Basil is a quick and easy grower, making it a great plant for beginner and seasoned gardeners alike. Whether you’re growing basil seeds, growing from cuttings, or nurturing transplants, you’re sure to have a bountiful harvest. We will talk about the different methods of growing basil, and which one is easiest for you to add to your daily routine.
You can take basil cuttings from a mother plant, and use them to grow new plants; this is a process called propagation, in the gardening world. A plant grown from a cutting will grow faster than a plant grown from seed.
Why should I grow basil?
It goes without saying that basil is a delicious addition to any vegetable garden. This versatile herb is great in salads, pesto, sauces, pizza, sandwiches, soups, pasta, and tons of other dishes.
But did you know that basil also pulls double duty in the garden? It is a great choice for companion planting. Basil’s aromatic leaves tend to destroy all kinds of pests in the garden. We plant many different types of basil leaves throughout the garden to help control pests organically (and harvest lots of tasty leaves).
Are Basil Plants Better Indoors or Outdoors?
Basil thrives in areas that receive 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day, making it an ideal plant for your garden.
It also grows well indoors as long as it is kept in direct sunlight for a few hours every day.
Seedlings
When grown from seed, young basil seedlings emerge from the soil in about 7 to 14 days.
At this stage, the basil plant develops to be about 12 inches tall and has most leaves. The upper leaves of the plant can be cut at this time, but the small leaves at the bottom should be left alone to grow.
When should you start your basil seeds?
After a delayed germination period of 5 to 10 days, basil grows quickly after emerging from the soil. For this reason, basil should be started about 6 weeks before the last frost date, to have it ready at planting time. If you are unsure of your specific sowing dates, please refer to my Seed Starting Calculator.
If you prefer to sow your basil seeds directly in the garden, do this about one week before the last frost date. My Seed Starting Calculator. can give you specific direct sowing dates for your location.
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