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Learn how to plant, grow, and harvest basil, a popular culinary herb with aromatic leaves. Find out the best varieties, soil, water, fertilizer, and storage tips for basil.
- Uses
- Cultivation
- Varieties
- Prevention
- Symptoms
- Risks
- Ecology
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Basil plants are one of the most popular herbs to grow and also one of the easiest. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a member of the mint family. It is closely identified with Italian cooking, although it is originally from India. The extremely aromatic leaves also have a delightful variety of flavors, from the slightly lemony-mint of sweet basil to cin...
Basil plants can be grown as perennials in USDA hardiness zones 10 and above. For most, it is a tender annual that only lasts until the first frost and must be replanted every season. Basil grows best in full sun. You will have fewer disease problems and sturdier plants. Basil is ready to start harvesting in about 60 to 90 days, from seed. Frequent...
The size of your plant will depend on the variety, the growing conditions, and how much you harvest. The Sweet Basil variety can reach 6 feet tall but grows to about 2 to 3 ft. for most gardeners. Continually pinching and using your basil will coax it into becoming bushy, with more leaves. There are also short 6-inch dwarf varieties, which work esp...
You'll want to prevent your basil from blooming for as long as possible by harvesting or pinching off the top sets of leaves as soon as the plant reaches about 6 inches in height. If the plant sets flowers, it is on its way to going to seed and will not grow bushy and fill out with a lot of tasty leaves. Once a basil plant goes to seed, the existin...
Space plants about 10 inches apart. They will bush out. Begin pinching the tops off once the plants reach about 6 inches in height. If you don't pinch or harvest, the plants will grow tall and gangly, with few leaves, and will bolt to seed.
Basil is very sensitive to frost and will be one of the first plants to go in the fall. You can extend the season slightly by covering your plants with row covers when frost is threatened. Don't let the row cover touch the leaves. Frost on the outside of the row cover is enough to damage the tender leaves and will likely turn them black.
Aphids are the biggest basil pest, especially if grown indoors. Beetles and slugs can be a nuisance outdoors, creating holes in the leaves.
Learn how to plant, care for, harvest, and enjoy different types of basil, a popular and easy-to-grow herb. Find out the best soil, light, water, and temperature conditions for basil, as well as how to prevent pests and diseases.
- Marie Iannotti
Basil ( / ˈbæzəl / BAZ-əl, [1] US also / ˈbeɪzəl / BAY-zəl; [2] Ocimum basilicum / ˈɒsɪməm bəˈzɪlɪkəm / OSS-im-əm bə-ZIL-ik-əm [3] [4] ), also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide.
Learn how to grow basil indoors or outdoors, choose from various varieties, and harvest the leaves for cooking or medicine. This guide covers basil zones, soil, water, sun, spacing, and more.
Apr 25, 2024 · Learn about different types of basil, how to plant, water, fertilize, prune, and harvest this aromatic herb. Find out how to propagate basil from cuttings and store it for later use.
Learn how to grow basil in warm sunny conditions, indoors or outdoors, and enjoy its aromatic flavor in the kitchen. Find out the best varieties, soil preparation, watering, feeding, harvesting, and more tips for growing basil.
Sep 11, 2023 · Learn how to cultivate this aromatic and versatile herb in your garden or containers. Find out about basil varieties, propagation, care, harvesting, preserving, and more.
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