Basil on the windowsill

Few “greens” are as good for home cultivation as basil. The unpretentious nature and the year-round growing season are combined in it with an attractive appearance and pleasant aroma. Basil does not require special care, so even the most inexperienced gardener can grow it. To do this, it is enough to follow the required minimum of agrotechnical recommendations. This article will discuss how to grow basil on your windowsill without any problems.

                                                        Basil on the windowsill: photo

Basil on the windowsill: growing from seed

There are three popular and relatively simple ways to grow basil on a windowsill: seed, by layering, and cuttings. The last two methods are considered the least labor-intensive, however, it is the reproduction of basil by seeds that will allow you to grow the most productive specimens that will grow throughout the whole year.

It is the seed reproduction method that will be considered in more detail.

In order to grow basil on a windowsill from seeds, first of all, you need to acquire seed. You can buy seeds in specialized stores, and the choice of the variety does not play a fundamental role in the success of the entire enterprise. However, it should be borne in mind that purple basil and small-leaved Greek varieties cannot boast of fast growth rates and will require more careful maintenance. On average, varieties of short stature, as well as small-leaved varieties other than the already mentioned Greek, grow faster.

Basil on the windowsill: photo

In addition to the seed, you should take care of the soil, material for creating a drainage layer, gardening equipment, a polyethylene shelter and containers for growing seedlings in advance. The ideal seed pot volume is about 1 to 2 liters. If you plan to sow basil seeds in a container, its depth should be at least 15 cm.It should be borne in mind that the allowable interval between individual basil bushes is 10 cm, so you should choose a container based on these data. A necessary part of the container for basil seedlings are holes for soil drainage.

The algorithm for how to plant basil on a windowsill includes the following steps:

1) Treatment of seed

This procedure is optional, but it can help speed up the emergence of seedlings, as well as disinfect the seeds before sowing. For this purpose, 1 or 2 days before the planned planting, the seed should be placed in warm water, which must be changed every 12 hours or more often. After that, for another 2 hours, the seeds should be in a solution of potassium permanganate of low concentration (pale pink). At the end of both procedures, they should be laid out on a paper towel or gauze and left to dry.

2) Preparing the potting mix

The quality of the soil and its composition directly affect the process of growth and development of the basil. You can make your own potting soil by following one of our proven recipes:

• you can mix garden soil with store-bought universal soil for indoor crops in a 1: 1 ratio;
• a mixture of 4 parts of universal soil with 1 part of vermicompost is effective;
• a substrate made up of vermicompost and soil with the addition of coconut fibers (coco-soil) in a ratio of 1: 4 is also suitable.

Like the seed, the soil needs to be disinfected. It is quite simple to carry out it: the earth should be placed on a baking sheet and put in an oven preheated to 100-120 degrees.Within an hour, the soil must be calcined, and then fertilized with mineral dressings. Thus, you can protect the basil root system from infection and attack by pests.

An important point concerns soil drainage - for this, a layer of expanded clay or pebbles with a thickness of 2 to 3 cm should be placed on the bottom of the seedling container.A nutritious soil mixture is poured over the drainage layer so that about 4 cm remains to the edge of the container.Then the soil surface must be leveled and spill thoroughly with water.

3) Sowing procedure

Basil seeds for growing on the windowsill should be placed at a certain interval, which is about 2 cm. It is recommended to deepen them no more than 1-2 cm. After sowing, the container with seeds is covered with polyethylene to create greenhouse conditions and transferred to a warm room. The plastic wrap should be periodically lifted and the seedlings ventilated. Seedlings do not need watering - it is enough sometimes to irrigate them from a spray bottle, so that in the future the greens will be thicker and richer in color. The average time for the emergence of the first shoots ranges from 1 week to 12 days. After that, the plastic shelter can be removed and the procedure for thinning the basil plantings can be carried out. As a result, the interval between individual bushes should be 10 cm. Now the container with seedlings can be placed on a windowsill well-lit by the sun.

After the sprouts have lengthened to 7 cm, you can pour a little potting soil into the seedling container. It is enough to add a layer 2-3 cm thick to strengthen the sprouts. From this moment on, young basil bushes begin to feel the need for systematic watering, as well as loosening and correct lighting. In summer, daily watering is indicated, preferably in the morning. The soil after the irrigation procedure should be moist, but without signs of stagnant water. In winter, the amount of watering can be reduced to 2 times a week.

A competent temperature regime is very important for the successful development of basil sprouts. The optimum air temperature is considered to be at least +20 degrees, but not higher than +25. In a cooler atmosphere, there is a greater risk of basil losing its unique aroma. Drafts are also undesirable.

To successfully grow and develop, basil bushes grown on a windowsill from seeds need to be exposed to the light for at least 6 hours daily. It is quite simple to provide these conditions in spring and summer, which cannot be said about winter and autumn months. In this case, the way out of the situation will be additional illumination, which will be discussed below.

Poor soil can be made more nutritious by monthly feeding it: vermicompost and other organic fertilizers, including a ready-made mixture based on Agrolife compost (only 1 teaspoon per 1 container is enough).

4) Lighting mode

As already mentioned, in the dark season one cannot do without artificial lighting sources. From September to February, the basilica needs to be exposed to light for at least 12 hours a day. To solve this problem, you can purchase a special phytolamp or an LED lighting source with a color temperature of 2700K (white light). The interval between basil bushes and lamps must be at least 15 cm.

Basil on the windowsill: photo

5) Harvesting rules

Harvesting early in the form of pinching will not only not harm the young basil bushes, but will also make them fluffier. The first time this can be done when 4-6 true leaves are formed on the sprouts, i.e. a month and a half after sowing the seeds. For the first pinching procedure, it is enough to collect 2 leaves from the top of each bush.

After the appearance of 3 pairs of true leaves, the upper part of the stem should be cut off, immediately after the young leaves that have just emerged from the axils. Pinching is done regularly, every few weeks.

When collecting basil leaves for cooking, it is recommended to pick off the oldest leaves growing on the sides. The place of their breakage should be as close to the main stem as possible. You should not be zealous when harvesting - at least 4 lower leaves should always be present on the bush. Cutting them is not recommended, because in this case the bush will begin to stretch upward and lose its splendor. But flowering buds, like a couple of leaves located under them, must be removed, otherwise the greens will lose their taste.

Alternative methods of growing basil on a windowsill

Basil on the windowsill: photo

• For those gardeners who do not want to place a bulky container with seedlings on their windowsill, an alternative way of growing them is suitable. So, seedlings will feel great in small containers - for example, in plastic cups from yogurt and sour cream. Transplanting basil bushes into pots can be done when they reach a length of about 7 cm.
• For growing basil on the windowsill, basil, which previously grew in the garden, is quite suitable. The disadvantage of this method is the short duration of the harvest period, since the specimens transplanted from the garden quickly begin to bloom and become unsuitable for human consumption.
• You can also grow basil on a windowsill at home by grafting. Cuttings can be cut from adult basil bushes - the tops or side shoots can act in their role. The resulting material is placed in water and stays in it for 1-2 weeks. In this case, the water must be replaced daily with fresh water. After the roots appear, the cuttings of the basil can be transplanted into a container with soil. The crop can be harvested in 2 weeks, but this period will not last long - no more than 4 months.

Basil on the windowsill: growing at home