Tips for growing basil

One of the easiest plants I have ever grown in my garden is the basil plant . . . very rewarding!

Click here for an excellent article with great growing tips.

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How to Root Basil Indoors

If you love to cook using fresh basil, here are some ways to start new plants.

I've had great success propagating basil from cuttings . . . take a cutting and prepare as shown in the photo, dip in rooting hormone, plant in a container with well draining soil, water regularly and keep in indirect sun.

Here is another method from Birds and Blooms . . . click here.  

Photo source is Birds and Blooms.

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Tips on growing basil

Our basil seedlings are growing like weeds!  We are going to have more basil plants than I have ever grown at one time :)  One can never have enough basil and I love giving them to friends and family to enjoy . . . ready to pinch and use in cooking.

Have you ever had a homemade pizza with just a little garlic and basil, topped with mozzarella or provalone cheese?  I can make a meal of it!

I've reposted the following information several times, but it is great information for anyone wanting to grow one of the easiest plants ever.  

Basil just loves to be pinched regularly and will reward you with thick bushy plants that will provide you with more than enough basil for your personal consumption and lots to give away to friends and family.  It is easy to dry and will last forever when stored properly (I use big glass jars with a tight fitting lid.)

Here is some information on growing basil from The Essential Herb Garden website.

GROWING BASIL FROM SEED

Sow the seeds in spring in seed trays and keep indoors or in a heated greenhouse until the seedlings reach the four-leaf stage. Keep well watered at all times whilst the seedlings are growing.

The seedlings can then be easily handled and transplanted out into pots or containers or directly into the garden in a well drained soil, where they can continue growing with the benefits of all the nutrients from the soil.

Plant the seedlings 50cm apart and keep shaded for the first few days and water regularly throughout to ensure healthy growth.

CONDITIONS FOR GROWING BASIL

Although basil likes sun, it must be planted in a sunny, sheltered spot away from wind and draughts.

Don't plant basil until all risk of frost has disappeared. During midsummer basil likes semi-shaded growing conditions.

GROWING BASIL IN THE GARDEN

Growing basil between tomatoes and other vegetables in the greenhouse or garden will benefit both the basil and the other vegetables.

Basil will enhance the flavors of the other vegetables growing around it and will also deter insects.

Growing basil in your garden will attract bees and butterflies if planted outside.

Growing basil under glass in a cool summer is a good way to ensure a lush and healthy plant and supply of leaves. Remember though, if you are growing basil in your garden, you should not plant it next to rue.

GROWING BASIL IN THE KITCHEN OR GREENHOUSE

Basil can quite easily be grown inside as long as it has a light and sunny spot on the windowsill or shelf in the greenhouse. If you keep the plants indoors you should be able to keep your basil growing well into the cooler months.

HARVESTING BASIL

Once the basil has grown to a height of about 15cm, you can start to take off the top sets of leaves. Pinch them out to the next set of leaves growing below. This will ensure a continual growth and should encourage a healthy, bushy basil plant.

Prune your basil every 2 or 3 weeks to ensure a healthy bushy plant.

Basil will continue growing throughout the summer and can ultimately reach up to 60cm in height. If the basil is left to flower, it will produce long spires of small, white tube shaped flowers.

To encourage a supply of leaves throughout the summer and autumn, pinch out the buds as soon as they appear.

BASIL FOLIAGE

Depending on the variety of basil you are growing, the juicy, oval leaves will grow up to 10cm in length and will be a glossy rich green. Basil is highly aromatic with a strong scent reminiscent of cloves.

Basil plants will cross pollinate very easily so if you are collecting and planting your own seeds year after year, you should notice some slight variations which makes growing basil an interesting hobby and pastime.

Get out and get your hands dirty!!

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Summer Reflections

Another summer has come and gone . . . 

Paradise still remains like a jungle.

Of major note . . . the lime tree that was a memorial gift from JR's aunt when he died started producing very tasty and juicy limes that we have really enjoyed in cooking and sharing with others.  It is still putting out limes like crazy.  After waiting so many years for it to produce fruit, it was almost like JR was sending a message that he is smiling from heaven as new love bloomed and a new life has begun with my new husband, The Captain.

The grasshoppers invaded the Paradise with a vengeance . . . and they are still here.  Honestly, I don't know how anything survived as they devoured and chewed up leaves of most of our plants.  

We managed to get some tomatoes from our tomato plants, but all in all, that endeavor was disappointing.  Guess we started too late for optimum performance and didn't start them from seed.  They were not super healthy from the start and the grasshoppers put a dent in fruit production despite our attempts at spraying with our organic concoctions.  They were pulled up a few weeks ago :(

We did grow some awesome hot peppers that have continued to produce those hot and spicy treasures.  Hot pepper plants are one thing that we have been able to grow with no problem in our area . . . they thrive!

The basil is barely making it . . . 

the rosemary didn't last long, it died a quick death.

However, it has been a summer of health problems, in and out of hospitals with several members of the family and we got married . . . gardening became a low priority as the heat and humidity rose and health problems made it impossible to spend quality time in the garden.

We look forward to better health, cooler temps and quality time to start over again soon . . . especially with tomatoes, peppers and herbs.  Hopefully we will finally make it to the back yard that was Paradise turned into a jungle littered with fallen limbs and weeds the summer storms encouraged.  However, since most of the world has experienced devastating weather, we are grateful that we are still high and dry in Paradise.

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Growing Basil

One of the benefits of gardening in central Florida (zone 9) is no time is a bad time to start basil from seed . . . and a benefit of growing basil after not doing any serious gardening for several years is the instant gratification. It is one of the most foolproof herbs in this area.

Growing basil from seed

Sow the seeds in spring in seed trays and keep indoors or in a heated greenhouse until the seedlings reach the four-leaf stage. Keep well watered at all times whilst the seedlings are growing.

The seedlings can then be easily handled and transplanted out into pots or containers or directly into the garden in a well drained soil, where they can continue growing with the benefits of all the nutrients from the soil.

Plant the seedlings 50cm apart and keep shaded for the first few days and water regularly throughout to ensure healthy growth.

Conditions for growing basil

Although basil likes sun, it must be planted in a sunny, sheltered spot away from wind and draughts.

Don't plant basil until all risk of frost has disappeared. During midsummer basil likes semi-shaded growing conditions.

Growing basil in the garden

Growing basil between tomatoes and other vegetables in the greenhouse or garden will benefit both the basil and the other vegetables.

Basil will enhance the flavors of the other vegetables growing around it and will also deter insects.

Growing basil in your garden will attract bees and butterflies if planted outside.

Growing basil under glass in a cool summer is a good way to ensure a lush and healthy plant and supply of leaves. Remember though, if you are growing basil in your garden, you should not plant it next to rue.

Growing basil in the kitchen or greenhouse

Basil can quite easily be grown inside as long as it has a light and sunny spot on the windowsill or shelf in the greenhouse. If you keep the plants indoors you should be able to keep your basil growing well into the cooler months.

Harvesting Basil

Once the basil has grown to a height of about 15cm, you can start to take off the top sets of leaves. Pinch them out to the next set of leaves growing below. This will ensure a continual growth and should encourage a healthy, bushy basil plant.

Prune your basil every 2 or 3 weeks to ensure a healthy bushy plant.

Basil will continue growing throughout the summer and can ultimately reach up to 60cm in height. If the basil is left to flower, it will produce long spires of small, white tube shaped flowers.

To encourage a supply of leaves throughout the summer and autumn, pinch out the buds as soon as they appear.

Basil Foliage

Depending on the variety of basil you are growing, the juicy, oval leaves will grow up to10cm in length and will be a glossy rich green. Basil is highly aromatic with a strong scent reminiscent of cloves.

Basil plants will cross pollinate very easily so if you are collecting and planting your own seeds year after year, you should notice some slight variations which makes growing basil an interesting hobby and pastime.

read more