Grow Basil

To Grow Basil - Picking a Basil

There are many different types and variations of Basil available and to truly appreciate this you should try each of them or as many as you can. There are the usual types that everybody knows that you purchase in supermarkets and then there are the others that consist of purple leaves then the types that have lemon flavours et cetera. Simply try to grow basil of different types or go to a store (if available) that specialises in herbs. 

Planting Basil

If you have done the least bit of gardening in the past, growing Basil will be like a walk in the park. There are just a few simple rules to follow that includes giving it plenty of sunlight and of course water. Basil likes to be well drained too so don't plant it in an area where there are risks of small puddles and water logged beds. Pick an area that will allow about 2 feet deep and 1 foot wide for growth. Use regular soil or even compost when growing in pots and again, make sure the pot drains easily.

When growing from a small plant (a pre-grown small basil plant), remove from the small container it arrived in and loosen the root ball to free the roots and remove the soil. Plant this in a hole approximately twice the depth and width of the ball and smooth over with soil to fill the void. Press lightly to compact the plant in place and give in a brisk watering. As simple as that. 

Basil also can be grown from seed easily, but you should start off with a plant for easy practice. At the end of the first crop you will have enough seeds for the next time to plant from seed yourself. Just make sure you plant after the last frost as basil will not survive such conditions. At the end of winter you could even plant them in small containers and grow them inside before moving them into the out-door environment.

Caring For the Basil

Plant growing and herb growing have very different aspects with regard to gardening. When growing plants it is usually to get a large flowering bloom for eye satisfaction but with herbs, the larger the plant grows, the decreasing intensity of flavor will be obtainable. So the smaller the herbs, the more compact and intense the flavor will be. So generally, Basil will blossom well under a semi-neglect sort of state, the only care needed is a daily watering and good drainage. There should be no plant food provided for them, just optimal growing conditions. At the end of the summer, your Basil plants will start to flower, from here, simply cut them off to keep the flavorful leaves growing. Only keep the flowers when you are ready to collect seeds for the next season.

Harvesting Basil

The good thing about basil is that a few small plants will provide you with enough leaves for the entire summer. Simply clipping the largest branches about half way down will be adequate to provide you leaves for cooking whilst allowing the plant to recover good growth. Give it a good week or two before another harvest and your plant will last you a  few months.

 Grow Chives