatoes.
Basil hates having wet roots overnight, so water in the morning if possible.
Keep plants bushy and productive by harvesting the shoot tips regularly, and remove any flowers that start to develop. Plants will die off at the end of summer, once temperatures start to fall.
Harvesting
Basil leaves can be harvested throughout the summer.
Remove leaves as required or harvest entire plants if lots of leaves are needed to make pesto or sauce.
If only a few leaves are required, remove the tops of plants to encourage bushy growth.
Recommended Varieties
Common problems
Aphids
Look for colonies of greenfly on the soft shoot tips of plants or on leaves.
They suck sap and excrete sticky honeydew, encouraging the growth of black sooty moulds.
Remedy
Use your finger and thumb to squash aphid colonies or use biological control in the greenhouse.
Slugs and snails
These feed on the young seedlings and you'll see the tell tale slime trail on the soil around your crop, as well as on the leaves.
Remedy
There are many ways to control slugs and snails, including beer traps, sawdust or eggshell barriers, copper tape and biocontrols.
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How to Care for Basil Plants Outdoors | Home Guides
By Shelley Hoose Updated September 08, 2020
Basil is pretty much a requirement for any kitchen garden and is an easy-care plant.
It grows quickly and quietly, with no fuss. The primary task facing a gardener when growing basil (Ocimum basilicum) is pruning it regularly, which ensures a harvest throughout the entire growing season. And growing basil outside rather than indoors is the easiest of all — it grows throughout USDA zones 2 to 11, according to Missouri Botanical Garden.
Growing Basil Outdoors or In
Unlike most other herbs you'll find in a nursery, basil is an annual that requires warm weather. Unfortunately, the garden centers at big box stores don't seem to know this, because you'll find basil seedlings marketed in April. Don't buy these, unless you have a greenhouse or a good indoor spot to care for them until you can put them outside after all danger of frosts or freezes is past.
While there are many basil cultivars, all have the same requirements: sun, water and well-draining, rich soil. The soil should have a balanced pH of between 6.0 and 6.
5, which is true of most vegetables, according to Clemson University. If you are starting basil from seed, sow it indoors in seedling trays with a sterile soil mix six to eight weeks before the last frost in your area. Plant the seeds 1/4 inch deep; mist to maintain moisture, because watering too heavily could scatter the small seeds. When the plant develops two true leaves (the leaves that emerge after the initial embryonic, cotyledon leaves), transplant into small, separate pots to give the roots room to spread and facilitate faster growth.
To grow basil plants outside, prepare a bed with organic matter such as composted manure, pine bark or compost to create the rich, well-drained environment that basil loves. Work into the soil approximately 3 pints of 5-10-10 granular fertilizer per 100 square feet. Plant the seedlings outside when nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If your area does experience a frost after planting, protect the plants with floating row covers, straw or just a bucket turned upside down overnight for single plants.
Water regularly throughout the growing season — but don't overwater, because basil hates wet feet. When watering, avoid splashing moisture onto the leaves, as leaves left wet overnight are more prone to fungal diseases. To prevent overdrying of the soil, add a 3-inch mulch of pine needles or ground-up leaves.
When growing basil inside, the plant's requirements are the same: Plant it in a pot with enriched soil, then place it on a sunny windowsill where it will get its required six hours of sun daily. Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer throughout the season and water regularly. Make sure the pot has drainage holes, and don't let water remain in the saucer under the pot.
Pruning Basil to Last All Season
The secret to harvesting basil all season is to prune it back regularly, before it flowers. Once the plant has developed its first six leaves, the Farmer's Almanac recommends pruning it back to just above the second set.
This encourages branching so your basil will become nice and bushy. Then, each time a branch has six to eight leaves, prune it back again to the branch's first set of leaves.
To prevent flowering, which will abort leafy growth as the basil puts all its energy into reproduction, pinch out the center shoot after about six weeks. If you see a flower, cut it off. Harvest your basil leaf by leaf, or just cut off the end of a branch if you need to prune.
References
- Clemson University: Basil
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Ocimum basilicum
- Farmer's Almanac: Growing Basil
Tips
- Annual basil will eventually flower and decline. Cold weather can speed the process by killing back the plant. You can extend the productivity of the herb by potting it and bringing it indoors in the fall.
- Basil comes in many varieties, all of them suitable for summer outdoor gardens in most climate zones.
Writer Bio
Shelley has been writing and editing garden stories for 10 years, and has a Master Gardeners certificate in Oregon.
Basil: planting and care in the open field
Gardeners and growers often have a question about how to plant basil. And it is not surprising, because this plant came to our region relatively recently. Basil is native to the Middle East and Asia. But we also loved him. After all, there is a reason. Although basil contains a small amount of vitamins, it is rich in macronutrients (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, and others).
How to properly plant basil in open ground and how to care for it, we will tell you in our article.
General information about planting basil
Plot. Basil does not grow well in shady, cold areas. It can be planted near a residential building that will protect it from the wind. But plant from such a side that the building does not cast a shadow on the landings.
Do not plant basil in lowlands, where the temperature is lower than on flat ground.
But areas on a hill, on the contrary, warm up best.
Do not select wetlands or areas where the water table is close to the surface.
Primer. Basil needs light soil - sandy and sandy loam. The soil should be loose and contain nutrients. On poor soil, you will not get a good harvest of basil.
Basil will grow stunted and sickly in dense soil. In such conditions, it is difficult for him to develop. If you do not have the opportunity to plant this crop in suitable soil, then pay attention to careful soil preparation. Namely: the application of fertilizers (organic and mineral), digging and loosening the soil.
Crop rotation. Do not grow basil in the same place for more than one year. Otherwise, the risk that this crop will be affected by a disease characteristic of it (for example, Fusarium) increases. Basil takes from the soil the nutrients necessary for its growth, which means that the next time it is planted in this place, it will not have enough of them.
Return this culture to its previous place only after 5-6 years.
Deadlines. You can grow basil in a seedless way, directly in open ground. But remember that this culture is thermophilic, for this reason, in countries with cold springs, it is planted in unprotected soil no earlier than June.
If you want to get fragrant basil greens ahead of time, then grow it in advance with seedlings. And seedlings are planted in the ground at the right time. This is how basil is usually grown.
Note!
If you see that the time for sowing seeds or planting seedlings is right, but the weather outside is cold, windy, and the temperature is not high enough, it is better to postpone this event. Wait out the bad weather and only then sow the seeds and plant basil seedlings in open ground.
In the southern regions, the deadlines may be earlier. However, remember that it is necessary to navigate not by the timing, but by the temperature established on the street.
The reason is that the weather in different regions varies to a greater or lesser extent, it is impossible to deduce suitable dates for all. In addition, the temperature regime and weather conditions can change from year to year.
Temperature. As already mentioned, basil loves warmth. The higher the temperature, the faster the seeds will germinate. For seed germination, the best temperature regime is from + 25ºС to + 28ºС. For the growth and development of an adult plant, a temperature of + 16ºС to + 20ºС is required (its excess will cause the basil to stretch, weaken, become stunted).
Soil preparation. Prepare the soil for growing this crop in advance in autumn. Since basil loves loose soil, dig the beds to a depth of 25 cm. Apply at the rate of 2-3 kg per 1 sq. m. Also, for the rapid growth and good health of future seedlings, add mineral supplements: 20 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium salt. In spring you only need to loosen the beds
If you haven't had time to prepare the soil since autumn, then don't be discouraged.
Do all these procedures a month before planting basil.
If your site does not have suitable soil, then its preparation requires more attention and effort. The least suitable soil for basil is heavy soil. In this case, to make the earth light, well aerated and permeable, add sand per square meter. If the site has an excessive level of acidity, then lime the soil, add lime to it for digging, in addition to organic and mineral fertilizers. Lime can be replaced with chalk or dolomite flour. The introduction of ash has a positive effect on heavy soil. specteh reviews However, please note that such processing must be repeated every one to two years to maintain its properties.
Cultivation of basil by seedling and non-seedling methods
Sowing in the ground. If climatic conditions allow you to grow basil in your garden from seed, then make your life difficult by growing seedlings.
Basil can be sown in furrows or planting holes.
Their depth is 1-2 cm. Pre-spill the grooves (pits) with water and compact their bottom so that the seeds do not go below the required depth. Place the seeds in a continuous strip or at a distance of 5 cm. Seal the grooves with loose soil. Spill it. Distance between rows - 30 cm.
Note!
When sowing seeds in furrows, do not forget about thinning the seedlings. First, when the plants hatch and grow a little, leave 5-10 cm between the seedlings. Second, when the plants have 3-4 true leaves, leave 20 cm between the seedlings. to another bed for growing.
If planting basil in planting holes, space them 20 cm apart. Row spacing is 30 cm. Place one seed at a time in the planting hole. Seal them with loose soil. Seal it. Spill with water.
When growing basil in a seedless way in open ground, it is recommended to shed the soil with a growth stimulator (Epin or others). Such a drug will accelerate the germination of the seed and the formation of roots in seedlings.
This means that you will harvest spicy grass earlier than when growing without a growth stimulator.
Sowing seedlings. Calculate the sowing time for seedlings of this crop based on the weather conditions of your region. After all, in order to plant seedlings in the ground as soon as the weather is right, the basil must reach a certain age. The growing season of this crop, depending on the variety, lasts from 120 to 160 days. And seedlings are transplanted into the ground at the age of 30 to 50 days (one to two months), it also depends on the specific variety and the duration of its ripening.
Soil for sowing seedlings should also be light and fertile. If desired, make up the substrate for sowing the seeds yourself. It is done like this: combine 4 parts of peat, 2 parts of rotted compost, 1 part of sand (pre-wash it). Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
If you do not trust the place where you purchased the soil, then disinfect it with a solution of potassium permanganate (use 5%, that is, dark).
Not long before sowing, pre-spill the soil on them.
Basil can be sown in one container (wooden box or long pot) or in separate containers (cups, peat pots, cassettes, etc.).
With the resulting substrate, fill the selected container so that 3-4 cm remain to the edge. Lightly moisten it. Place basil seeds in containers. Cover them with soil. Seeds should be at a depth of 1 cm. If you sow in separate containers, then place one seed in each. If you sow in a box or a long flowerpot, then the planting material can be placed in a continuous groove or with an interval of 1-2 cm. When sowing in the grooves, remember that the seedlings will either have to be planted in separate containers or thinned out twice. The first time they are thinned out when the seedlings grow up a little, the second time - when 2-3 true leaves appear on them.
After you have sown the seeds, cover the container with glass or foil to help create the right microclimate for faster germination.
Put the basil in a warm place, the required temperature is + 25ºС. Air the seedlings every day (bend the film or move the glass back for 20 minutes). If necessary, gently moisten the soil with a spray bottle so as not to wash the seeds. After the first sprouts hatch, remove the glass (film) completely and rearrange the seedlings in a bright place. If there is not enough light in the room, then turn on additional lighting for the basil - it needs a lot of light. If you have a south window, then place the seedlings there. Periodically turn it to the sun in different directions. Otherwise, the light will fall unevenly, some plants will not have enough of it and they will stretch out, but become weak. With uniform lighting, all seedlings will receive the necessary amount of light and grow strong.
When 3-4 true leaves appear on the basil seedlings, they can be planted in the garden in open ground. Pre-harden them, otherwise, when transplanting, they will get used to a new place for a long time.
First, take the seedlings outside in warm weather for 1 hour, put them in shady places. Each day, increase the amount of time the basil is outdoors by an hour until it stays there for the whole day.
Planting seedlings. Basil, grown in seedlings, is planted in the ground at the age of 30-60 days (the exact date depends on the variety chosen). By that time, 3-4 leaves will appear on the plants.
Plant seedlings in open ground according to this scheme. Keep the distance between plants at 20 cm. The distance between the beds is 30 cm.
Pre-make planting holes. Correlate their depth with the size of the basil seedling root. In order for the plant to easily endure the transplant, plant it together with an earthen clod, that is, by transferring the roots. In this case, the roots of the plants will not be affected at all, and the basil will not hurt. Before transplanting seedlings, moisten the earthen ball.
Transplant basil seedlings outdoors in the evening.
Cloudy weather will be an advantage. The fact is that plants, until they take root, do not tolerate direct sunlight, they can suffer from burns.
Fill the planting holes with soil. Make it so that there are no air voids left in it: shake the plant periodically when filling the hole. Once the hole is filled, compress and compact the soil. Spill it with water.
Care. Water the basil regularly. Do not let the soil dry out, but do not flood the plants. After watering, loosen the soil so that the roots breathe and have access to nutrients and water. If a crust forms on the surface of the soil, then all substances and moisture will remain on it, take measures in time. Loosen the soil and whatever watering.
Remove weeds. Keep a close eye on weeds during germination - they will crowd out weaker seedlings. As the basil matures, continue removing weeds. Their presence can adversely affect the taste of this crop.
If you are not sure about the weather conditions after sowing seeds or planting seedlings, protect the basil. Cover it with covering material or a greenhouse. The second option is more convenient to use.
Feed the basil periodically. For this culture, the presence of nutrients is necessary. The first top dressing is carried out in the first month after transplantation. Second - spend 30 days after the first.
If you want to get seeds from the plantings for sowing next year, then leave 3-4 bushes specifically for this. On other plants, in order to get more spicy leaves from them, cut off the flowers. In this case, the basil will branch.
Greenhouses and greenhouses. Growing basil outdoors is not possible in all regions. For this reason, its cultivation is practiced in protected soil. For this purpose, I use greenhouses and greenhouses. The first option allows you to grow basil all year round. However, the maintenance of the greenhouse requires money, which is why it is used only for growing for sale.
The second option does not require capital investment. But the greenhouse will protect the plants only from a slight cold snap. Basil is covered with a hotbed for harvesting 5-7 days earlier.
How to grow basil outdoors: the easy way
Hello. Today I want to talk about how to grow basil in the open field, both with seeds and seedlings. Growing basil does not pose any particular difficulties, subject to simple rules of agricultural technology. And I want to share my experience, make a short review of the varieties, and also tell you how to plant basil with seeds and seedlings. I'll tell you about care: watering, fertilizing, loosening, and about possible difficulties - diseases, pests. And if you follow my recommendations, you will grow a beautiful branched bush of this spice. Let's go…
Content
- Why did I decide to plant the basil
- How and why I chose this particular variety of basil
- Examination of varieties
- Planting for seedlings
- when to plant the Basil in the open soil in the open soil
- Site selection and soil preparation
- How to plant basil outdoors
- Outdoor basil care
- Shelter from the cold
- Increased appetite, improved digestion.
- In folk medicine, it is used as an analgesic, antipyretic, antimicrobial agent.
- Improvement of blood circulation, activity of the respiratory system.
- Stabilization of blood glucose levels.
- Spice promotes recuperation.
- Fight against free radicals (harmful substances that provoke the development of cancer cells).
- Anti-aging effect when consumed regularly.
- Prevention of respiratory infections, kidney stones.
It is important for the gardener that basil is an undemanding crop. He also feels great as a house plant on the windowsill. In order to regularly collect "bouquets" of fragrant grass, you need to provide it with the following:
- sunlight;
- heat;
- moderate moisture;
- light, loose substrate.
The peak of its development in Russian conditions the plant reaches in July-August. I don’t recommend harvesting before - they have a weak taste. And by the middle of summer, essential oils are most concentrated in leaf plates, which makes basil pleasantly tart and unusually fragrant.
How and why I chose this basil cultivar
All basil cultivars are annual spicy branching plants. The height of the bush is 20-60 cm. They differ in the taste of greenery, the color and shape of the leaves. They can be green, reddish, purple, flat, carved, corrugated, matte and shiny.
I plant 2-3 varieties of basil at the same time. After all, each of them has a special taste. Some leaves are more suitable for fresh consumption as an ingredient in salads, “sprinkling” for first courses. Some are suitable for drying - they can be stored until winter, added to meat dishes, soups.
I will present you the most famous varieties of basil and their taste characteristics:
- Violet. Used mainly in Caucasian cuisine - the most tart, spicy of all varieties. Leaves are deep reddish purple.
- Anise. A common seasoning is already in Thai cuisine. The leaves have a pleasant aniseed taste and aroma, they are distinguished by a greenish-silver hue.
- Lemon. An excellent ingredient in fish dishes - eliminates unpleasant odors, gives a spicy lemon flavor.
- Mexican. You will recognize this basil by its dark purple leaves. I really like it because of the light aroma of cinnamon.
All seeds sold in garden centers are adapted to the Russian climate. But I always study bags for optimal soil and air temperatures - I prefer the most cold-resistant varieties.
Overview of varieties
Today there are more than 150 varieties of this herb. I present the most famous in Russia:
- Camphor (scented). The most widespread in the world. Leaves taste tart, with a pleasant clove aroma. The bush reaches 50 cm in height. Representatives: Magical Michael (branchy bushes), Mammoth (large and very spicy leaves), Genovese Gigante (because of its peculiar taste, it is very much appreciated in Italian cuisine).
- Violet. No less popular: red-purple leaves are smooth, large. The taste is more delicate, but with a pleasant hint of astringency.
Known varieties: Osmin Purple, Red Rubin, Purpurascens. The latter variety is distinguished by an unusual sweetish taste.
You don't have to buy the variety you like the next year - you can get your own seeds by leaving the basil fruit to ripen.
Seed preparation
Basil seeds (like other herbs) have a thin, ethereal coat that makes them difficult to germinate. Therefore, they are not soaked, but warmed up:
- Before planting in the ground or seedlings, place the seed in a warm place where the temperature reaches +30 C. 2 weeks of such treatment is enough.
- Until the steam heating is turned off, gardeners put basil seeds in a paper or fabric bag, attach it to the radiator for the same period - a couple of weeks.
After heat treatment - decontamination. The easiest way: dilute a saturated manganese solution, dip the seeds into it for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and dry them. You can use special preparations: "Fitosporin", "Maxim", "Vitaros".
Planting basil seedlings
For seedlings of basil, small bowls no more than 10 cm high are sufficient. Plastic cups and boxes from fermented milk products can be used. The procedure itself is simple:
- Prepare a nutritious, but light and breathable soil: mix garden substrate, compost, sand and peat in equal proportions.
- Cover the bottom of the cups with a drainage layer - a low row of pebbles or expanded clay. Pour the prepared soil on top.
- The substrate is poured with warm water. You can additionally disinfect the earth with a weak solution of manganese.
- Basil seeds are planted to a depth of no more than 1 cm, sprinkled with the same substrate.
- To create a comfortable moist and warm environment, the cups are covered with glass or wrapped with cling film.
Before sowing, you can pre-fertilize the soil with a fertile compound:
- Urea: ½ spoon.
- Potassium chloride: ½ teaspoon.
- Superphosphate: ½ teaspoon.
- Potassium sulfate: ½ teaspoon.
- Water: 5 l.
Seedlings will appear in 7-10 days. Do not miss this moment - the glass and film are then removed for good, but the seedlings are kept in a warm place, protected from drafts. For watering, I advise you to use water at room temperature.
As soon as the seedlings have two true leaf blades, it's time to pick. The easiest way is to transplant into a more free container:
- A substrate of the same composition (garden soil, peat, compost, sand in equal proportions) is placed in a new bowl. You can add some ash.
- The soil is lightly tamped, after which a small hole is made in it - under an earthen ball on the roots of the basil.
- Gently place the plant in its new location, compacting the soil a little around the base of the stem to keep it upright.
- After transplanting, water the basil with warm water, being careful not to get on the stem and leaves.
One week after transplantation - fertilizing with an aqueous solution of mineral fertilizer. Strengthened seedlings are placed on the windowsill, but they are also protected from drafts and hypothermia. Make sure that the seedlings do not shade each other - this inhibits their development. Watering should be moderate - waterlogging is fraught with the formation of a black leg.
Approximately 2 weeks before moving to the garden, the seedlings begin to harden off: in warm sunny weather they are taken out to the balcony, left for 1-2 hours. Gradually, this time is increased - at the end of hardening, the young basil spends all day on the balcony (and a warm night).
After the temperature of the soil warms up to 15-20 C, the plants are transplanted to a permanent place. A little secret: in order for the bush to branch well, do not forget to pinch the top before transplanting.
When to plant basil outdoors
Since basil came to us from India, it loves warm weather and does not tolerate frost.
Therefore, they plant it when the threat of cold weather passes, stable summer weather is established. But in this case, the peak of the harvest will occur only in the second half of the summer. If you want to collect fragrant leaves already in June, the way out is to plant the spice in a greenhouse, greenhouse or plant seedlings. Seeds
The timing of planting a plant in open ground depends on two factors: your climate zone and the weather conditions of a particular season. In the middle latitudes of Russia, basil seeds are sown in open beds in early June.
Check the long-range weather forecast. If a sharp or prolonged cold snap is not expected, you can proceed to sowing.
Seedlings
In order to harvest basil already in June, gardeners grow heat-loving spice seedlings. The plant becomes ready for transplanting into an open bed 2 months after sowing.
The optimum temperature of air and soil is established by the first half of June. This means that seeds for seedlings are planted in early April.
For the "home garden" earlier dates: you can sow basil as early as mid-March - the length of daylight hours for this crop is already enough. Site selection and soil preparation
The plant loves open areas, evenly warmed by the sun during the day. Shaded areas, drafts, the north side of the garden - not for the basil.
The soil in the bed should be the same as the substrate for seedlings - nutritious and loose, air and water permeable:
- Light soil. It is enough to apply fertilizers (I use compost), loosen the ground well - and you can plant seeds and seedlings.
- Heavy soil. Add sand, ash, peat, compost, then dig a shovel onto the bayonet. This will make the substrate oxygen permeable and lighter.
I also recommend this universal top dressing: 1 bucket (10 l) of last year's humus, 1 glass (200 ml) of ash per 1 m2 of the future ridge.
The best predecessors of basil:
- cucumbers;
- tomatoes;
- legumes;
- green manure;
- greens;
- beets;
- garden strawberry;
- bow;
- potatoes.
It is not worth making a new bed on the site of last year's basil. The plant is planted in the same area no more than once every 5 years. After basil, you can plant carrots, legumes, cucumbers, pumpkins, tomatoes, squash, potatoes, zucchini.
And another little secret: make mini-beds of basil all over the site. Especially next to crops that are defenseless against pests. The specific smell of spices will scare away uninvited "guests".
How to properly plant basil in open ground
Heat-loving basil is planted in open ground when the temperature is stable at 25-28 C. Planting work is best done in cloudy weather or in the evening, after sunset.
For seeds, make uniform grooves 1 cm deep. I advise you to then treat the substrate with a growth stimulator solution. I use the traditional "Zircon" (1 ampoule per 5 liters of water). Sprinkle the seeds with earth, slightly compact it. Then be sure to cover the ridge with a film or covering material.
Basil seedlings are planted in even rows, keeping 40 cm between them. Between the bushes in one line - 30 cm. After planting, do not forget to water both the seeds and the young seedlings. It is very good if the water is settled and warm.
Outdoor Basil Care
Indian spice requires simple basic care: weeding, loosening and watering. Since you are growing basil for its leaves, you need to prevent its flowering: cut off the buds, ovaries, pedicels with scissors. This contributes to the enhanced development of green mass.
Shelter from the cold
Immature shoots from seeds, seedlings weakened by transplantation are covered with foil for the first two weeks. At a daytime air temperature of more than 20 C, it is removed, but returned again at night.
No further shelter is required. If cold nights are expected, you can use thick polyethylene, but this should be removed in the morning.
Watering and loosening
When watering spices, do not forget about the "golden mean": it should be moderate, but complete.
Try to use warm water that has settled under the sun or in a greenhouse. There is no clear schedule - the plants are watered as the substrate dries up. In rainy summers, it practically does not need watering, and in dry summers, increased moisture is required. Since basil loves an airtight substrate, remember to loosen it after every watering, heavy or heavy rain. The plant needs constant weeding - weeds not only shade it, but also take away nutrients from the soil.
Pinching
I already wrote that before transplanting basil seedlings into open ground, I always pinch the top. The procedure can also be applied to seedlings propagated by seeds. As soon as they get stronger, they form several branches, pinch the top. This is repeated when the bush goes into growth, practically without forming branches.
If you have pollinated plants on your plot, I advise you not to pinch a couple of bushes. Small basil flowers, unsightly to humans, will attract whole flocks of pollinating insects to your garden.
By the end of summer, fruits resembling purple nuts appear in their place. If you wait for them to ripen (by mid-autumn), you will have your own seeds of your favorite basil variety. Top dressings
For fertilizing basil planted in open ground, nitrogenous compounds are sufficient, since they contribute to the enhanced development of the green mass of the plant. Charging schedule - 1 time per month.
The first feeding - 2 weeks after planting in open ground. I use a regular nitrophoska: 2 tbsp. spoons for 12 liters of water. Approximate consumption of the composition: 3-4 liters per 1 m2. It's great if you warm the water solution to 25 C before feeding.
What difficulties can arise when growing basil
Basil is a plant that is resistant to diseases and pests. Its specific smell repels many insects, which protects not only the culture itself, but also its neighbors.
Plantings on heavy, waterlogged, "stuffy" soils are prone to diseases.
The plant develops slowly, branches poorly, the leaves are deformed, essential oils do not accumulate in them. Diseases
A common disease is Fusarium (the appearance of brown spots on leaf blades). The vessels of the plant are affected - poisonous components penetrate into the nutrient juices. In young plants, the stem turns brown, withers, in adults - the top.
The best prevention is not to plant a new basil in the place of last year's ridge with it. Fusarium also provokes high humidity in hot weather.
Another dangerous enemy is gray rot. Gray-brown spots appear, which eventually fill with liquid and become covered with mold fluff.
With excessive moisture, as with severe drought, the plant may suffer from the insidious black leg. Provokes the disease "stuffy" soil, strong acidification of the soil. The fungus infects the root collar, clogs the planting vessels, which causes it to die. At the first signs of the disease (darkening of the stems), the basil is treated with a solution of copper sulfate (for 2 liters of water - 1 teaspoon).
There are also universal remedies for these diseases:
- You will need an infusion of onion peel: 4 parts of water for 1 part of the mass. The composition is infused for a day, after which the leaves are irrigated.
- Potassium permanganate solution is used for root irrigation.
- Prevention: dusting plantings with wood ash, control of water balance, timely weeding.
But folk remedies are powerless if the disease has gone beyond the initial stage. Only fungicides will help here: Topaz, Fitosporin, Fundazol.
Pests
Basil can be attacked by aphids: they not only feed on leaves, but also carry viral diseases. If a pest is found, use infusions, decoctions of wormwood, garlic, dandelion, hot pepper, onion, mustard, tansy, tomato tops. You need two or three treatments a week.
Other good products:
- Shavings of tar soap (100 g) in a bucket (10 l) of water. Plants are treated with a daily solution.
- Ash water.
300 g of ash is boiled in boiling water for 30 minutes. The concentrated solution is diluted with a bucket (10 l) of water.
Chemical preparations against aphids: Karbofos, Bankol, Akarin.
Another enemy is the field (meadow) bug. Basil is not averse to feast on both larvae and adults. Bedbugs live in last year's tops or the top layer of the substrate. The methods of dealing with them are the same as with aphids.
Basil Harvest Timing
The spicy herb is harvested as new greenery appears. Young leaves are suitable for adding to salads, fresh consumption. But when collecting, try not to touch the new branches - leave them for the development of the bush.
If you are harvesting basil for drying, use scissors to cut off the stem rather than the individual leaves. Make sure that the branches remain on the plant, otherwise it will soon wither and die.
In autumn the whole bush is cut off at the root and dried completely. If space permits, each is tied at the base and hung upside down.
Another way: spread out newspapers, tracing paper, paper, natural matter and lay out the blanks to dry. Some gardeners successfully use a vegetable dryer. The room must be dry, otherwise the basil may start to rot. The spice is dried only in a shaded niche, in a room, a veranda with good air circulation.
If you wish, you can take a few bushes home in September. They are dug together with an earthen clod, trying not to damage the root system, and transferred to a glass. Drainage is placed at its bottom, and garden soil from the garden is placed on top.
However, such a "domesticated" basil, most likely, will delight you with fresh herbs only until winter. For full development, he needs a full daylight hours (10 hours).
It is even easier to take the plant home in the summer: cut off a branched strong twig, place it in a glass of water. After a while, she will give roots, then the basil can be transplanted into a pot with earth. The advantage of such a houseplant is that its spicy smell, pleasant for people, drives away flies, mosquitoes and midges.
- Increased appetite, improved digestion.
