How to Grow Organic Basil At Home
Last updated: May 25, 2021
What should I do if my basil plant flowers?
When can I harvest my basil plant?
I love using fresh basil in many dishes while cooking. Even more, I love using my very own fresh basil that I’ve grown. In this article, we will be looking at how grow your own basil at home.
How to Grow Organic Basil
Planting Tips
- According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, you can start planting basil outside after the last frost date when the soils temperatures are around 70 degrees.
- Pick a location in your garden that allows for your basil plant to receive about 6-8 hours of sunlight.
- Space the plants about 12 inches apart.
- Your basil plant will benefits from a little fertilizer since it is harvested often. Just make sure the fertilizer doesn’t leave any harmful residue.
- Basil needs a lot of water, because of this we recommend to install aeration tubes. Aeration tubes are a direct to root watering system that is scientifically proven to increase root growth and above ground growth.
Basil Caring Tips
- Bonnie Plants says that one of the biggest threats to basil is poor drainage resulting in root rot. To prevent this they recommend to plant in a well-drained area of your garden.
- Organic Gardening reports that another threat to basil is Japanese beetles. You can help control those by hand picking them off.
- If you find your basil plant flowering, simply pinch off the flowers. This process is called deadheading. To learn more about this, please see our article, Deadheading Made Easy – How to Supercharge Your Garden
Harvesting Tips
- You can start harvesting your basil plant as soon as the plant can spare them. I’ve read to start harvesting when there are 6 to 8 leaves on a branch. I’ve also heard you can harvest when the plant reaches 6-8 inches in height.
- Start the harvest at the top of the plant.
- Make sure to handle the basil carefully.
Summary
Fresh basil is a great addition to many dishes and with these tips, you will be able to grow your own.
Would you like to grow basil indoors? Please see our article, Read 5 Steps to Growing Basil Indoors to have fresh basil all year round.
