How to plant basil: A guide to growing and harvesting basil
Basil plants are a popular herb native to southern Asia and the islands of the South Pacific. Basil plants are certainly one of the most popular herbs grown in the home garden. It grows extremely quickly. In fact, it can go from seed to harvest in as little as 3 to 4 weeks. This quick and easy-growing herb is an excellent choice for beginner gardeners.
Planting Basil from Seed:
Learning how to plant basil is simple as it is one of the easiest herb to grow.
Materials needed:
- Basil seeds
- Starter pots
- Soilless potting mix
- Spray mister
- Fill your coco pot with ¾ of Fresh Picks Manila Staring Soil.
- Mist the base of your starting soil with water. A spray bottle with a fine spray, a specialized garden mister or even a light spray from your faucet will dampen the starter mix and give the seed good contact with the soil.
- Add basil seeds to each pot, scatter the seeds over the location that you have chosen, make sure to apply proper distance per seed as indicated in the instruction on the video then cover the seeds with ¼ inch of starting soil.
- Choose a location with good sun. Another important thing to remember for basil plant care is to choose a spot where the basil plants will get plenty of good sunlight. Basil grows best with at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.
Tip: Basil thrives in moist soil, so check moisture levels often and water deeply once the top inch becomes dry. Keep Soil moist and transfer into their permanent pot once they have 3-4 true leaves.
How to harvest basil:
Harvest leaves by pinching them from the stems anytime after the young plants have reached a height of 6 to 8 inches.
- Harvest often. The trick on how to grow basil that is large and abundant is to harvest often. The more you harvest basil, the more the plant will grow. Harvesting regularly will keep your basil rounded and less leggy. It will also help keep your plant from going to seed.
- Remove flowers. Once a basil plant flowers, the leaves start to lose their good flavor. If you remove any flowers, the leaves will get their good flavor back in just a day or so.
- Snip the stem just above the point where two large leaves meet