Basil – The King of Herbs

Basil is thought to be one of the oldest herbs in the world and has been highly regarded for its many properties. It has been used in cooking, medicine, decoration and in religion. Growing basil is highly rewarding for people who are new to gardening because it is relatively easy to grow. There are only a few basic points that are important to remember if you want to be successful at herb gardening. Basil can be easily grown outdoors or indoors in containers all year round. A couple of basil plants can provide enough basil for cooking needs all season long.

When growing basil outdoors, make sure that the weather is warm before you plant or sow seed, or else it will fail. Basil is a plant that loves warm, sunny weather. The daytime temperature should reach at least 70 degrees (F) and the nighttime temperature should get no lower than 50 degrees (F). The herb enjoys having six or more hours of direct sunlight a day. It is also very important that the soil has good drainage.

Sowing and Planting

When sowing basil seed just drop the seeds onto the soil and lightly pat them. This provides good contact with the earth so that germination can occur. Cover the seeds with a quarter-inch of fine soil or compost and water the soil. Keep the soil moist, but not too wet, until the seeds sprout. Soil that is too wet can cause the seeds to rot. Germination will occur within a week. Seedlings will emerge with two broad leaves. Once the seedlings have two pairs of true leaves they can be thinned. It is recommended that basil plants be planted no closer than twelve inches apart. When growing basil indoors, seeds can be started three weeks ahead of time, before the warm weather arrives, and then transplanted outdoors.

Fertilizing

If you plan on fertilizing the soil of your garden, this should be done before planting or early in the spring when growth starts. Herbs generally do not need to be fertilized more than once a season. When doing so, use a complete fertilizer, such as a 5-10-5 (that’s the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the mix). You should use roughly one-half to one pound of fertilizer per 100 square feet.

Care

A basil plant should be watered once a week. When watering, attempt to water to about one inch deep, if that can be imagined. Watering more often will cause roots to grow less deep and therefore the plants become less hardy. The frequency can be increased for exceptionally hot weather. When watering, apply water to the base of the plant and not on the leaves directly.

Basil plants need to be pruned throughout the season to improve growth and promote new stems. Prune it by pinching the stems just above a pair of leaves. This can be done anytime after the plant reaches two to four inches in height. As the plant matures it will start to form buds and flowers. These flowers will cause the basil to become bitter to the taste, so they need to be pruned. Presence of the flowers will also tell the herb to stop growing leaves. To prolong the life of the plant, prune the flowers the same way the leaves are pruned.

Using these basic tips you will know how to grow basil. Follow the same steps to grow basil indoors, just make sure to place the herb in a window or use artificial light. When it is all done, harvesting your fresh basil makes it a worthwhile experience.

To learn more about growing basil outdoors please visit Steve at growing-basil.org.

Steve Adams is an avid gardener with 10 years of experience growing basil and other herbs. He uses his success at gardening to support his love of cooking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_M_Adams