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'Always wait for the air and soil to warm before moving basil into the garden,' advises author and gardening expert Melinda Myers. When they have developed their first true leaves and are big enough to handle, plant into individual 3.5 inch pots. Once the seeds have germinated, remove the covering. Sow the seeds in small pots of moist peat-free multi-purpose compost, cover with a thin layer of vermiculite, and place in a propagator or cover the pot with a freezer bag.
Thinning basil seedlings how to#
How to grow basil outdoorsĭepending on the hardiness zone where you live, even if you want to learn how to grow basil outdoors, you will probably still need to start the seeds off in pots inside from spring, either in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill. This is a great project to try if you're gardening with children as they can produce their own crops for free. Growing basil from cuttings cuts growing time by about half, so you will soon have some delicious leaves to harvest. Once they have started to develop new growth, pot them on into larger pots. Keep the planted basil cuttings in a humid environment – place them in a propagator, or cover with a clear freezer bag.
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'Cut back to encourage new leaves to form, or enjoy the delicious flowers,' Mark adds.
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'Water the compost (not the leaves) regularly, in the morning: basil hates having wet feet overnight,' advises food writer Mark Diacono in his new book Herb: A Cook's Companion. Pot them on into larger pots as they grow and their roots start coming through the drainage holes at the bottom of the plant pot.When the basil seedlings have developed their first true leaves and are large enough to handle, plant them on into 3.5 inch pots.Thin out basil seedlings so that each one has the space and share of water and nutrients to grow into a healthy plant.Once the basil seeds have germinated, remove the covering, but keep the compost damp.Use a propagator or cover the pot with a freezer bag secured with an elastic band to increase the temperature.Cover the seeds with a thin layer of vermiculite.'I sow several seeds per pot and thin them out as they grow until there are three to four strong stems,' says Barbara Segall. Only sow a few more basil seeds than you need as most will germinate.Start your basil seeds off in small pots or seed trays of moist, peat-free multi-purpose compost.
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It's important to know when to plant herbs, and you can start to grow basil indoors from seed anytime from March to mid-summer. It is ridiculously easy to grow basil from seed. If you're looking for the most cost effective way of how to grow basil, then you can start it off from seed. (Image credit: Monika Grabkowska / Unsplash)
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