How to Grow Sweet Basil at Home
Basil is a popular herb used to spice up cuisines with its flavorful taste. Sweet basil is of the most famous variety of this herb and is widely used in dishes especially Italian ones. It is an integral component of many of our favorite recipes. The herb can be easily grown at home. All it asks for is good sunlight and long sunlight exposure. Give it that and you can have a lush foliage with its wonderful fragrance and taste that can take your meals to a three time better rating. The abundant use of basil in our food makes it a must for our kitchen. What could be better than growing it our self and use it fresh?
Things you need:
– Tiller– Basil seeds or seedlings
– Compost
– Mulch
Instructions
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1
Prepare the area where you want to grow the basil. Clear it of any weed growth. The temperature should be warm when you plan to sow. You shall ideally wait till the end of the last frost before starting with the plantation. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors as long as it gets enough sunlight. If you want to start before the frost is over, start indoors and then transfer the plant outdoors after it is warmer. You can use both seeds and seedlings for growing basil. Seedlings can be planted late because they are already developed.
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2
Turn up the soil lightly to soften it and ready for sowing. Moisten it up with your hose pipe. Now add a layer of compost to the top soil. Compost is natural organic fertilizer that can do wonders for your herb growth. Sprinkle the seeds over the soil. Cover them up lightly with ΒΌ inch of soil. Make sure that the seeds are in contact with the soil so that they can germinate.
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3
You will witness germination after around a week. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. When seedlings appear, thin away the weak plants to make room for the growing ones. You need to tend the herb well during this time to ensure robust growth. You can mulch the soil after the basil reaches several inches.
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4
As the flowers appear, you can prune them. Use as required by picking out leaves. Instead of taking off all the leaves from the plants, it is better to use them periodically according to need in the kitchen. Pinching them all at a time can halt growth.
