How to Grow Basil Indoors From Seeds
How to Grow Basil Indoors From Seeds. If you like growing herbs, you may have tried basil in your garden and enjoyed fresh, aromatic leaves during the warm months. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) only grows outdoors year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, but you can also **start basil from seed and grow it indoors...
If you like growing herbs, you may have tried basil in your garden and enjoyed fresh, aromatic leaves during the warm months. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) only grows outdoors year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, but you can also start basil from seed and grow it indoors year-round. Taking a bit of extra care to start the plants and providing good growing conditions can extend the harvest of basil leaves and keep the plants growing nonstop.
Planting Seed
Use high-quality basil seed purchased from a reliable supplier to start new seedlings. Sow seeds in lightly moistened, sterile potting soil or in a soil-less mixture designed for planting seeds; avoid using garden soil, which can harbor fungus that can destroy newly sprouted seedlings. Sow seeds in a flat, an egg carton or other disposable container, but ensure it has bottom holes to allow water to drain. Scatter basil seeds evenly over the surface of the mix, and cover them with about 1/4 inch of the same mixture.
Basil seed needs warm soil to germinate, so place a warming cable designed for seed germination under the container for best results. Keep the mixture lightly moist and seedlings should appear in five to seven days.
Supporting Growth
Once basil seedlings are 2 or 3 inches tall, it's time to thin them out to prevent crowding; remove weak seedlings and allow about 6 inches of free space around each remaining plant. You can also transplant seedlings into new containers but don't injure the tender roots. Use a teaspoon to scoop gently under the seedling, removing enough moist mixture to transfer the plant without disturbing its roots.
For best growth, basil needs strong light; keep the plant in a sunny, west- or south-facing windowsill, or improve the lighting conditions by placing a fluorescent lamp with two grow-lights about 2 or 3 inches from the tops of the plants.
Feeding and Watering
Basil plants do best when the top inch or two of soil dries out between waterings, so test the soil with your fingertip regularly to decide when it's time to water. When watering, allow pots to drain completely and never leave a pot standing in a water-filled saucer.
Container-grown basil also benefits from fertilizing every three or four weeks; use a water-soluble, balanced formula such as 10-10-10, diluted at a rate of 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water, but check the product label for additional directions. Use the fertilizer solution in place of water when soil needs moistening.
Pinching and Trimming
To promote a bushy, attractive basil plant, use your fingertips to pinch out the growing tips of a plant's stems regularly. If you use a pair of sharp shears instead, disinfect the blades by wiping them with rubbing alcohol between each cut to prevent spreading plant disease. Trim the plant every few weeks to prevent legginess and keep new leaves coming for a constant harvest. During winter, reduce watering and feeding, and harvest few or no leaves, to give the plant a rest.
Basil produces tall blossom spikes covered in small pink flowers, but flower production takes energy away from leaf production, so remove flower buds as soon as they appear. Rejuvenate a plant that's flowered by cutting back stems with faded flowers; this promotes fresh new growth just behind the cutting point.
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