For a plant such as basil, planting and caring for open ground are not difficult. This plant is not only a popular spice, but also a source of vitamins and microelements. Basil requires careful soil selection and daily care, but is resistant to many plant diseases and pests.
Rules for planting basil
Growing and caring in open ground is only possible if the soil composition suits its requirements. He prefers well-warmed areas that are protected from wind and cold. In terms of composition, sandy loam soil will be the most optimal, to which it is necessary to add organic fertilizers.
Basil takes root well in beds where legumes, cucumbers, or tomatoes were previously grown. After these crops, there remains in the soil large number fertilizers that basil also uses.
Planting seedlings
Growing basil by seedlings is the most common method; it allows you to predict the amount of harvest in advance and save maximum quantity plants. The survival rate with this planting method is much higher than with seed planting.
Preparation of seedlings begins in advance, in March or early April. The soil for its cultivation is made at home. The soil should be loose and contain nutrients. The following composition is considered optimal:
- 2 parts - compost or humus;
- 4 parts of peat or soil, which can be purchased at the store;
- 1 part river sand.
The resulting composition is sifted, loosened and moistened. The seeds are placed on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a 1 cm layer of soil on top. The container must be covered with film, left in the sun and wait for the sprouts to appear.
The next stage is picking the seedlings, that is, transplanting them into larger containers. You need to know how to pick basil so that it tolerates the procedure well and continues to grow. The best moment for replanting is when the first two leaves appear. Prepare new soil of the same composition, you can additionally add wood ash to it. Each pot is filled with soil and compacted, leaving a hole in the middle for planting the plant.
There is no exact time when to plant basil seedlings in open ground, it depends on the air temperature and weather conditions.
It is recommended to take the pots with seedlings outside during 2-3 weeks in the warmest and sunny time of the day, so that the plants get used to it and then quickly adapt to the beds. It is worth planting basil only when the soil warms up to 15 ᴼC and the temperature does not drop at night. The distance between neighboring plants is at least 25 cm so that the bushes grow wide and large.
Planting by seeds
Before planting basil seeds, first prepare the soil, loosen it, fertilize it and moisten it. You need to know when to plant basil in open ground with seeds so that it takes root well. Typically, planting occurs in May, when the earth has warmed up enough and does not cool down at night. If spring is late, it is better to wait until June and be sure that the young plants will germinate and not freeze.
The seeds are placed on the surface at a distance of 10 cm from each other and sprinkled with earth. Usually not all plants sprout, so a large number of seeds are sown. When the first shoots become stronger, the beds are thinned out, leaving 25-30 cm between adjacent bushes. There should be at least 30 cm between the rows.
Young shoots are sensitive to temperature and soil moisture. If the air becomes cold when the plants are not yet strong, it is worth covering them with film until it warms up.
Caring for Basil
Anyone can handle planting and caring for basil in open ground. Watering is necessary during periods of drought because without moisture, plants will not grow and may die. Also, the soil should not be allowed to become waterlogged, otherwise the bushes will suffer from gray mold.
Starting from the moment the first leaves appear, you need to prune so that wide bushes are formed. The upper growing point is removed, and the flower stalks are also cut off. In this mode, you can achieve maximum branching of basil.
It is important to regularly loosen the soil and weed out all weeds, especially in beds with young, immature plants. The procedure can be carried out up to 7-10 times during the growing season, after which the soil should be watered. The first harvest can be harvested when individual leaves reach 10-12 cm in length.
Planting and caring for basil outdoors is a time-consuming task. The condition of the bushes must be monitored regularly, otherwise the plants may die due to frost or drying out. If there is a lack of nutrients in the soil, the flavor profile and leaf size may suffer.
Planting basil seedlings in open ground - video
05.06.2017
You will learn everything about how to plant basil in open ground with seeds or seedlings and what you need to do to make it feel great in your beds.
Basil is one of the most colorful spicy crops, so rich is the variety of types, colors, aromas, sizes and shapes of leaves. No wonder its botanical name translates as “fragrance worthy of kings.” If you have summer cottage plot, be sure to find a place for this spice.
Basil – annual plant family Lamiaceae. The roots are thin, branched. The stem is tetrahedral, branched, 30-60 cm high. The leaves are petiolate, with a jagged edge, pointed at the top, elongated-ovate in shape.
Basil has many varieties. A plant with a very pleasant smell, each variety and species has a different smell.
Fresh and dry leaves are used as a seasoning for various meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. It is used for pickling cucumbers, to flavor vinegar, cocktails, and to flavor canned tomatoes.
Everything about the beneficial properties of basil and its use in medicine and cooking can be found.
Types and varieties of basil
There are many varieties of basil, all with different aromatic and taste properties. The names themselves speak about this - “Lemon Aroma”, “Clove”, “Anise”, “Caramel” and others. Varieties differ in height, size, shape and color of leaves, but primarily in aroma.
Here are descriptions of some of them, each good in its own way:
Basil variety | Description |
"Scented Handsome" | Height 30-40 cm The leaves are olive green with purple veins. Spike-shaped pink inflorescences Aroma with light hints of cinnamon and clover. |
"Caramel"
| Height 30-40 cm Leaves are medium sized, dark green with a silvery tint, smooth, with a smooth leaf edge The aroma is strong, with a specific smell of fruit caramel |
"Violet"
| Height 40-50 cm Leaves are large, red-violet Strong aroma of allspice |
"Vanilla aroma"
| Mid-season (45-55 days) Height 35-40 cm The leaves are dark purple with jagged edges. The flowers are light purple, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences Rich spicy aroma with vanilla flavor |
"Ararat"
| Mid-season (70-75 days) variety Height 40-60 cm Leaves are bluish-green with serrated edges, flowers are purple Peppery aroma with hints of anise |
"Fragrant Green"
| Mid-early variety (35-45 days) Height 40-50 cm The leaves are large, green, slightly bubbly Spicy aroma with tart taste |
"Clove"
| Early ripening variety (25-35 days) Height 30-40 cm The leaves are green, large, wrinkled, with a serrated edge. Flowers white-green Strong spicy aroma, with clove-anise flavor |
"Wonderful day"
| Mid-season (45-65 days) variety Height 40-50 cm The leaves are small, smooth, olive green and purple along the leaf margins. Purple flowers Spicy anise aroma and taste |
"Beautiful Fairy Tale"
| Mid-season variety (70-75 days) Height 50-60 cm. The leaves are medium sized, dark purple, slightly bubbly. Flowers pinkish-lilac Fresh peppery clove aroma |
And this is just a small list. Not so long ago, gardeners knew only two forms of basil - green and purple, but now the choice is simply huge.
Growing basil from seeds
This spicy plant loves warm, sunny climates, but can also be grown successfully in colder conditions.
Seed preparation
Basil seeds take a long time to germinate (over 20 days) due to the essential oil content. To increase germination, they are placed in pre-moistened warm water tissue and germinated at a temperature of +30+35C. When sprouts appear after a few days, the seeds are slightly dried “until crumbly” and sown.
Planting basil seedlings
The plant is heat-loving and even slight frosts will have a detrimental effect, so if you do not live in warm regions and the summer is short, it is better to grow basil as seedlings:
- Small boxes are filled with soil for seedlings.
- The seeds, since they are very small, can be scattered over the surface of the soil and covered with a layer of soil of about 1 cm.
- Spray the soil with a spray bottle
- Cover the box with transparent cling film and place in a warm place (about 22-25 C)
Under such conditions, the seeds will germinate in 5–7 days.
The film is removed and until the plants get stronger, the soil is moistened with a spray bottle as it dries.
When the plants reach a height of 5-8 cm, you can carefully plant them in individual containers or simply thin them out after 2-3 cm and switch to regular watering.
Don't water basil cold water and allow the soil to become waterlogged, since in this case the seedlings may die from “blackleg” - a disease when the stem in the root area turns black and becomes soft.
If there is a lack of light and heat, seedlings can stretch out; in this case, you need to additionally illuminate them with lamps and consider heating.
Caring for basil seedlings - video
How to properly plant basil in open ground with seedlings
In the spring, it is important not to make a mistake with the timing of planting basil in open ground. It should be planted when the danger of frost has passed (approximately at the end of May - the first half of June, depending on the region).
Seedlings are planted in moist soil, preferably on a cloudy day. If the weather is hot and dry, then work is carried out after the heat subsides, in the late afternoon.
At what distance to plant basil seedlings:
- Between plants - 25 cm, between rows - 30-40 cm.
- IN checkerboard pattern, keeping the feeding area of one plant 30x30 cm.
- For planting, make grooves or holes in the garden bed (planting pattern of your choice)
- 0.5-1 liters of water at room temperature is poured into each well (groove)
- The plant is immersed there along with the lump of earth in which it grew.
- Sprinkle basil with dry soil to such a depth that the root and part of the stem are in the ground, and the central bud with leaves remains outside.
- Compact the soil around the plant.
Before the seedlings are completely established, you will need to water 0.5-0.7 liters for each plant 2-3 times. After rooting, watering is temporarily stopped, and the rows are loosened, destroying weed seedlings and crust.
When it gets cold, the planted plants must be covered with plastic wrap, stretched over the arches.
How to plant basil in open ground with seeds
In southern and more or less warm regions, it can be grown by sowing seeds in the ground. It's better to use sprouted ones. The time when to plant basil seeds is chosen in such a way that the seedlings that appear in 10-14 days are not subject to frost - this is April-early May in the southern regions, and approximately the second half-end of May in other regions.
At what distance to plant
- Basil is sown in rows 40-50 cm wide. Planting depth is 1.5-2 cm.
- Filled grooves compact
- When the second pair of true leaves appears, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving 15-20 cm between them (about 5-6 plants per linear meter row).
Where to plant basil: place and soil
Basil is planted in areas protected from cold winds and well lit by the sun, since in the shade it develops worse, and the essential oil in the leaves becomes less, its quality decreases.
In areas with dry and arid summers, it can be placed in light partial shade.
Basil grows well in soil rich in humus. Does not grow well in heavy, poor soils. Can't stand it sharp decline temperature. At -15C, development is sharply inhibited, and at -1C it dies.
Demanding on soil: more high yields obtained from fertile black soils. It also succeeds on loose loamy and sandy loam soils, if they are well filled with humus, but on heavy, acidic and damp soils it grows poorly.
For growth and development, the most comfortable temperature is 20-25°C. When growing this spice, you should not allow the soil to dry out or become waterlogged.
Fertile, light, unshaded areas are allocated for basil!
How to plant basil in the garden: grow it next to tomatoes, asparagus, various cabbages, sweet and hot peppers.
Caring for basil in open ground
Care consists of watering, loosening the soil, getting rid of weeds and, as necessary, fertilizing. In order for basil to grow thicker, you need to pinch the top shoot and regularly remove all flower buds.
Watering
Without timely watering, there will be no result: basil is demanding of moisture, especially during seed germination and in the period before flowering
Top dressing
On poor soils, if the plants develop poorly, during the summer they are fed with organic and mineral fertilizers: the first time in the phase of 5-6 true leaves, the second time 20-25 days after the first.
Nitrogen fertilizers significantly increase the yield of green mass, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers increase the content of essential oil in the leaves.
Diseases and pests of basil
The rich taste of basil is loved not only by people, but also by garden pests.
Basil needs to be protected from slugs and snails. Aphids sometimes appear on young plants, and the field bug causes minor damage.
To protect herbs from pests, you must not use pesticides!
To repel insects and slugs, plants are dusted with wood ash.
To fight aphids and bugs, prepare the following decoction: 300 g of wood ash is boiled in water for 15-20 minutes, then allowed to cool and settle and diluted in 10 liters. water, mix and spray the plants.
May be affected by fusarium - leaf spot. To prevent this, always follow all care conditions and do not grow basil in the same place for several years in a row.
Basil harvest
Basil for herbs begins to be collected from young plants when their shoots grow to a height of 10-12 cm. Mass cutting is carried out before flowering begins, when the leaves and young shoots are especially fragrant.
Like many other spices, it is better not to uproot basil from the ground, but to break it off, or cut off the tops of shoots with several leaves.
In this way, further growth of greenery will continue, and you can harvest throughout the season. If you need a lot of basil to harvest for the winter, then cut off the entire stem, leaving 4 leaves at the bottom so that new leaves can grow from the axils.
Over the entire season, cutting can be done 3-5 times, obtaining 1-1.5 kg of greenery per 1 square meter. m.
As soon as the buds begin to appear on the plant, pick them off immediately if you are growing basil to collect the leaves, as they become coarser when they bloom.
Don’t miss the opportunity to get a fragrant harvest of this famous spice in your garden; now you know all the nuances of how and when to plant basil seeds in two ways: in open ground and seedlings.
Reading time: 5 minutes
Basil is very thermophilic. It is very popular in cooking due to its unique aroma.
Brief description of the plant
Basil came to us from hot countries. Therefore, the plant categorically does not tolerate even slight cold. Any drop in air temperature can be disastrous for him. He has a very positive attitude towards heat and sun. An excellent environment for seedlings will be loose soil that allows air and water to pass through.
Colored basil leaves.
This plant belongs to the Yasnotkov family. Due to the climate of our country, basil is grown as an annual plant. The root system is fibrous, which is usually located deep underground. Depending on the variety, the plant can reach a length of 30 to 90 centimeters. Each type has its own distinctive features, for example: color, height and taste.
Sowing dates: when are the seeds sown?
Although basil varieties differ in many ways, they should be planted at the same time. Adjustments to planting dates can only be made in bad weather.
Healthy! If you have a greenhouse at your disposal, you can start planting a little earlier.
The seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place at 45-50 days of their life. Based on these data, we can conclude that from the moment of planting seedlings and transplanting into open ground, 60 to 75 days should pass.
Hence, The ideal time for sowing seeds is from the end of March to mid-April. Thanks to this, basil can be planted in the garden as early as June, and you can enjoy its greenery in July.
Planting at home
Growing basil at home follows the same rules as in the garden. But the individual characteristics and requirements of the selected variety must be taken into account. All the activities that make up this process should be described in detail.
Soil preparation
As you know, basil is very popular loose soil. It can be easily prepared using one recipe. To do this, you will need to mix peat, humus, and sand in a ratio of 4:2:1.
Healthy and strong seedlings.
All components must be thoroughly mixed to obtain homogeneous mass. Then, the resulting soil mixture needs to be steamed. If you have already purchased ready substrate, then simply pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect it.
Seed processing
This operation is optional, but if you want to speed up the time for sprouts to appear, then it is advisable to carry it out. To do this, you will need to soak all the seeds in warm water for 2 days. In this case, it is necessary to change the water every 12 hours.
After this exposure, place the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours, and then dry them in any fabric. To avoid damaging the seeds, it is recommended to carry out all manipulations using tweezers or a toothpick.
Seeding procedure
After the seeds are ready for planting, they are placed in the soil at a distance of at least 3 centimeters from each other. Then they need to be covered with soil, but its layer should be no more than 2 centimeters. And the last step is to ensure greenhouse effect. This can be achieved by covering the seedlings with film or glass. Pots with seedlings must be placed in a warm place until the first shoots appear.
Pay attention! The seedlings must be ventilated periodically, so remove the film from time to time.
Growing seedlings
After the sprouts form a strong root system- further care for them will not be difficult.
Picked seedlings.
When the plants reach 20 cm in height, their leaves can be cut. This will help the buds form. But in addition to this, standard care methods are carried out, which are also worth talking about.
Temperature
The temperature indicator is very important for this type of plant, since Basil does not tolerate cold weather. The temperature must be at least 23°C. If it is less than normal, the basil will begin to lose its aroma.
Additional lighting rules
IN warm time Each year, it is necessary to give seedlings a one-hour day, lasting 6 hours. In winter it is necessary to use additional lamps.
Watering and caring for the substrate
Watering should be carried out depending on weather conditions. If you notice that the soil around the plant is dry, then you should water it. But don't overdo it! Excessive amounts of moisture can cause root diseases.
Before watering the soil, you need to loosen it. This is necessary so that air can reach the roots. Don’t forget about removing weeds that hinder plant growth.
How to fertilize?
So that you can collect at the end excellent harvest, basil needs to be fed periodically. If planting was carried out at the beginning of June, then fertilizing should be carried out twice, the first at the beginning of July, and the second at the beginning of August.
Plants planted in open ground.
Give good growth Nitrogen fertilizers will help the plant. For such purposes, nitrophoska can be used. To prepare this solution you will need to mix 12 liters of water and 2 tablespoons of the substance.
Picking seedlings
Picking basil seedlings can be done only when the first pair of leaves appears. When picking, you can use the same soil as when planting seeds. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to add to the soil a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ash and 1 tablespoon mineral fertilizer. This mixture is diluted with 5 liters of soil.
Then, you can fill the seedling pots with the resulting soil. Using a spatula, make small holes and place the seedlings there. Try not to damage the fragile sprouts and their roots. You should not cover the sprouts; the layer of soil should be the same as when planting the seeds.
Planting in open ground
When the soil warms up to 17°C, you can begin transplanting the seedlings into open ground. Choose the sunniest place for the seedlings, protected from strong wind. An excellent option would be placement under covering material.
But there is no need to rush to transplant the earth cassettes into the ground. Before this, the soil must be softened. This can be done using compost and humus. If the soil in the area is clayey, then add peat and sand. After the seedlings have been moved into open ground, water them. To make greens grow faster, periodically remove the inflorescences.
Useful video
If you follow all the directions and instructions, you can count on a tasty and healthy harvest. Growing basil isn't all that easy. difficult task, and even a novice gardener can cope with it.
If you ask residents of the northern regions what spices they sow on their plots, you will most often hear standard answers: dill, parsley, anise, cumin. Few people know that growing basil in open ground from seeds is not at all difficult, and its taste is simply excellent.
Mystical superstitions are partly to blame for this: in the Middle Ages, Europeans considered this herb a cursed plant, the smell of which alone had a bad effect on humans. Some people are afraid that a southern guest in a cold area will require complex care. Nowadays it’s hard to imagine Italian or French cuisine without such spice. Russian chefs also appreciated the taste and aroma of basil; it is added to many dishes.
Why do you need basil on the plot?
There are different types basil, when buying seeds, pay attention to their features:
- Sweet basil has a tart taste and aroma reminiscent of cloves.
- Purple basil is a favorite spice of the peoples of the Caucasus, where it is called “regan”; greens are used for cooking, and the seeds are sprinkled on finished dishes. Large succulent leaves, painted in purple, have a delicate taste.
- Lemon basil is named for its lemon aroma and flavor. A very productive species if you provide it good care, can produce up to 250 g of leaves per bush.
Basil is not only tasty, but also healthy. During the growing season, many vitamins, microelements accumulate in the leaves, essential oils. It has a beneficial effect on the nervous and excretory systems and has an anti-inflammatory effect. The bush itself looks very attractive; it can be planted in a flower bed as an ornamental plant.
Advice! When adding basil to dishes, use moderation. Too many leaves can completely drown out the taste of other foods.
The aroma of basil drives away fruit trees pests You can plant the spice in tree trunk circles, and you will not need chemical insecticides. In the rest areas surrounded by fragrant bushes, you can calmly read and take a nap: neither flies nor mosquitoes will disturb your peace. Grow the spice from seeds in pots on the windowsill: you will get both an air flavor in the apartment and a natural insecticide.
To ensure that spicy leaves appear on your table as early as possible, grow basil from seeds through seedlings. Take equal amounts of garden soil, peat and humus, pour the mixture with a fertilizer solution:
- water – 5 l,
- superphosphate – 0.5 teaspoons,
- potassium chloride – 0.5 teaspoon,
- urea – 0.5 teaspoon,
- potassium sulfate – 0.5 teaspoon.
Fill the boxes with soil, sow the seeds and plant them to a depth of 1 cm.
Cover the containers with glass or film and put them in a warm place. The best temperature for seed germination is from +25⁰ to +28⁰. Shoots will appear in a week, but mold and fungi may develop earlier, so ventilate the plantings every day. When you see green sprouts, open the box and move it to a place where it is about 8⁰ cooler: in extreme heat, the seedlings stretch out. There will be enough food for the seedlings until picking; the main care for them is proper watering. In dry soil, seedlings will die, and in too wet soil they may develop blackleg. As soon as you notice suspicious signs in at least one plant, remove it and treat all seedlings with a mixture of 1 liter of water and 0.5 teaspoon of copper sulfate.
When 2 true leaves appear, the seedlings need to be planted in individual pots. Be careful not to damage the delicate roots; it is better to plant the sprouts with a small lump of earth. Caring for seedlings is the same as for seedlings: the main attention should be paid to watering. Monitor the condition of the soil in the garden: planting basil in open ground is possible when the ground warms up to +15⁰. A week before transplanting, take the seedlings outdoors. The temperature during “walks” should not be lower than +10⁰.
If you did not have time to grow seedlings from seeds in the spring, you can plant basil seeds in open ground in June. To speed up germination, water the furrows with a growth stimulator. Cover the bed with film or non-woven material, the shelter can be removed only after germination. In the northern regions, where frosts occur already in August, it is undesirable to plant this way; you may not wait for the harvest.
For a spice plantation, you need to choose a sunny place on fertile soil. The plant does not like waterlogged soil; low-lying areas need drainage. If you plant a plant in wet, heavy clay, you won’t get many fragrant leaves, the bush will be stunted and will soon die; no amount of care will help it. You have a wonderful place where, over the past few years, basil has produced both through seedlings and from seeds. bountiful harvests? You will have to look for another area: the land may be contaminated with fusarium, which will destroy new plantings. You need to plant crops resistant to this disease there for at least 5 years, then you can return the spice to its old place.
Each region has its own timing for planting basil seedlings in open ground. This heat-loving plant, you need to navigate by the weather when the threat of frost passes. It’s better to take your time and plant young shoots in early June: care will become much easier, you won’t need to protect the seedlings from frost, and you’ll have time to harvest. Just in case, provide the ability to quickly protect the plantings from the cold.
Remember the spice plant’s love for light, fertile soils and add 2 kg of compost, peat and black soil per m2 for planting. It is advisable to plant young plants in the evening. You can do this in the morning if you are sure that the day will be cloudy, or cover the seedlings from direct sunlight. Place containers of water in an open, sunny place in advance so that the irrigation liquid is warm.
In the garden bed, mark the rows at a distance of 30 cm from each other and dig holes every 15-20 cm, the depth of the holes should be from 7 to 10 cm. If you plant too often, the plants will become crowded and care will be difficult. Throw a few hydrogel granules under each bush to keep the soil moisture stable. Plant the seedlings and water the soil well. Cover the row spacing with a 5 cm thick layer of peat, compost or sawdust.
Caring for a heat-loving plant
Caring for basil in open ground does not require any new skills. Remember that the plant loves moisture, but cannot live in waterlogged soil. If you did before boarding good drainage or added hydrogel to the soil, you don’t have to worry about overfilling the water when watering. Monitor the condition of the soil: as soon as it starts to dry out, you need to moisten the bed. Use warm water: Sudden temperature changes cause severe stress to plants.
For plants to develop well, they need all the nutrients and trace elements. Dense greenery appears when there is enough nitrogen in the soil; use complex fertilizers with a predominance of this component. Do the first feeding 2 weeks after transplantation. Further care follow the scheme: fertilize once a month throughout the season - and you will always have fresh, juicy leaves on the table.
The plant needs good soil structure, so if you have not mulched the bed, you will have to use the cultivator quite often. Cover the soil with compost, grass clippings or sawdust with a layer of at least 5 cm, and the soil will be loose and weeds will not break through. There is no point in sprinkling the garden bed with a thin layer of mulch; the weeds will be able to break through into the light. If you have little material, it is better to cover half the bed well than to cover all the plantings somehow. You will still make your work easier: caring for a properly treated area will become very simple.
Advice! Never mulch a bed with sown seeds: the seedlings will not have enough light to grow. Wait until the seedlings reach a height of 7-8 cm and then fill the rows.
The more branched the basil is, the more green it will produce. When buds appear, cut them off, and all the plant’s energy will be used to form new shoots and young leaves. You can pick greens for preparing salads all season long, but the spicy plant reaches its peak taste and aroma when the first buds appear, then you can start harvesting. When harvesting, be careful not to rip off the leaves with a strong tug.
You could pull an entire bush out of the ground, and it could still give you a lot of greenery. Carefully break off or cut off the young ends of the shoots with leaves. You need to dry the spice in a warm, ventilated place where it is not exposed to sun rays. Collecting seeds for planting next year should be done from the strongest and most productive plants.
Advice! In the fall, dig up a basil bush and plant it in flower pot. The plant grows well on a windowsill, and you will be eating fresh herbs all winter.
Conclusion
Southern basil can be grown from seeds in almost all regions of our country, except the Far North. In open ground, it can exist when the soil warms up to +15⁰, and on the coldest nights the temperature does not drop below +7⁰. To quickly enjoy the fragrant leaves, grow the spicy crop through seedlings. Do not overdo it with watering young seedlings so that they do not get sick with blackleg.
When fertilizing, it is very important that nitrogen is present in the fertilizers. It makes the leaves thicker and fleshier. Only strong, healthy, productive specimens are suitable for collecting seeds. Purple varieties taste qualities are not inferior to green ones, and can be used as ornamental crops for flower garden decoration. Learn to use spices correctly when preparing dishes, and your table will become more tasty and healthy.
Basil is valued for its unique spicy aroma and beneficial properties, however, in stores it costs much more than parsley or dill. Therefore, many gardeners began to grow it themselves, and not without success. It is only important to know the rules for planting this plant and provide it with proper care.
Growing methods
The choice of growing method depends mainly on the region where the gardener lives and the variety that he wants to grow on his plot. Residents of the southern regions of Russia can not waste energy on growing seedlings, but simply sow the seeds right away open ground– experience shows that they germinate well and produce a good harvest. For middle regions, growing from seeds is a risky choice. Residents of the northern regions will be able to grow this crop only from seedlings.
Much depends on the chosen variety of herb. Some varieties can be considered persistent and picky, while others, on the contrary, are too fragile. For example, purple basil, which is most often preferred by gardeners, has very small seeds that are extremely difficult to germinate in open ground. Even southerners should not take risks when choosing this variety - growing seedlings in this case will give a much greater chance of getting good harvest.
If you choose to grow seedlings, then the seeds are planted 50-60 days before the time comes to transplant the sprout to a permanent place of residence. When the first two leaves appear, the plant is picked. You can dive in . When the fifth leaf appears, pinch out the top shoot to make the plant bushier.
Deadlines for landing at a permanent location
Basil is a very heat-loving plant and is afraid of even the slightest frost. If you plant it in open ground before they have completely passed, then the very first cold snap will destroy it. Therefore, regardless of the region of residence, gardeners should study the weather forecast to make sure that the warming is not temporary and cold weather is not expected.
It doesn't happen from year to year, but most often in certain latitudes warm weather occurs at approximately the same time. IN southern regions It becomes quite warm in mid-May, in the central regions a week later, in the more northern regions at the beginning of summer. It is best that the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees, but if it drops to 15 degrees for a couple of days, nothing bad should happen.
The place where the beds with basil will be located should be determined in advance - in the fall. It is necessary to ensure that it is sunny, so that it is very light and warm for at least 5 hours a day. The second condition is that the place must be protected from the wind. In order to increase its security, you can plant unpretentious flowers on the problematic side.
Already in the fall, the soil must be dug up, at the same time adding organic fertilizers to it. For example, on square meter you can add from two to five kilograms of humus or compost, 10 g of potassium salt and 20 g of superphosphate. It should be borne in mind that it is most comfortable herb thrives on sandy loam soils. If the soil on the site is clayey, then peat and sandstone should be added when digging.
Basil is undemanding to neighboring plants and predecessor plants. He can “inherit” the bed from any vegetables. A place where tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes or legumes previously grew is especially suitable.
In the spring, preparation should be completed by forming a bed and loosening the soil. It is necessary to loosen to a depth of 10 to 12 centimeters. When the soil is prepared, all that remains is to prepare the holes and plant the sprouts.
How to plant in beds?
Before planting in open ground, seedlings must be hardened off. To do this, two weeks before planting, you need to start taking it out on a daily basis. fresh air: first for 10-15 minutes, then for half an hour, an hour, several hours. Otherwise, the plant will be pampered, vulnerable, and may die when transplanted to a permanent place of residence.
Basil can be planted in rows or in a strip method. If the first option is chosen, the distance between the rows should be quite large - 30-40 centimeters, between the holes in the row - 20-25 centimeters. Belt method involves planting with ribbons, each of which has three lines. The distance between ribbons is 50-60 centimeters, between lines – 15-25 centimeters. The sprouts themselves should be planted in rows at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other.
If you live in the southern regions, then make the distance between the bushes and lines 5-10 centimeters larger, since in sunny places the herb grows strongly.
The depth of the hole in which you plant the sprouts should be approximately 6-8 centimeters. You need to add a little into each hole. nitrogen fertilizers, water using about a liter of water. When the hole is prepared, carefully, so as not to damage the root system, remove the plant from the pot and place it in the hole, sprinkle with soil so that the lower bud remains on the surface.
If, after picking, the plant is planted in a peat cup, then it must be planted in open ground together with the container, without removing it. In this case, the pot itself must be completely underground.
How to care?
Planting the plant correctly is important, but it is not the only condition for obtaining a good harvest. It is necessary to provide the plant with proper care.
- Temperature. A young plant, just planted in a garden bed, should be covered to protect it from the cold. If the weather is very sunny and warm, the temperature stays above 20 degrees all day, then it is enough to cover only at night. However, for the first two weeks it is necessary to cover the basil at night, even if weather forecasters promise high temperature around the clock. In the future, the plant will have to be covered only if cold weather is expected.
- Watering. The watering regime is best determined based on the degree of soil moisture. It shouldn’t dry out, but you shouldn’t turn the bed into a swamp either. Moreover, overwatering, due to which the soil becomes wet, promotes the development of pathogenic microflora, as a result of which the basil can become sick.
- Lure. The plant is fed for the first time 12-14 days after planting in the garden. Best choice– ammonium nitrate, which is added at the rate of 20 g per square meter. The second feeding is done after two weeks. In addition to ammonium nitrate, this time you will also need superphosphate - 15 g per square meter is added.
- Weeding. You need to loosen the soil and remove weeds every two weeks. This is very important, since weeds not only interfere with the growth of basil, but also spoil its taste and aroma.
- Pinching. It is necessary to pinch the top shoot of the plant, only in this case it will be bushy. This is done when the first five leaves appear, or, in extreme cases, immediately after planting on the garden bed. Any flowers that appear must be cut off.
After the flowers appear, it is time to collect the first harvest - at this time the leaves are the most fragrant and juicy. In this case, at least three leaves should be left on each branch. In September, the bush should be completely removed and used for preparations for the winter.
Conclusion
Grow basil in your garden and personal plot Maybe. It is preferable to grow it not with seeds, but with seedlings, this is the most reliable way get a rich harvest.
The timing of planting seedlings in open ground depends on the region, but the basic rules are identical. The plant should be planted in previously prepared soil in rows or in a three-line strip pattern, leaving sufficient distance between the holes.
Proper care also has great value. It involves protecting the plant from bad weather, proper watering, feeding, pinching and weeding. If the basil is given proper care, the spicy herbs on the table will be all year round.