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Basil purple - growing from seed seedlings and in a pot on a windowsill at home in winter: care, watering, feeding, lighting, temperature, disease. When and how to plant purple basil for seedlings, plant basil seedlings in open ground

Modern cooking is unthinkable without spices. This is an unconditional taste decoration of many dishes. Therefore, it is not surprising that the cultivation of herbs in home gardens has become a popular pastime. But not all of them can be planted immediately on the beds. Such a whimsical culture as basil is grown by seedlings.

Growing spicy leaves

Any cultivated plant needs constant care. But basil is considered particularly demanding and is highly biased towards soil and temperature. environment, although it has strong immunity.

To grow basil and get good harvest, he needs to be given more time to develop, especially in the conditions of central Russia and Siberia. And here you can not do without a seedling method.

IN middle lane Such varieties as Anise and Lemon have taken root well in Russia, the leaves of which have an interesting rich aroma, summer residents are happy to grow them for homemade spice mixtures and as an additive to tea.

Sowing dates

Sowing seeds for seedlings should be done approximately 5-6 weeks before the end spring frosts. This is usually done in late March or early April. Someone will say: too early for the grass. But the fact is that the first three weeks, the basil develops very slowly, and he needs to have time to get stronger by May.

Capacity and soil

You can sow basil both in a common box and in separate pots. It can be peat tablets, cups made of peat or plastic, as well as cassettes for seedlings. But most often, in the old fashioned way, boxes are filled with planting mix.

In shape and size, the boxes are taken such that they fit on the windowsill of a window facing south.

The selected container is filled with soil, consisting of equal parts of vermiculite, peat and perlite or humus, sand and soddy soil. The soil is compacted a little, removing air pockets, and moistened with a nutrient solution of potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, superphosphate and urea (3–4 g of each preparation per five liters of water).

Landing stages

1. Before sowing, basil seeds are soaked in a weak nutrient solution of Epin, Zircon or humate.
2. For sowing basil seedlings, containers with a depth of no more than 6-7 cm with drainage holes are best suited.
3. A drainage layer of expanded clay or small pebbles is laid at the bottom of the containers.
4. Basil is sown in soil rich in peat or sand with an admixture of humus and garden soil.
5. Seeds are laid out on the soil surface 4–5 cm apart in a row, with a distance between rows of 10 cm, and covered with a centimeter layer of soil.
6. Crops are carefully shed warm water and covered with glass or transparent film.
7. Covered containers are placed in a warm place with a constant temperature of 20-25 ° C, crops are watered and aired daily.
8. A few days after the emergence of seedlings, the glass or film is removed from the seedling containers, the temperature is reduced by 3-4 ° C.

   Subject to all conditions, seedlings will appear on the fifth day, and seedlings will be ready for planting in open ground or a separate pot in about 40-50 days.

Video: sowing basil

The original way to get seedlings in the "snail"

This method is gaining more and more followers. It is also applicable for obtaining seedlings of basil.

1. Cut tapes from polyethylene or isolon.
2. Lay toilet paper folded in several layers on them, moisten with water with the addition of Epin or another similar agent, carefully tamp the earth onto this substrate.
3. It is necessary to lay out the seeds with an interval of 1.5–2 cm, stepping back at least 1 cm from the edge and from the top of the tape.
4. Top the seeds with another layer toilet paper moistened with a spray bottle. Put another strip of polyethylene on it.
5. Now you can twist the snail roll.
6. After placing the snail with seeds in any suitable container and adding a little water, cover cling film and put in a warm place. Shoots will appear in 5 days or even earlier. Immediately rearrange the "snails" in a bright place.
7. When there are 2-3 true leaves on the seedlings, you can carefully unroll the snail-roll and transplant each plant into a separate cup.

Video: growing basil in a "snail"

Features of care

The process of growing basil seedlings is not easy. Unlike sowing, it requires trouble and attention: the temperature and watering regimes must be constantly monitored. Basil is especially demanding on heat and moisture. A box with crops should be placed in a room where the average daily temperature does not fall below 20 ° C.

Watering

Watering should be after drying the top soil layer, but it should not dry out completely.

After the appearance of the first sprouts, when the covering material is removed, watering should be a little more frequent, as the moisture will evaporate more intensively. Watering should be twice a day, not allowing the soil to dry out.

picking

When the shoots reach 6 cm, they dive into a more capacious container.

When picking, do not bury basil seedlings. The planting depth should be the same as that of the seedlings.

A pot for a single shoot should be well-drained, as you have to water often, but if the water stagnates, the basil will get sick and die. It is best to moisten the soil under the pickled seedlings once a day, in the morning, so that during the day the water can be well absorbed and the excess evaporated.

Pinching

After the development of the fifth true leaf, the shoots can be pinched. The plant will branch, it will have more leaves for which basil is grown.

At the moment when the basil seedlings begin to bloom, it is recommended to pinch off the flowers and a couple more leaves under the buds. The fact is that flowering provokes the plant body to hormonal changes, and this is not in the best way affects the taste spicy herb and reduces the number of leaves. If the basil is allowed to bloom, the bush will stretch up, become lanky and almost naked.

top dressing

An important factor for obtaining a healthy basil bush is the fertility of the soil.

Basil seedlings need to be fed. In the phase of the very first leaf, mineral fertilizers are already applied, however, only if the shoots are sluggish, lifeless. To do this, potash, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are diluted in a liter of settled water by 3, 2 and 5 grams, respectively. The resulting mixture is consumed per square meter, and the remains are reused, in the fourth week of plant development. If the basil shoots develop normally, the seedlings need to be fed immediately after picking, then the basil is fertilized every 10 days.

Do not forget that the basil at the beginning of its growth develops very slowly, and in the future it does not grow as fast as in open field, so do not rush it and fertilize it unnecessarily. Excess useful substances can be more destructive than the starvation of the plant.

Difficulties of care

Caring for seedlings is a laborious task that requires a lot of effort and time, since young plants experience stress and can get sick from any sudden change in environmental parameters. But knowing what difficulties occur when growing seedlings, some problems can be prevented, and those that have arisen can be eliminated.

Plants are very elongated

When the plants do not have enough light, the shoots begin to stretch strongly, because the balance of soil and leaf nutrition is disturbed. An elongated plant is greatly weakened. In such cases, stop feeding and increase lighting.

Young shoots are also stretched when the temperature rises. Greenhouse conditions for grown seedlings, unlike barely hatched seedlings, are not needed. Basil grows well at an average daily temperature of 17–23 °C. If trouble occurs, lower the temperature and increase the lighting again. You can apply artificial lighting landings.

When too early landing it can also stretch too much. Elongated seedlings of an already capricious culture require special attention, which is extra work. So it is better to observe reasonable sowing dates.

If the plantings are too dense or if the picking is late, the seedlings again stretch upwards, as in crowded shoots begin to obscure each other. Therefore, do not be greedy, sow basil at an acceptable distance according to the 5x10 cm pattern.

Busting with nitrogen fertilizers will also inevitably make the seedlings stretch. In this case, we lower the temperature, stop feeding and reduce watering.

Video: dive overgrown basil seedlings

Seeds don't germinate

Some growers of flower soil, which is often used for seedlings, may use herbicides to kill weeds. These chemicals can prevent seeds from germinating or inhibit the development of seeds that have already sprouted. Keep this in mind when purchasing soil. When buying seeds, you should carefully check the expiration date, old seeds often do not germinate at all.

seedlings fall

At frequent watering troubles such as mold and rot can happen. This can be avoided by adjusting the density of plantings and increasing the intensity of lighting at the first sign of trouble. If waterlogging could not be avoided and the basil got sick with a black leg, you need to treat the plantings with a solution blue vitriol by diluting a teaspoon of the substance in two liters of water.

Young shoots suffer from excess moisture precisely at the initial stage of their development; still fragile plants cannot resist the black leg. To prevent the disease, it is necessary to monitor the removal of excess moisture and not thicken the plantings. But we should not forget that basil seedlings suffer from drought no less than from the bay.

A common reason for the death of the lower roots of seedlings is spraying plantings, which does not moisten the soil to the desired depth, and in dry soil, young roots suffocate. Sprinkled soil gives the illusion of moisture, when in fact it is not. The soil should be evenly wet both outside and inside. If, nevertheless, a bay has occurred, then you can save the shoots that have not yet died by transplanting them into a new soil, having previously processed the roots in a solution of Fitosporin or manganese.

Often, bays occur when the drainage holes are clogged.

Plants stopped growing

Seedling growth retardation can happen if the roots of the shoots are damaged during picking. You can avoid this trouble by transplanting plants along with an earthen clod. When picking, sometimes they accidentally remain air locks near the roots, if it is bad to compress the soil around the stem. To avoid this, gently tamp the soil with your fingers and water generously. Often, plants are transplanted into a hole already filled with water, and then sprinkled with earth. This method also avoids airing.

Lack or excess of nutrients can stop the growth of seedlings. It is necessary to draw up a feeding schedule in order to fertilize on time and not overfeed your plantings. The use of high-moor peat instead of a soil mixture also leads to fading of seedlings.

The fact is that in such a substrate, plants quickly grow, and then, when the peat dries out, moisture does not linger in it, the seedlings die from drought. In such cases, the dried peat ball should be soaked in water, and then the seedlings should be planted in a nutrient mixture in which peat is only an integral part.

Basil is an annual herb commonly known as a fragrant spice. It can be successfully grown outdoors. To do this, you need to choose the right soil, correctly plant the plant and care for it. The result will be a great harvest.

General characteristics of the plant

Basil is an annual from the Lamiaceae family and the Kotovnikov subfamily. It can reach a height of 0.5-0.7 m. The stems of the plant are straight, tetrahedral, strongly branched with abundant foliage.

Branching roots are notable for their superficial location. The short-leaved leaves are oblong-ovate in shape. The color of the foliage depends on the variety and can be bright, dark or purple-green.

Basil has two-lipped flowers, usually white or pale pink, rarely purple hue. They are formed in the axils of the apical leaves and bracts.

The fruit is dark brown nuts, which are connected in 4 pieces before ripening.

Types and varieties of basil

There are more than 150 varieties of basil. The most common type is fragrant basil. It is also called ordinary, garden, camphor. This species is distinguished by a tart taste of greens, reminiscent of cloves. Most popular varieties fragrant basil are:

• Genovese Gigante;
• Magical Michael;
• Mammoth.

Purple basil is also common and takes its name from the color of its leaves. It is also called Regan. This species is distinguished by a delicate taste of greenery. Its most popular varieties are:

• Osmin Purple;
• Purpurascens;
• Red ruby.

Another popular type is cinnamon basil, also known as Mexican basil. The name of the culture was given by the cinnamon flavor of the foliage. This species is distinguished by flowers of a delicate lilac-violet hue.

Lemon basil is also quite common, getting its name from the taste and aroma of greenery. This type is also attractive with another quality - volumetric sheet mass.

In Thai cuisine, a small-leaved variety of the plant is used, which is attractive with an aniseed aroma and silver-colored foliage.

Unusual is black basil, so named because of the rich dark purple hue of the stems and leaves. Among its varieties, Baku and Rubin of Cairo are popular.

The soil

Basil needs fertile and well-groomed soil. The site for planting this crop should warm up well and be protected from wind and draft. The annual feels good on sandy soil enriched with organic fertilizer.

Basil is effectively planted after growing the following crops:

• potatoes;
• cucumbers;
• tomato;
• legumes.

The soil for planting basil should be prepared in the fall. The dug-up bed should be well fertilized. Dig up the earth to a depth of up to 25 cm, that is, approximately to the height of a shovel bayonet.

The following fertilizers are needed per square meter of soil:

• humus or compost 3-5 kg;
• potassium salt 15 grams;
• superphosphate 25 grams.

Can be grown on loamy or clay soil. In this case, the formation of the correct beds must be completed in the fall. In the spring, they will need to be qualitatively killed with a hoe to a depth of 15 cm.

Planting basil in open ground

You can plant basil from seeds or seedlings. In each case, there are certain rules.

Planting seeds

This method is usually resorted to in the southern regions. The optimal time for planting seeds is the end of May. The soil should warm up to 15 degrees, night frosts are unacceptable. You need to act according to the following algorithm:

• Disinfect seeds. To do this, use a solution of potassium permanganate.
• The soil must be well loosened and moistened.
• For planting, it is necessary to deepen the holes no more than 1 cm.
• Distance between holes - 3 cm, between rows - 30 cm.
• 2 seeds should be planted in one hole to ensure better germination.
• The sown area is covered with foil. It is harvested 1-1.5 weeks after seed germination.

Planting seedlings

When growing basil seedlings, you can quickly raise the culture and get a quality crop. When choosing this method, you must act according to the following algorithm:

• The best time for planting seeds for seedlings is the end of March or the beginning of April.
• Sowing is carried out to a depth of not more than 10 mm.
• Germination speed depends on temperature. Within a week and a half, it must be maintained at a level of 25-27 degrees.
• When the seedlings appear, then carry out a pick. For planting sprouts use small pots.
• Young seedlings should be kept in a greenhouse, fertilizing and hardening it.
• A week before planting in open ground, it is important to harden the culture. To do this, limit watering and arrange ventilation in the greenhouse in order to reduce the temperature.
• Landing in open ground can be done in early June, if frost is no longer expected.
• Seedlings are planted in rows. The distance between the bushes should be 25 cm, between the rows - 30 cm.
• For planting, small holes are made 7-8 cm deep.
• Before planting, pour about a liter of water into each hole.
• Seedlings are planted together with pots so that the bud with young leaves is on the surface.
• Until the seedlings take root, they need constant watering. After it is carried out as needed.

Care

Planting density is provided by breaking through the greenery. For this, tear upper shoots and flowering.

Plant care involves timely weeding, regular watering and loosening the soil.

Nitrogen fertilizers are used as top dressing. Nitrophoska is usually used, which also includes potassium and phosphorus. Per square meter of plantings, 5 liters of Nitrofoska solution are required. For this volume, take a tablespoon of dry granules.

Top dressing should be carried out twice:

• The first feeding is carried out one and a half weeks after planting seedlings in the ground.
• Re-feeding is carried out after another 2-3 weeks.

Congested landings are unacceptable. The plant also does not feel well if the soil moisture is increased.

Diseases and pests

Basil is attractive for its resistance to many diseases and pests. If you do not provide the culture with favorable conditions, then there is a risk of damage to it by a fungus:

Gray rot

This disease is manifested by brown dry spots on the leaves of the plant, spreading to the stems. After the spots become watery and covered with a grayish fluff.

Blackleg

This disease affects the seedlings of the culture. Fungus is affected root collar seedlings. It becomes softer and thinner, causing the death of seedlings. Such a disease can be caused by high soil moisture, poor water permeability, acidity.

Fusarium

Such a disease develops against the background of sharp temperature changes, heavy clay soil. Young stems become thinner and weaker, covered with brown spots. The disease affects the entire plant, causing the death of plantings. From the affected bushes need to get rid of.

Harvesting

Harvest begins to be harvested when the height of greenery reaches 10-12 cm. With high-quality and accurate harvesting, it can be produced repeatedly. Leaves are best cut. To do this, use a clean sharp knife. A quality cut will only stimulate the growth of new greenery.

When harvesting greenery for harvesting for the winter, cutting is usually performed in large volumes. In this case, you need to cut off the entire stem, leaving only 4 lower leaves. Mass cutting is carried out at the beginning of flowering. During this period, the greenery contains the maximum amount of vitamins and essential oils, and the harvested raw materials are the most fragrant.

Basil should only be harvested in dry weather.

After the first cut, fertilize the crop. For this, a mineral multicomponent fertilizer is suitable. Be sure to carry out weeding and loosening of row spacings. If these conditions are met, then you can harvest again.

WITH square meter landings you can collect a kilogram of fresh greens. After harvesting, approximately 0.2 kg of dry seasoning will come out of this volume.

Drying basil

For harvesting the greenery of this crop, natural conditions are required. Obligatory shade and active ventilation. The temperature should not be higher than 35 degrees.

For high-quality drying, it is necessary to spread the collected raw materials in a thin layer. When all conditions are met, the natural color of the plant is preserved, its stems are fragile and easily broken. Properly dried leaves with flowers are easy to grind into powder. It is in this form that raw materials are stored for use as a seasoning.

The crushed raw materials must be placed in an opaque container that can be tightly closed. The storage area must be dark. Store seasoning no more than 3 years.

Greens can be prepared fresh. To do this, it must be folded into earthenware, sprinkled with salt and poured with olive oil (cold pressed).

Basil is great for growing outdoors. It can be planted with seeds and seedlings. At proper care and competent harvesting, you can get greens twice. Raw materials can be harvested in a variety of ways.

Fragrant and spicy basil, the cultivation of which is not particularly difficult, has been known to mankind for more than 5 thousand years and is widely used both in culinary and in medicinal purposes. The culture is unpretentious and decorative, it can be kept at home on the windowsill as houseplant and fresh green spices. Grown on personal plot or in the garden, basil will delight with a bountiful harvest all summer, if you follow the simple rules of agricultural technology.

Basil (Ocimum) - fragrant annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Yasnotkov family. Its name can be translated from Greek as "royal" or "royal". Among the wide variety of herbs and greens, it occupies a dominant position.

The most suitable for growing basil in open ground different varieties of this culture, which differ not only in the color of the leaves, but also in taste. The ground part of the plant may have yellowish green, dark green and dark purple colors. The tetrahedral stems of this grass do not grow more than 0.3-0.6 m, covered with shiny and rough leaves of an ovate-oblong shape. The shoot ends in an inflorescence consisting of several white or pinkish-purple buds.

Essential oils contained in fresh and dried herbs give dishes an exquisite and refined, subtle flavor of allspice, delicate notes of spicy cloves and astringent lemon aroma. The plant contains a rich set of useful substances (phytoncides, camphor, tannins), vitamins (E, A, C, PP, K, group B), minerals (potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, sodium, mercury and other).

Seed sowing basil

Basil can be sown directly in open ground on garden plot or pre-individual containers for seedlings, which moves to the garden after the onset of sustained heat. The seedling method allows you to get a crop of fragrant greens much earlier. In addition, the seeds have time to ripen in the fall, and they can be collected for sowing next year. This option is considered the most preferable when growing a crop, although with the first method you can also collect a lot of fragrant grass.

When basil is sown: the planting process

Planting basil for seedlings is carried out approximately 55-60 days before the expected day of moving seedlings into open ground. It is recommended to do this in late March or early April. For the full development of seedlings, this time is enough; it does not make sense to plant earlier. First, a soil mixture is prepared from equal parts of peat, garden soil and well-rotted humus. You can use the universal garden compositions sold in stores.

The soil is poured into boxes or individual pots with a mandatory drainage layer at least 3-4 cm thick.

To accelerate germination, it is recommended to additionally fertilize the soil with a special mineral composition prepared from potassium chloride, urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate (½ teaspoon per 5 liters of water). The soil in the box is sprinkled with a mineralized solution and left to warm up to room temperature for a few hours. Seed material is prepared in advance. To do this, it is kept warm for about 2 weeks, and immediately before sowing, it is soaked for 9-10 hours in a solution of potassium permanganate or any growth stimulator (Zircon, Epin).

You need to sow basil using this technology:

• seeds are buried in the soil no deeper than 0.8-1 cm;
• gently watered with settled water at room temperature;
• the container is covered with glass or transparent polyethylene film and placed in a well-lit sunny place (windowsill) with a temperature of at least +23 ° C;
• when the first shoots appear (after 7-10 days), the temperature must be reduced to + 17 ... + 20 ° С so that the seedlings do not stretch out;
• when 2-4 full-fledged leaves appear, the seedlings can dive into separate pots.

How to care for seedlings?

Basil when grown from seeds requires the following conditions:

1. Regular airing of seedlings. Shelter is removed daily for 10-15 minutes.
2. Good lighting. Otherwise, the seedlings will stretch out and be stunted. Periodically they need to be rotated so that they do not grow crooked. With a lack of light, plantings are illuminated with fluorescent or phytolamps.
3. Watering. It is carried out carefully and accurately, only with warm water. Excessive waterlogging of the substrate can cause the development of a black leg, which will destroy the seedlings. If this happens, you can spray the basil seedlings with a solution of urea (½ tsp per 1 liter of water).
4. Loosening. About once every 10-14 days.
5. Top dressing. After the appearance of 5 leaves, the seedling is pinched to increase bushiness. When they grow up a little side shoots, seedlings are fertilized with organic matter (humus, manure).

Planting seedlings in the ground

Basil seedlings are planted in open ground only when warm weather sets in and the soil warms up to + 15 ... + 17 ° С. In most regions, this time falls on the end of May or the first decade of June. Experienced vegetable growers recommend starting to harden seedlings about a week before the expected date.

To do this, containers with plants are taken out and left on the street for 15 minutes, gradually the time spent on fresh air increase to several hours. To get a good harvest of spicy greens, it is necessary to comply with some conditions of agricultural technology.

What should be the soil for planting basil?

For this spicy herb, illuminated sunny places on the site are chosen. But the culture does not tolerate cold winds and drafts, so it is advisable to plant seedlings under protection. big trees and shrubs, as well as near fences and various buildings. Basil thrives in loose, fertile and well-drained light soils. The best predecessors for him are cucumbers, tomatoes and legumes.

• humus or rotted compost - 3.5-50 kg (depending on the nutrient composition of the soil);
• superphosphate granulated - 20-25 g;
• potassium sulfate - 10-12 g.

Immediately before planting, the soil is abundantly watered with a solution of fertilizers (½ tsp each of potassium chloride, urea and potassium sulfate per ½ bucket of water).

If the allocated area is in a lowland, then it is better to make the beds high and fence them with boards or other material. On wet, waterlogged and airtight soils, basil will not grow well.

How to properly plant seedlings?

Planting seedlings is best done on a cloudy and rainy day to avoid the appearance of sunburn on tender leaves. Holes are dug 9-10 cm deep at a distance of 15-17 cm from each other, at least 25-30 cm are left between the rows, otherwise the bushes will be crowded. Pour water into the pits (at least 1 liter), then you can plant basil in the wet ground.

The soil around each plant is carefully compacted and watered again. The first landing time for the night is covered with a film. When the seedlings are well rooted and start growing, the shelter is completely removed.

Basil care: features of growing an aromatic plant

Basil is thermophilic plant, this should be taken into account when choosing a variety for planting. It must be adapted to local climatic conditions. In the middle lane it is recommended to grow this crop seedling way. The best varieties for this region are:

• Russian giant purple (clove-pepper).
• Dragon (clove-pepper).
• Pepper flavor (spicy pepper).
• Yerevan (pepper-tea).
• Ararat (anise).
• Valya (cloves).
• Greek (mint-pepper).
• Velvet (mint).
• Aniskin (anise).

To grow basil, it is necessary to carry out competent care for it, which consists in timely regular watering, loosening the soil, weeding and top dressing.

Watering and caring for the garden

For proper cultivation of basil, it is important to observe the watering regimen. It is necessary to moisten the soil only after drying its top layer. Strong dampness can lead to rotting of the root system. Watering is recommended after weeding and loosening, so that the roots receive large quantity air and moisture seeped through faster. It is imperative to remove weeds, as they take away from cultivated plant nutrients and their powerful root system interferes with the growth of the herb. We water the ridges with exceptionally warm, settled water.

When is plant nutrition needed and how to do it?

To get a good and abundant growth of fragrant basil green mass, it is necessary to fertilize with fertilizers containing nitrogen. To do this, you can use a simple nitrophoska, diluting it in the following proportions: 2 tbsp. l. granules per 12 liters of water. You need to water each bush, the consumption is approximately 3-4 liters per 1 m² of plantings.

The first feeding is carried out in late June or early July, the second - after 3-4 weeks.

This spicy herb belongs to disease-resistant crops. All basil diseases are associated with adverse weather conditions or errors in agricultural technology. With dense plantings, low temperatures and excessive moisture, it can be affected by fusaroiz and gray rot. Diseased bushes are removed, and fresh ones are planted in their place.

As a preventative and initial stages development of pathology, spraying with infusion of onion peel (4 parts of water and 1 part of onion peel) is used. It is not recommended to plant this spicy plant for more than 2 years in one place, as this increases the likelihood of infection with fungal infections (fusarium).

Insect pests of basil are extremely rare, they are not attracted by the phytoncides contained in its leaves. Many gardeners even use this culture in mixed landings for repelling aphids and spider mites from other crops.

Harvesting: how to harvest greens?

Basil harvesting can be done throughout growing season. Single sheets for eating can be torn off constantly. But you can not completely expose the bush, as it will surely die. After the beginning of flowering, the ground part loses its aroma and original rich taste, even becomes bitter. Therefore, floral brushes on specimens not intended for subsequent receipt seed material, needs to be cut off.

When and how is cutting done?

Mass harvesting of basil is done twice per season:

1. Before flowering (early July), as soon as the buds appear, the big grass is cut. Collect only the upper part, leaving the lower branches.
2. When side shoots grow well on the bush, they can also be cut. This happens 4-5 weeks after the first harvest (early or mid-August).

For spicy greens all year round several copies of basil can be transplanted into flower pots and keep them at home on the windowsill all winter.

How to prepare basil?

To grow basil, a temperature of at least + 20 ... + 25 ° С is required, therefore, at the end of August, the bushes stop growing and useful greens need to be prepared for the winter for storage. This is done in several ways:

1. Drying. Can be dried naturally, in which the cut branches are scattered in a thin layer and placed in a dry, well-ventilated place without direct access. sun rays. You can dry the greens in the oven at a temperature of about +40 ° C or in the microwave. Store dried spice in tightly closed glass or porcelain containers.
2. Freeze. The green mass is crushed, frozen, then laid out in individual bags or plastic cans and store in the freezer.
3. Canning. There are many different recipes in which basil is salted and preserved. It can be used to make basil paste.

Drying is the most common way of harvesting this spicy herb. In this form, basil retains its original aroma and a large amount of useful substances for the longest time.

Let's look at what basil is like. Growing from seeds, caring for it will not add any special difficulties to the gardener. Many people like basil for its special taste, aroma, beneficial features. It is a lush, medium-sized bush, about 60-80 cm tall, often used not only for cooking, but also as decorative ornament site.

Fragrant spices such as fennel, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, cilantro, basil are liked by many, so they have been successfully grown in our gardens for a long time.

Green and purple basil in the garden

What is a basil plant

This plant, originally from Asia, has several varieties, varieties differ in color, leaf shape. cooking European countries green basil is widely used in cooking.

green basil

In our country, on the contrary, its purple counterpart is more common, which has a bright, pronounced aroma.

purple basil

The leaves of the Baku variety are purple in color, their smell is somewhat reminiscent of a mixture of mint, cloves (seasoning) aromas. Basil with a bluish color (Yerevan) smells like tea, allspice. Green basil (spoon-shaped) - smells a bit like laurel with an admixture of cloves.

In addition to its culinary purpose, this aromatic culture has a fairly wide application, since its leaves and stems contain many vitamins, essential components, camphor, carotene, and potassium. Purple basil has bactericidal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties. Its use has a positive effect on the nervous, genitourinary system. An interesting fact is that mosquitoes, midges, flies do not like the smell of basil, so it would be advisable to sow it near arbors, benches or other places of rest in your country house.

Dry or fresh basil leaf is used to prepare a wide variety of dishes, sauces, soups. It should be added very carefully, as it can completely change, even kill, the taste of the main ingredients.

Growing basil from seedlings

This herb prefers light fertile soil, begins to bloom from mid-summer, continues until the first autumn days. Basil loves heat, lighted places, does not respond well to temperature changes. How to grow basil from seeds at home? Experienced gardeners it is recommended to pre-soak the seeds (2 times) hot water— no more than +30°C, for about 15 minutes. If you have potassium permanganate, you can add a little powder to the water.

basil shoots

Shallow containers (5-7 cm) are prepared in advance with a substrate that is well moistened before direct sowing of seeds (early-mid-April). Also for planting, you can use a soil mixture consisting of humus, peat, sand (proportions - 2: 4: 1).

Seeds are deepened by about 1 cm, carefully watered, after which the box is exposed to a place lit by the sun, where the temperature is not lower than + 23 ° C. After 7-10 days, the first shoots appear, by this time the temperature should be lowered to + 17..20 ° C so that the seedlings do not stretch.

At all stages of growing basil, watering should be done only with warm water. Also, the soil should not be allowed to dry out, as well as waterlogging (to avoid the appearance of a black leg).

How to plant basil in separate pots? When the seedlings have two true leaves, it's time to pick. To do this, you can use special cassettes or other small containers. At the bottom, you can put medium-sized rubble or pebbles, which will be drainage. Picking is done carefully, for fear of damaging root system. Plants are planted in small depressions, followed by regular watering.

Basil - planting and care in the open field

Somewhere 7-10 days before the transfer of plants to open ground, hardening should begin - reduce the amount of water during irrigation, air, gradually reduce the temperature (not lower than + 7..10 ° C). By the end of May / beginning of June, when the earth warms up to about + 15 ° C, seedlings can be removed from pots and transplanted into the ground.

Next, we plant, plant basil on the beds. in open ground behind this crop is practically no different from any other seedlings. The bushes are located at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other, the depression in the soil should be approximately 7-10 cm. The distance between the beds should be approximately 30 cm. The hole should be well watered before planting the plant. The bush itself should be planted in such a way that its main bud, leaves are located above the soil. As in the case of other seedlings, it is better to choose an overcast day for planting bushes so that the sun has minimal contact with the young basil.

In order for the bushes to develop well, to please you with their splendor, the tops of the plants can be pinched off at the stage of the appearance of the fifth or sixth full-fledged leaf. This maneuver contributes to the growth of the basil in breadth, its density. Subsequently, in order for the plant to also give lush leaves, the inflorescences must be removed in a timely manner - pinch off or cut off. The earth, of course, requires regular watering, loosening, weeds should be destroyed.

Planting basil seeds immediately in open ground

You can also plant this fragrant spice directly in the ground, bypassing the process of pre-growing in boxes, pots. If you live in the south of the country, then produce this process followed by the middle or end of April. If you are in the middle lane, then it is better to sow basil by the middle / end of May, when you are sure that no more cold spells are expected.

Similarly, the seeds are first soaked in hot water. Shallow beds are formed in the garden, while the specifics of sowing seeds repeats the above method of sowing seedlings. Seed deepening - no more than 1 cm, subsequent watering, fluffing of the earth, removal of weeds. When the plants reach 20 cm, the top is pinched. The more you remove the leaves from the bush, the more actively they will grow again.

Basil is a plant whose best time for harvesting for autumn, winter is the period before flowering. By this time, it reaches the maximum concentration of useful components, vitamins, essential oils. As soon as you see the buds that have not yet blossomed, immediately cut off the sheet onto the blank. When the seeds ripen, you can collect them, use them for their intended purpose with the onset of spring.

Basil feels comfortable in the garden before the onset of the first serious cold snap. Before frost approaches, you can dig up a bush, plant it in indoor pot, thus, in winter you will always have fragrant spice and at the same time beautiful plant Houses.

You should know that it is not recommended to plant basil in the same place for several years - this increases the risk of plant disease with Fusarium.

Now you know when to plant basil for seedlings, plant it, how to care for seedlings and grown bushes. It grows well with normal care, but if you decide to feed it organic fertilizers, it won't get any worse. Using the method described above, you can grow the main varieties of basil or hybrid ones, such as Balconstar, Anise, Fantazer, Lemon Flavor.

We hope that the fragrant spicy decorative annual basil, growing from seeds, the subsequent care of which was described in this article, will now settle in your summer cottage.