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This aromatic herb came to us from India. We are already accustomed to using it as a seasoning for meat or a salad ingredient, it increases appetite and helps digest food faster. Traditional medicine uses basil as an antibacterial, antipyretic, analgesic. In its hot homeland, it is valued for its rejuvenating and rejuvenating effect. Therefore, it is not surprising that our summer residents are interested in growing basil in the open field.
When to plant basil
Basil is unpretentious, it loves a lot of sunlight, heat, moisture and loose light soil. You can grow it on a windowsill, in a greenhouse, or even in a vegetable garden. In open ground, it will grow comfortably when the threat of frost has already passed and warm weather is established. In the middle lane, such conditions will be created no earlier than June, which means that this time is the best to sow basil. Only leaves will not have to feast on before August. A more profitable option would be to grow seedlings at home in the spring, and in the summer to plant already strong plants in open ground.
It will take at least 2 months to grow seedlings. If the soil warms up and the heat finally takes hold in the country by the beginning of June, then you can sow the seeds in early April. Plants will have enough light on the windowsill as early as March, at which time they can be sown if planting in the garden is not expected.
There are many varieties and varieties of basil, seeds can be easily selected in specialized stores. The most common varieties we have are: lemon, Mexican, anise, purple. They differ in shades of taste and appearance. So, purple leaves are not green, but red-violet, it is used in Caucasian cuisine. Aniseed basil leaves are greenish-silvery in color, have a pronounced aniseed aroma, and are most often used in Thai cuisine. Lemon – according to the name, it smells like lemon, it is added when fish is cooked. Mexican has a smell reminiscent of cinnamon, it has dark purple leaves.
All basil seeds have an ether coat (like the seeds of other spicy plants), which makes it difficult for them to germinate. But they do not need to be soaked, as they do with vegetable seeds, just warm them enough. Experts advise a couple of weeks before sowing to keep them in a warm place with a temperature of +30 degrees. Resourceful summer residents came up with the idea of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbheating the seeds near a steam heating battery; for this, you can place the seeds in a bag made of natural fabric and tie them to the battery. When the pots and earth mixture are prepared, you can hold the seeds in a solution of bright pink potassium permanganate for a couple of hours, some experts advise watering the soil with the same solution before sowing – soil disinfection will not interfere with young roots.
Video “Useful information about the basilica”
Informative video with useful information about a spicy plant called basil.
How to care for seedlings
For growing seedlings, you can take shallow containers – 10 cm will be enough. The soil should be nutritious, but light, breathable, so it is best to mix equal parts of garden soil, peat, compost and sand. If you have good compost, you can do without garden soil altogether and add more compost. The prepared soil should be put in a pot on a drainage layer of expanded clay or pebbles, poured with a solution of potassium permanganate or just hot water, then you can already sow the seeds. From above they should be covered with 1 cm of earth.
To keep warm, the pot is covered with glass or cling film. In such an impromptu greenhouse, seedlings will appear in 7-10 days. The film must be removed immediately, the temperature should be kept at least 20 degrees. If it is very warm, the bores will stretch too much. It is better to water with warm water.
When the plants grow 2 true leaves, it’s time to dive. Most people instead simply transplant into other (preferably disposable) containers, carefully prying the seedlings with a small spatula or flat stick. You can plant them in the same soil, or you can add a little ash to it. The soil must be poured, lightly tamped, make a hole, place the plant in it, sprinkle with earth and lightly press to keep it upright. It is advisable to immediately pour warm water, but carefully, without getting on the plants themselves – they are painfully weak and vulnerable until they grow.
After a week, it is advisable to water the seedlings with mineral fertilizer dissolved in water. When the seedlings are on the window, you need to make sure that the plants do not shade each other, so that everyone has enough light, watering should be moderate – if you give too much water, a black leg may appear.
Two weeks before the time comes for planting in the ground, the seedlings should be taken out daily to the street for hardening. First they take it out for 1-2 hours, in the warmest sun, then this time is increased. Such hardening will help seedlings to adapt faster in the garden. When the soil outside warms up to 15-20 degrees, you can plant basil in the garden, pinching the top to stimulate side shoots.
We grow basil in the country
You need to plant basil in a bright place where he can enjoy the sun all day. The bed is prepared in advance, remembering that the soil should be nutritious, but loose. Well, if the soil is light, then it is enough to add compost or other fertilizers, loosen it and you can place the seedlings in their place of constant growth. But if the soil is heavy, you will have to add peat, compost, sand, ash, then dig it up again to make it lighter and more breathable. Good soil preparation is considered to be the introduction of 1 bucket of humus and 1 liter jar of ash per square meter.
It is necessary to plant plants infrequently – in rows, where between plants there will be at least 30 cm, and between rows – 40 cm. It is advisable to water between rows until the plants get stronger, they can be damaged by a stream of water. It will be correct to plant basil after legumes, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes. It can be planted in the same place only after 10 years. Usually, seedlings take root well and grow into large voluminous bushes 50–70 cm high. Basil can be planted in different places in the garden so that its spicy aroma drives away harmful insects.
Proper care
Caring for basil consists of weeding, loosening the soil and watering. Watering should be moderate, but sufficient. Since it was planted for the sake of leaves, it should not be allowed to bloom. As soon as buds appear on the plant, they need to be cut with scissors so that the forces are not spent on flowering, but are used to form new leaves. If the owner wants to get his seeds, then it is worth letting 1-2 plants bloom and then collecting ripe seeds.
During the summer, you can pluck the leaves and use fresh ones. For the winter, the shoots are dried, for this a stalk with leaves is cut off, but a stalk with 5 leaves must be left from the root so that the plant continues to grow and form new branches. The plucked twigs should be properly dried in a ventilated area, hanging them by the stalk. In autumn, all plants are cut at the root and dried. If there is a desire to keep fresh basil, then you can carefully dig it out with a clod of earth so as not to disturb the roots, transfer it to a pot (just do not forget about drainage), and the plant may well grow new leaves in the room. Only he needs a full day of light, at least 10 hours, and in winter there is little natural light. You can cut off one branch, hold it in water to root and plant in a pot – in summer the plant can grow in a room and drive away flies and mosquitoes.
Video “Instructions for planting basil”
Video instruction for planting basil with an exact algorithm of actions.