Basil. Care and cultivation in a greenhouse. How to properly grow and care for basil in a greenhouse Basil garden in winter greenhouses eat seedlings insects

They allow you to harvest in late autumn, winter and early spring, when vitamins are especially needed.

Variety selection

Botany there are at least 150 varieties of basil. They differ in the size of the bush, the color of the leaves, the nuances of taste and aroma.

The most popular and undemanding varieties are suitable for a novice gardener. In the greenhouse, you can plant several options at once or stop at your favorite ones.

• Basil fragrant or camphor. The most popular variety with bright green leaves. It has a recognizable clove aroma, bushes well. The variety is especially popular in Mediterranean cuisine.
• Basil cinnamon or mexican. There are subtle cinnamon nuances on the palate. The plant is compact, beautifully combining pale green leaves with bright purple flowers.
• Basil violet. Very popular in Caucasian cuisine, added to meat garnishes, sauces and even desserts. The taste of the leaves is very delicate, slightly sweet.
• Basil citric. Spreading plant, giving a large green mass. The leaves are large, light green, with a delicate lemon aroma.

Useful video about varieties of basil grown in a greenhouse:

What greenhouse do you need?

Basil can be grown in greenhouses and heated greenhouses. So, basil, when grown in a greenhouse in winter, can be combined with other crops:,. These crops have similar requirements for soil composition, watering and temperature conditions.

Ideal greenhouse for growing greenery throughout the year may be small, from 20 to 50 sq. m. On the plot can be made of wood or metal profiles. Convenient or pitched designs.

Small ones adjacent to the building are also suitable. In such structures, one wall is made deaf, which increases the temperature inside the structure and saves on heating. Find out how to organize on our website.

The winter greenhouse can be covered with glass or sheets. A more economical option is a double plastic film. Her the only drawback is fragility. The film coating will have to be changed annually, and in regions with too cold climates, such protection may not be sufficient.

In winter, maintain the desired temperature in the greenhouse biofuel will help- a mixture of rotted manure with straw. The mass is left under a plastic film for several days, and then laid out in ridges and covered with a thick layer of prepared soil.

It is recommended to lay sheets of roofing material around the perimeter of the greenhouse, which will help protect the plants from the cold.

For heating greenhouses use electric boilers, heaters, stoves or small fires.

Heating is necessary with the onset of frost. Vents are needed for ventilation. To prevent cold air from entering the greenhouse, a small vestibule is made at the entrance.

Soil preparation

Basil is demanding on the composition of the soil. In a greenhouse, it is better to remove the top layer of soil by filling the ridges with a mixture of garden soil, peat and sand. The soil should be light and loose, with moderate acidity. Before planting, rotted manure is introduced into the soil (at the rate of 4 kg per 1 sq. M). 2 weeks after planting, fertilize the soil with an aqueous solution of chicken manure or urea.

In a greenhouse, basil can be grown from seedlings or seeds. The first method significantly reduces the growing season. Seeds on seedlings are sown in boxes filled with light soil. You don't need to deepen them. The boxes are covered with plastic wrap.

The first shoots appear after 2 weeks. When the plants acquire 2 leaves, a pick is carried out. Between young plants there is a distance of 5 cm, this will allow them to develop normally. In a month and a half seedlings can be transplanted into a greenhouse. It is better to sow basil in winter, plant seedlings in early spring.

Features of planting and care

How to grow basil in a greenhouse? Seedlings are planted in shallow furrows, the distance between plants is about 15 cm. Every 7 days, the beds should be watered abundantly with not too cold water.

For watering it is worth using watering cans with a wide spray. Very comfortable and automatic drip system, which is installed in industrial greenhouses.

Basil loves warmth. The optimum temperature for growth is 22°C…28°C. Excessive heat of the plant is not needed; in the warm season, the greenhouse needs to be ventilated often. Basil in the cold must be protected from drafts. When the temperature drops to 15°C, growth slows down, a drop to 5°C can kill the sprouts.

The first crop can be harvested when young plants reach 20 cm. cut with secateurs or a sharp knife so that a stump with 2 leaves remains on the surface of the earth. You need to act carefully, the root system of the basil is weak, with a sharp movement you can accidentally pull out the bush.

Plants should be well watered after harvest. apply fertilizer to the ridges: chicken manure or an aqueous solution of urea. Such a system will ensure the uninterrupted growth of fresh herbs, it will be possible to harvest at least once a week. For the season from 1 sq. m of covered ground you can collect from 2 to 7 kg of greens.

Basil undemanding to care and enjoy a good harvest. This culture is suitable even for beginner gardeners. Having gained useful experience, you can start growing other, more capricious plants.

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A greenhouse or greenhouse in a garden plot allows you to have any greens on the table out of season. If desired, you can even plant basil (growing from seeds in greenhouses begins in early March). Contrary to popular belief, caring for a plant is not that difficult. So, how to get a great crop of basil in a greenhouse? When is planting, watering and feeding?

Greenhouse and soil requirements

Before planting basil, it is important to make sure that the greenhouse or greenhouse meets all the requirements. If you plan to plant early greenery, then you should give preference to durable covering materials - glass or polycarbonate. They protect against frost more reliably, maintaining a constant microclimate without sharp temperature fluctuations. The so-called soil cushion (a mixture of earth, rotted manure and organic matter) or special racks also protects seedlings well from the cold. By the way, the latter option greatly facilitates the care of basil and saves a significant amount of water for irrigation. Ventilation windows will be needed for ventilation, in addition, when hot summer days come, the greenhouse or greenhouse will need to be shaded. If we talk about the location, it is preferable to choose a sunny site without plantings on the south side.

The plant is quite demanding on the characteristics of the soil. Basil prefers sandy loam well seasoned with organic matter. The earth should be moderately acidic, loose. It is best to remove the top layer of soil (20-25 cm) from autumn and fill the beds with a mixture of garden soil, sand and peat. You can simply dig up the ground on a shovel bayonet, and then add 3-5 kg ​​of compost or humus, 25 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium salt per square meter. You can also prepare the soil in the spring, if for some reason the land was not fertilized in the fall (this must be done 2 weeks before planting the greenery).

Growing from seeds and seedlings

There are two ways to grow basil in a greenhouse - seeds and seedlings. Planting in a seedling box or rack in the south is carried out already in early March, and in cold regions a month later. They start growing basil with seeds, as a rule, in late April or early May, when the greenhouse or greenhouse is warm enough.

So what are the features of each method?

• Basil: growing from seeds.

Plants are planted in well-moistened soil to a depth of 1 cm. Seeds are placed at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other, row spacing is 30-35 cm. In the southern regions, plants develop more strongly, so the distance is increased there by another 10 cm. Then planting is mulched and covered with a double layer of polyethylene film until sprouts appear. Usually they appear in 10-12 days (at a temperature of 20-25 degrees). Further care for the basil is carried out as usual - if necessary, it is thinned out, watered, fed, and the greenhouse is ventilated.

• Basil: growing seedlings.

Seeds are sown in special containers or racks, several pieces per nest. Depth touched - 0.5 cm, at a distance of about 3 cm from each other. One square meter will need 6 g of seeds. Immediately after sowing, the containers are covered with glass, transparent plastic or polyethylene film and the air temperature is maintained at 20-25 degrees. After about 1.5-2 weeks, the first shoots appear. If the seedlings develop poorly, then during the period when the first true leaf appears, it is watered with a solution of phosphorus, potash and nitrogen fertilizers (ratio 5:3:2). When the plants acquire 2 true leaves, they pick. Basil is seated at a distance of 5 cm from each other, this will allow it to develop normally. Care is carried out as needed, the plants are periodically watered and ventilated. Before planting in a permanent place (usually 45–60 days), the temperature in a greenhouse or greenhouse is gradually reduced. Then the seedlings are planted according to the scheme 20x35 cm.

Growing basil seedlings can significantly reduce the growing season.

How to care for basil?

Basil grows rather slowly at first. It is optimal if the temperature is maintained at 22–28 degrees Celsius. If it drops to 15 degrees, then the plants slow down their growth, and at a temperature of +3 they can die altogether. However, basil does not tolerate heat either, so in the warm season, a greenhouse or greenhouse should be regularly ventilated. In addition, plants need the following care.

1. Watering. Every 7 days, basil beds should be watered abundantly. Water should be warm (about 25 degrees), settled for at least a day. The drip automatic system is very convenient, but you can use watering cans with a wide spray. Plants do not tolerate high humidity, so when the earth dries out more often in the heat, watering is also carried out once a week, and to preserve moisture, the soil is mulched with needles or sawdust.
2. Top dressing. Basil is fed for the first time 2 weeks after landing in a permanent place, when it finally takes root. Nitrogen fertilizers activate the growth of greenery. For their preparation, 10 g of urea is diluted in 10 liters of settled water and watering is replaced (consumption - 3 liters per square meter). The second time the basil is fed in another 2-3 weeks. You can use complex fertilizers (25 g per 10 liters of water) or dilute manure, compost, bird droppings with water (10 to 1 ratio). Further, the plants are fertilized after each regular cutting of the shoots.

In cold rainy summers, basil needs additional care in the form of 2-3 top dressings with potassium sulfate.

Harvesting

When basil shoots reach 10-12 cm, they are cut above the 2nd or 3rd pair of true leaves at a height of 7-8 cm above the soil level. Then the earth between the rows is loosened and fertilizers are applied. After 2-3 weeks, new tender branches with leaves grow from the sinuses, they are cut off again, and the basil is fed. In total, from each bush of spicy greens it turns out to collect 3-4 crops. Harvesting is carried out until the beginning of mass flowering, after which the shoots become coarser. If drying is planned, the plants are cut in dry weather.

The best varieties of basil

In total, there are at least 150 varieties of basil. They differ not only in their taste, but also in color, size of the bush. Some require careful care, while others can easily be grown even by an inexperienced gardener.

So, what you need to know about the varieties of this plant?

1. Purple basil is used as a seasoning for Caucasian and Central Asian cuisines. The green variety has a less pungent odor and is more popular in European countries.
2. The aroma of basil can have clove, pepper, lemon, anise, marinade, mint, caramel, or vanilla notes.
3. Basil with an anise scent is used in the preparation of fish and vegetable dishes. Peppery, clove flavor is more suitable for meat, and drinks and desserts are prepared with vanilla, lemon and caramel basil.
4. There are also early, middle and late varieties of basil.
5. The height of the bush, depending on the variety, can vary from 18 to 85 cm. Low-growing plants can be grown at home in a pot.

Of the early ripe varieties, I would like to note "Carnation" (25-40 days) and "Yerevan" (45-60 days). The first has a rich clove-anise aroma, a green large leaf. Plant height is 35-45 cm, weight is 150-280 g. The Yerevan variety has a peppery-clove aroma, its leaf is purple, medium in size. The average weight of one plant is 400 g. The most massive variety is considered "Gourmet Clove" (800-900 g), its leaves are medium, green, have a strong clove aroma. Basil "Thai Queen" - the most decorative variety, its flowers resemble unblown clusters of lilacs, purple leaves, delicate, anise-clove aroma. Another popular purple basil is 'Dark Opal', which is easy to care for, and the plant's taste is perhaps the most intense.

Conclusion

Indoors, basil is easy to care for, it grows quickly and practically does not get sick. In addition, planting and growing basil in a greenhouse or hotbed allows you to collect spicy greens both in summer and in spring and late autumn. The plant perfectly tolerates almost any neighborhood, it can be planted along with tomatoes, eggplants, other vegetables, herbs.

All that is needed for good growth of basil is the right care, then the harvest will please with its abundance and taste. Basil is eaten not only to improve the taste of dishes, but also for various inflammations, viral infections, and digestive problems. In some countries, it is believed that it has the ability to scare away evil spirits, and our gardeners have noticed that mites and other harmful insects shun the plants. As you can see, there are a lot of advantages of growing basil, it remains only to choose your favorite variety - and you can start planting it.

Fresh and dried herbs are the best seasonings for tasty and healthy dishes: salads, soups, fish, pasta and meat.

For example, basil, adored by all culinary specialists, can be grown not only in a garden bed, but also on a windowsill. Learn how to grow this fragrant spice, rich in essential oils and other beneficial substances, under different conditions.

Basil: growing from seeds on the windowsill

Do you want to get vitamin spicy greens all year round? Then we start growing basil at home. This unpretentious plant grows well in flower pots, if the necessary conditions are created for it.

What you need to grow basil in an apartment

To get a home source of healthy greens, stock up on the following things:

• Seeds of the best varieties suitable for home cultivation.
• Universal soil.
• Drainage.
• Plastic containers or pots with holes in the bottoms.
• A water sprayer to then spray the plants, and a watering can.

If you want to grow basil in a pot, you can only grow it from seeds of low-growing ornamental varieties.

What varieties are suitable for growing

• "Dwarf". Forms a mini-bush no more than 20 cm high with small foliage collected in a ball. Green or purple leaves have a pronounced spicy-spicy taste.
• "Marquis". A small bush (in the form of a ball) of medium early ripening with small tasty leaves.
• "Violet". A plant with beautiful large leaves of purple-violet color. Leaves with a delicate taste will decorate and enrich any salad or other dish.
• "Citric". A rare plant that forms a small bush of pale green leaves exuding a pronounced lemon scent.
• "Yerevan". A low bush with spicy blue-violet leaves. The aromas of tea and pepper emanate from the leaves.
• "Clove". Beautiful bush in the form of a ball of green foliage. The leaves have a laurel-clove aroma and a tart taste.

First of all, plants of the varieties "Dwarf", "Carnation" and "Lemon" are ready for cutting.

Growing basil at home: soil preparation

If you will be growing basil in an all-purpose soil, there is no need to prepare it for planting. The main thing is to ensure good drainage by placing it on the bottom of the container (pot).

If you use garden soil, make it more fertile and loose. To do this, we mix humus, soil and peat in equal proportions: such soil will pass air well and will be an excellent medium for growing basil indoors.

As for drainage, they will serve as medium-sized pebbles or expanded clay. The thickness of the drainage layer should be 4-5 cm.

Basil: planting and care at home

Basil on the windowsill: growing from seeds

Having prepared containers or pots with drainage and soil, we start planting seeds.

Seeds of basil, like other spicy plants, are dressed in a thick shell soaked in oils: it prevents them from germinating quickly. Therefore, before planting, it is necessary to keep the seeds warm for one and a half to two weeks so that they warm up and the essential oils disappear. And a day before planting, fill the seeds with warm water to soften the shell.

We plant the prepared seeds into the soil by 1 cm, throwing several seeds into the hole at once: then we will remove the extra sprouts.

If you will sow the seeds in long containers, keep the row spacing of 5 cm.

We will find out what conditions are necessary for indoor basil to grow green mass:

• Warm. To get friendly shoots, after planting the seeds, we cover the containers with a film and put them on a warm window sill without drafts. The temperature under the shelter should be kept within 23-25 ​​° C. So that the soil does not mold, every day we remove the film for 10 minutes.

When shoots appear (somewhere in the 2nd week), we gradually remove the film and lower the temperature regime to 21-22 ° C.

• Lighting. We provide the basilica with good lighting: with its deficiency, the seedlings will become stunted, they will not be able to grow a good leafy mass. If there is not enough light due to the fact that you have northern windows or it is winter in the yard, we use fitolamps or other devices.

Important: for normal development, we provide plants with at least 15 hours of continuous lighting.

• Care. It consists in regular loosening and watering. Water the young basil with warm water every morning, and if it is too hot and the soil has time to dry out by evening, water it in the evening. We loosen the soil every 2 weeks. As soon as lateral branches appear on the stems, we feed the plants with a complex of organic fertilizers.

As soon as the seedlings turn into fragrant bushes, you can cut off the top of the young shoots to add to different dishes. After that, the bush will branch even better and will not bloom. Flowering should not be allowed because the leaves will become so bitter that they will not be eaten.

Now you know how to grow basil at home. We learn how it is grown in the garden.

If you want to grow your own basil, planting and caring for it outdoors seems daunting at first glance. It is easy to grow from seedlings or directly from seeds.

How to grow basil seedlings

To begin with, let's decide on the varieties: which ones are best suited for cultivation in the garden or garden. If you need a seasoning with a strong smell and a lot of vitamins, we buy purple seeds. If you prefer a subtle aroma and taste, green basil is the better choice.

The best varieties for open ground

• "Table". Tall variety with large green leaves with a mild taste, pronounced smell and juiciness.
• "Clove". Compact variety with small green foliage, clove smell and characteristic aftertaste.
• "Cinnamon". A plant with purple leaves with a pleasant cinnamon smell and taste.
• "Caramel". Compact bushes with leaves exuding the smell of caramel. An excellent plant for cooking salads and desserts.
• "Anisic". Spreading variety with bubbly green leaves with the smell and taste of anise.
• "Philosopher". Violet plant, forming a small bush of leaves with a clove smell and a sharp aftertaste.
• "Citric". A variety that forms a low bush with pale green foliage. The leaves are good not only in cooking, but also in medicine: they cure colds and headaches.

Now we will find out when and how to grow seedlings for subsequent transplantation into beds.

Basil: growing from seeds in seedlings

When to grow basil seedlings? It is better to sow the seeds in boxes 45 days before planting in the garden - around the end of February or the beginning of March. Since at this time the daylight hours are lengthened, the seedlings will not have to be illuminated with fitolamps.

Whether it is green basil or purple basil, seedlings can be grown in the following ways:

1. Classic way. We lay drainage on the bottom of the box and fill it with universal or prepared soil (a mixture of equal parts of peat, earth and humus). We spill the soil with warm water and make centimeter indentations. We sow the seeds, cover with a film and put the box on a warm, bright windowsill.

When shoots appear, remove the film, and in the future regularly water the seedlings and keep the temperature at least 22 ° C. After the seedlings have a few leaves, we plant them in the garden.

1. Using hydroponics. In this case, instead of soil, we pour expanded clay, yellow peat, household mineral wool mixed with a complex of minerals into boxes.

Hydroponic seedlings need to be watered frequently as they dry out quickly. After 20 days, we plant seedlings in the garden.

1. Seedling in a snail. A way that saves a lot of space and retains moisture for a long time. We make a snail like this: we take a foam rubber substrate and lay out a layer of soil on it, on top - basil seeds with a distance of 5 cm between them. We roll everything into a roll.

The soil in the snail dries out for a long time, so frequent watering is not needed. When the seedlings sprout and get stronger, we transplant them into a garden bed.

We plant seedlings in a sunny place, in loose, mineral-rich soil, but not the one where it grew last year. If you violate these rules, the plants will grow slowly and often get sick. And one more thing: landing is made only after the cessation of night frosts.

How to plant seedlings in the garden

• We prepare the bed by adding a mixture of peat and humus (compost) at the rate of 2 kg of the mixture per square meter of land.
• We make rows, maintaining a distance of 30 cm between them.
• We plant seedlings so that the distance between seedlings is 20 cm.
• We water the bed with settled water.

Seedlings need regular loosening, watering and fertilizers. We water the seedlings every day with warm water so that they are well rooted. Then we water them only as the soil dries up, avoiding drying out. Waterlogging is also unacceptable - plants can rot.

Once every two weeks we loosen the soil in the aisles and around the basil seedlings. We remove weeds and water the ridges after weeding.

We fertilize the plants on the 12th day after planting: we breed 2 tbsp. spoons of nitrophoska in 12 liters of water and apply fertilizer at the rate of 3 liters per square meter.

Growing basil outdoors with seeds

If you do not want to mess with seedlings, we will learn how to grow basil in the open field by seed. Basil, planting and caring for which is very simple, is sown at different times depending on the climatic zone.

If you live in the southern part of the country, we sow the seeds in mid-late April, if in the middle - in the middle or end of May, when the soil warms up enough.

To speed up the germination of seeds, 2 weeks before sowing, we warm them in a hot place with a temperature of about 30 ° C to eliminate essential oils. The day before sowing, soak them in almost hot water.

We sow the seeds in the garden in the same way as with the seedling method, deepening them into the ground by no more than a centimeter. After the emergence of seedlings, we regularly water them, loosen the aisles, weed and feed them.

When the plants grow to 20 cm, cut off the tops so that more green mass grows.

The care of basil also includes the timely removal of damaged and dried shoots and the prevention of flowering: if it blooms, it will lose its taste. To prevent this from happening, we break off the tops of the shoots with leaves, leaving 4 leaves on the branch. From this, the bush will branch and grow green even better.

Most often, basil is grown in vegetable gardens, orchards and at home. But it is much better to grow a basil plant in a greenhouse, and here's why.

Benefits of growing basil in a greenhouse

• It grows faster and gains green mass.
• It is not attacked by pests.
• It is protected from temperature extremes.
• If the greenhouse is heated, growing basil in the winter becomes a habit: it will supply you with vitamins all year round.
• If you plant other greens next to it, eggplants, tomatoes and other crops, the basil plant, which can be grown in many ways, will not oppose such a neighborhood.

The greenhouse method has another plus: it grows so many leaves that there is nowhere to put them. So, the surplus can be sold!

What varieties of basil can be grown in a greenhouse

Most often, lovers of spicy greens cultivate the following varieties in greenhouse conditions:

• Basil cinnamon (Mexican). A compact cultivar with attractive clumps of light green foliage that smells and tastes like cinnamon.
• basil camphor. A beautiful bush with bright green leaves with a clove smell and astringent taste.
• Lemon basil. A well-branched plant with lush greenery of large, pale green leaves exuding a pleasant lemon scent.
• purple basil. It is valued in Indian and Caucasian cuisine as a seasoning for sauces and meat dishes. The sweetish taste of the leaves allows you to add them even to desserts.

We decide on the varieties and find out what kind of greenhouse should be for growing basil.

Basil: growing conditions in a greenhouse

If you intend to grow basil only in the warm season, a regular greenhouse or greenhouse will do. If you want to get vitamin greens all year round, you will need a heated greenhouse.

What should be the winter greenhouse

• ventilated. From time to time, the greenhouse needs to be ventilated, so it should be with vents. And so that the icy air does not pass inside, it is necessary to equip the entrance with a small vestibule.
• warm. If possible, you can make a greenhouse when one of the walls is the wall of the house. Leaving the house, the heat penetrates into the greenhouse, which allows you to save on its heating. The winter greenhouse can be made of polycarbonate or glass. With the onset of cold weather, it is heated with a stove, heater or electric boiler.

To maintain the required temperature in the greenhouse, we lay out roofing material around its perimeter, and on the ridges - biological insulation in the form of a mixture of straw and rotted manure. This mixture should be covered with polyethylene for several days, and then distributed over the beds and poured over it with a thick layer of soil.

How to grow basil in winter

Basil will not grow well in dense heavy soils with a poor composition - it needs loose, fertile soil. First, we remove the top layer of soil and replace it with a mixture of sand, peat and garden soil.

Before sowing seeds, we add rotted manure to the beds in a ratio of 4 kg per square meter.

A couple of weeks after sowing, we fertilize the soil by dissolving urea or chicken droppings in water.

How to grow basil from seeds in a greenhouse

To get an early harvest, it is better to grow basil from seeds using the seedling method:

1. We fill boxes or containers with light universal primer.
2. We spill the soil with warm water.
3. Scatter the basil seeds on the surface without deepening them. You can sprinkle them a little with earth.
4. We cover the box with foil and wait for the shoots. As soon as they appear, remove the film.
5. When 2 leaves appear on the seedlings, dive them.
6. We leave a distance between seedlings of 5 cm, remove excess shoots.

After 30-45 days, we plant seedlings in greenhouse beds. It is advisable to do this in early spring, planting achenes in the winter to get an early harvest. We plant the seedlings in shallow rows so that a distance of 15 cm is observed between the seedlings.

Greenhouse basil: care

To get a rich harvest of basil greens, we provide it with proper care.

• warm environment. The plant develops better at a temperature of 22-28 degrees. If it is a warm season outside, we ventilate the greenhouse more often so that there is no waterlogging, but do not forget that basil does not like drafts.
• Basil: watering. Every week, we abundantly spill the ridges with cool water from watering cans with wide sprayers.
• cut. In order for the plants to branch and overgrow with foliage better, we make the first cut as soon as they grow to 20 cm. We cut the branches so that a stump with a couple of leaves remains.
• Basil: top dressing. After cutting, water the ridges abundantly and fertilize. Top dressing of basil is possible with an aqueous solution of urea or chicken droppings.

Thanks to this care and cultivation method, you will be provided with useful and nutritious herbs all year round: in just one season, you can get 2-7 kg of product per square meter!

Now you know how easy it is to care for basil, which even the most inexperienced gardener can grow. Start with basil, and gradually you will learn how to grow any herb!

People have known about the beneficial properties of basil and its ability to give food a unique taste for a long time. This spice is especially popular in the East. The population of Europe learned about the basilica thanks to the campaigns of Alexander the Great, but for some time they treated the unfamiliar plant with distrust. Hundreds of years have passed, and now in almost every private house or cottage you will definitely find a small flower bed with herbs, among which basil takes pride of place.

Description of the basil

Cooking food can be treated differently. Someone cooks in a hurry, just to drown out the feeling of hunger, someone makes an effort, but in the absence of imagination, the dishes turn out to be ordinary, insipid. And someone after work turns into a good fairy or a sorceress in the kitchen, who can create a real miracle from a minimum food set. But for the preparation of a masterpiece, dexterous hands alone will not be enough. Each fairy has a magic wand, and a real housewife in the kitchen will always have a magical ingredient - spicy herbs. The palm among fragrant herbs belongs, of course, to basil.

Basil is perhaps the most popular culinary herb.

From ancient Greek, basil is translated as "king, royal, royal." Its synonyms are: fragrant cornflowers, red cornflowers, darlings. In Azerbaijan, basil is called reagan, in Uzbekistan - raikhon, in Armenia it is known as rean. Such a variety of names testifies to only one thing: basil is an incredibly popular herb in many countries of the world.

The birthplace of this magical plant is supposedly Africa. Basil is found wild in India, China and Iran. Currently, this fragrant herb is successfully grown almost all over the world.

Basil is found in many countries of the world, but Africa is considered to be its homeland.

Sweet basil, or common basil, is an annual herbaceous plant with a straight tetrahedral and well leafy stem. Height from 50 to 70 cm. The bush looks lush due to the strong branching of the stem. The leaves are oblong-ovate, located on short petioles. The surface of the plate varies depending on the species - in some it is almost smooth, others have a blistered leaf surface. The color of the basil can be very diverse - pale green, deep purple or with a hint of red. The edges of the leaf plate are dotted with rare teeth.

The stem, leaves, and bracts of many types of basil are covered with sparse hairs, which makes the plant appear rough when touched by hand.

The flowers are mostly white or pale pink, sometimes purple. Inflorescences are like brushes. The corolla is two-lipped in structure, which refers the basil to the Lamiaceae family, or Lamiaceae. Flowers appear in the axils of the upper leaves.

Blooming basil is an excellent honey plant.

Blooming basil is an excellent honey plant

Application and contraindications

Basil gained great fame and glory precisely as a spice used in cooking. The leaves and stems are used both fresh and dried. You need to collect them before flowering. Basil has a unique aroma and taste that cannot be confused with anything else. It is the variety of aromas that determines which dish this or that type of basil is suitable for. Plants that smell like caramel, lemon, cinnamon or vanilla are most often used to make desserts. Clove smell is well suited for meat dishes, anise - for fish. Spicy greens are an integral part of refreshing vegetable and fruit salads, pates, marinades, sauces, soups, preparations for the winter, tea drinks.

Basil gives homemade preparations a unique taste and aroma.

Add basil at the end of cooking to retain its unique flavor. But be careful!

But the use of basil is not limited to cooking alone. It turns out that the plant is very beneficial for health and, having appeared in Russia in the 18th century, at first it was used exclusively as a medicine. The antiseptic and antibacterial effect of basil has been noted for a long time. But it also has the following effects on the body:

• diaphoretic,
• antipyretic,
• astringent,
• strengthening the nerves
• antispasmodic.

Basil is equally good fresh or dried.

But due to the high content of essential oils, there are contraindications. Basil is not suitable for people with coronary heart disease, stroke and epilepsy. It is also necessary to limit its consumption in the following cases:

• diabetes,
• hypertension,
• thrombophlebitis,
• individual intolerance,
• age up to 7 years,
• pregnancy.

For a long time, basil has been known both as a medicinal and as a cosmetic product.

In cosmetology, this plant is also widely used. Basil perfectly rejuvenates, regenerates and tones the skin of the face. It activates the hair follicles, thanks to which the hair begins to grow faster and becomes shiny. Great for problem skin as it is antibacterial.

Species and varieties

In our time, more than 150 varieties of fragrant plants are classified. But the basis for breeding work was the types of basil with green and purple leaves. A large variety of varieties allows you to give different shades of taste to ready-made dishes, to experiment with familiar products. Of course, each housewife chooses a spice based on her preferences. Therefore, you should know that each type and variety of basil has its own unique taste and aromatic features.

1. Sandwich sheet. Smells like cloves. It is used as a flavoring additive to culinary dishes in fresh and dried form. Used for conservation. Suitability for consumption occurs on the 47-51st day from the appearance of the first shoots. The plant is tall, upright, strongly leafy. The leaf blade is juicy green, rather large, ovoid in shape. It has a serrated edge and a smooth surface. The flowers are white. Plant weight 170–210 g.

   

   Basil varieties Sandwich leaf has a wonderful aroma of cloves

2. Anise scent. The name speaks for its spicy aroma. It is used to add flavor to various prepared dishes and sauces. Good both fresh and dried. It grows as a semi-spreading bush up to 60 cm high. Well leafy. The leaf blade is slightly blistered, green. Plant weight 185–250 g.

   

   Basil variety Anise aroma is used as a flavored additive to dishes

3. Lemon Miracle. It is able to enrich the dish with lemon-mint notes, therefore it is often used in home cooking and in preservation as a flavoring additive. Plant of medium height, intermediate. Foliage is average. The elliptical green leaf is medium in size. The surface of the plate is slightly bubbly, the edges are finely serrated. The flowers are pink. Plant weight 300–320 g. The period from full germination to the beginning of economic suitability is 45–53 days.

   

   Basil of the Lemon Miracle variety adds freshness to dishes due to its lemon-mint aroma.

4. Vanilla aroma. Vanilla-smelling spicy herb is used as an aromatic additive in home cooking. Also suitable for canned food. You can eat the leaves of the plant on the 50-60th day after full germination. The bush is undersized, upright growing, medium density. The leaves are ovate and have a finely serrated edge. The surface of the plate is slightly bubbly, concave. Gloss is almost non-existent. Blooms purple.

   

   Basil variety Aroma goes well with desserts

5. Russian hero. It has a spicy clove-pepper aroma. It is used as a flavoring additive in the process of canning and cooking. Used fresh and dried. Good for use 48-50 days after germination. The bush is upright, tall. The leaf is large, ovoid, green. The surface of the plate is medium blistered. During the flowering period, it throws out white inflorescences. Plant weight 170–210 g.

   

   Basil variety Russian hero is successfully used fresh and dried.

6. Purple glitter. The aroma is camphor-clove. It is good fresh and dried in home cooking and canning as a flavoring. The medium-sized bush grows straight and has a strong foliage. The leaf is ovoid, dark purple, medium in size. The surface of the plate is smooth, the edge is finely serrated. The flowers are pink. Suitable for food 30-35 days after germination. The plant is quite weighty, its weight reaches 470 g.

   

   Purple Shine Basil is good fresh and dried.

7. Malachite. It has a pleasant caramel-mint smell. Used in home cooking and canning. The bush is tall. Upright, slightly loose. Foliage is average. The dark green leaf is medium in size and elliptical in shape. The surface of the plate is slightly bubbly, the edge is finely serrated. The color of the flowers is pink. Ready for use on the 40-53rd day after germination. Plant weight 300–320 g.

   

   Malachite basil has a pronounced caramel-mint aroma.

8. Pet. Nice taste and aroma of caramel. Refers to mid-season varieties, economic suitability occurs in 50-55 days from the beginning of germination. The mass of one plant is 400–450 g. It is used as a flavoring agent and spicy-flavoring additive in canning and cooking. Good fresh as salad greens. A vertically growing tall bush has an average foliage. The leaves are light green, elliptical. The flowers are pink.

   

   Favorite basil is especially good in salads

9. Raspberry Muscat. It has a bright nutmeg taste and aroma. Able to add savory notes and enhance the aroma of ready-made dishes and sauces. Used fresh or dried. Srednerosly, intermediate and loose bush. The medium-sized leaf has an anthocyanin coloration. Flowers are dark purple. It can be used for its intended purpose 45–48 days after full germination. A bush on average weighs 180–200 g.

   

   Basil Raspberry Muscat adds a savory touch to ready meals

Reproduction methods

Whether you grow basil outdoors, in a greenhouse, or at home on a windowsill, there are only 2 ways to propagate this plant.

1. Seminal. This method is simple, although it requires a little seed preparation. They are soaked in a stimulant solution, for example, Epin, for 8 or 10 hours. Then dried, spread out on fabrics. Dry seeds are sown in open ground, covered with plastic wrap. With timely watering, the first shoots will appear in 1.5–2 weeks.
2. Cuttings. If you already have an adult basil bush, then you can use the fastest and most convenient way. To do this, cut off a few shoots or the top of the plant and place the cuttings in a container of water. The roots will appear very quickly - after 1, maximum 2 weeks.

Outdoor basil care

Basil seedlings are planted in open ground no earlier than the second half of May, when the threat of return frosts has passed, and the daytime temperature is consistently above 20 o C. But in each region this period should be chosen individually - in cooler areas, planting begins in early June. In the southern regions, you can not only plant seedlings, but also sow seeds directly in open ground.

For open ground, planting basil seedlings is preferable.

Good precursors for basil are legumes, cucurbits, and nightshade crops.

Growing conditions

Basil is thermophilic, so for its successful cultivation, you need to choose the most illuminated area, protected from strong winds and drafts.

Experienced gardeners often plant a spicy plant under young trees. They are not yet able to give great shading and do not prevent the basilica from enjoying the sun's rays. In turn, a strongly smelling bush drives away harmful insects from seedlings. Here is such a natural mutual assistance.

Basil loves light soil rich in humus, the main advantage of which is good water permeability. The site should be prepared a month before planting. It is cleaned of the remains of vegetation, stones and dug up with organic matter - humus, compost or peat. On light loams, it will be enough to add 2 kg of organic matter per 1 m 2. The landing itself is best done on a cloudy day or in the evening.

Basil grows well in open ground conditions.

Watering frequency

Delicate fragrant plant is very moisture-loving. Sufficient watering helps the basil actively grow young leaves. But watering should be done only after the soil has dried out. Excess moisture, as well as its lack, negatively affects the development of the plant. Therefore, natural precipitation or elevated air temperature significantly adjust the frequency of watering in one direction or another.

Do not water basil with cold water. Before moistening, you need to defend the liquid for at least a day in a large container. During this time, the water will have time to warm up properly.

In order for the liquid to heat up sufficiently, place the container for settling water in an open sunny place.

Basil is great for drip irrigation.

top dressing

To stimulate the growth of the leaf mass, you should feed the basil at least once a month. Fertilizers can be organic or mineral. But it is preferable to carry out mixed top dressing.

Table: types of dressings for basil

If nutrients were introduced into the soil before planting, then the first top dressing is carried out 10–12 days after planting.

In order for the vitamin leaf mass of basil to grow, top dressing is needed

Trimming and shaping

A feature of the basil is its excellent ability to branch. To achieve maximum splendor of the bush, it is necessary to remove the flower stalks that have appeared in adult plants in time. Young basil is pinched over 5-6 leaves. This procedure activates the growth of side shoots, and the spicy bush grows in breadth, and does not stretch in height.

By periodically trimming fresh greens, you help the basil retain luscious foliage throughout the season. If you do not remove the inflorescences, then the leaves begin to taste bitter, and the lower ones quickly turn yellow and dry.

Pinching basil stimulates the growth of side shoots

Growing basil in a greenhouse

The greenhouse reliably protects plants from frost. The microclimate without sharp temperature fluctuations at different times of the day and with a constant level of humidity allows you to get greenery much earlier than in open ground.

Growing features

Growing basil in greenhouse conditions is quite simple and profitable. Closed spaces have many advantages, including:

• getting early greens,
• reliable weather protection
• minimal damage by pests and diseases.

The greenhouse makes it possible to grow a vitamin product not only during the season, but all year round. True, for this you need to have a heated room to maintain the air temperature at 22–28 ° C. In order for the plants not to suffer from a lack of lighting, preference should be given to durable and transparent materials, for example, glass or polycarbonate, and inside it is necessary to have additional lighting. Another requirement for greenhouses is the presence of vents for ventilation.

Greenhouse conditions provide excellent opportunities for growing basil all year round.

How to grow basil in a greenhouse

In greenhouse conditions, basil can be quite successfully grown by seed or seedlings. In one case or another, landing is carried out earlier than in open ground. Seeds are sown already in early March or April. During this period, the spring sun has time to warm up the greenhouse. Seedlings in the southern regions can be planted in mid or late March. In places with cooler climatic conditions, this work needs to wait a bit.

Planting seeds

Seeds are planted in well-moistened soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm. Crops are covered with plastic wrap. The first shoots usually appear after 10 days. When all the seeds sprout together, be sure to thin out. The distance between the bushes in a row should be 20-25 cm, depending on the growth rate of the planted variety. Leave at least 30 cm between rows.

Video: how to plant basil seeds

Planting seedlings

Seedlings are grown in special containers. The seeds deepen half a centimeter into the moist soil, the distance between them is 3 cm. In order for the seedlings to sprout successfully, the container is covered with glass or plastic wrap. Such a shelter will help maintain a temperature of 25 ° C inside. If the seedlings are weak, then after the first true leaf appears, they need to be fed with a nutrient solution. To do this, mix phosphorus, potash and nitrogen fertilizers in a ratio of 5:3:2 with 10 liters of water. A pick is carried out when 2 leaves appear on the seedlings. Seedlings are transplanted into the ground when the plants have at least 4-5 leaves.

Soil Requirements

As a rule, for spring planting, the greenhouse begins to be prepared in the fall. They remove a layer of earth up to 25 cm thick and fill the vacant areas with a mixture of garden soil with humus or peat, with the addition of sand to make it loose. You can go the other way - just dig up the soil, after spreading the fertilizer evenly over the surface. For each m 2, it is necessary to add from 3 to 5 kg of organic matter, 25 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium salt.

If for some reason you were unable to prepare the land in the fall, do it no later than 2 weeks before the start of work.

Watering

The watering schedule for growing basil in a greenhouse does not change drastically due to stable indoor conditions. Water more frequently and generously in the first month after planting. Then reduce the frequency of moisturizing so that excess moisture does not lead to illness. Water an adult plant when the top layer of soil dries out moderately.

As a rule, in a greenhouse it is enough to water the basil once a week. But if the microclimate conditions inside change, the moisture schedule will also change.

Watering should be done with warm water. For the procedure, you will need a watering can with a nozzle in the form of a wide sprayer. Perfectly proved itself and drip irrigation.

To maintain normal humidity inside, it is necessary to carry out periodic ventilation. Accumulating condensate on the glass must be removed. When airing, the time of which you correlate with weather conditions, try to avoid drafts.

Basil is demanding on moisture, but in the greenhouse you need to strictly control the level of humidity.

Feeding and pruning

These procedures are carried out in the same way as when growing basil in open ground.

Video: growing basil in a greenhouse

Growing at home

If you love basil and want to have this fragrant herb on your table every day, try growing it at home. The activity is fun and easy. But there is one little secret. As a potted plant, low-growing varieties of basil have proven themselves well. The list of them is long, but still we will offer some of them:

• Dwarf,
• Basilisk,
• Troll,
• marquis,
• Philosopher,
• Compatto.

Growing basil as a houseplant was a popular activity in ancient Rome. They believed that fragrant grass brings love, happiness and good luck. By the way, in the Mediterranean countries they still believe in it. Therefore, almost every balcony there is decorated with this spicy plant.

At home, basil is grown in the same ways - seeds and seedlings. But first you need to choose the right soil mixture - it should be light and permeable. Be sure to lay the drainage at the bottom of the pot, as standing water in the roots will lead to the death of the plant. And of course, observe the thermal regime. Basil grows well in a warm sunny window, away from drafts.

As a houseplant, basil was popular in ancient Rome.

Basil compatibility with other plants

As you know, in the cramped conditions of small gardens, many summer residents resort to tricks - compatible or compacted plantings. The same method is often used in greenhouses. So that the plants do not oppress each other, but rather help to develop, you need to choose the right neighbors. Basil in this regard is a convenient plant. It grows well in an environment of many vegetable crops.

• For legumes, basil is not only a great neighbor, but also a protector. Its bright aroma repels the bean weevil.
• It improves the taste of leaf and head lettuce, tomatoes.
• It gets along well with kohlrabi, pepper, corn, zucchini, asparagus.

But there are vegetables and strong-smelling plants with which basil does not get along. They oppress each other, so it is not recommended to plant basil next to the following crops:

• cucumbers,
• cabbage,
• radish,
• marigolds,
• marjoram,
• rosemary.

Basil is a wonderful neighbor for many vegetable crops.

Diseases

Despite the apparent tenderness and fragility, basil is quite disease-resistant. But the occurrence of diseases is possible with a combination of adverse factors, namely:

• high humidity,
• rise or fall in temperature,
• thickening of landings,
• incorrect watering.

The most dangerous for basil are fungal diseases:

Treatment

If the disease has only manifested itself, spraying with infusion of onion peel will help to cope with the spread of the fungus: 1 part of the crushed husk is poured with 4 parts of boiling water. It is infused for a day in a warm place and filtered. You can use copper sulfate - 1 tsp. for 2 liters of water.

If the fungus has spread to most plants, then you can not do without the use of fungicides. For processing, chemicals are used, for example:

• Topaz,
• Fundazol,
• Phytosporin.

Each package has instructions, and it must be strictly followed.

Treatment of plants from diseases should be carried out in cloudy weather or in the evening

Prevention

As you know, prevention is the best way to fight any disease. In order not to resort to chemistry once again, you will have to perform a number of measures.

• Do not allow thickening of landings.
• Once every 5-7 days, dust the ground with the ashes of deciduous trees.
• Weed and loosen the soil more frequently in basil beds and between rows.
• Adjust watering. In some cases, it is better not to top up than to overfill.
• Be sure to ventilate greenhouses and get rid of condensate.
• Remove the diseased plant along with a clod of earth, and spill the hole with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
• Try not to grow basil in the same place for more than two years in a row.

When planting basil, do not forget that dense plantings can lead to disease.

Pests

Basil is also resistant to pests. A strong aroma can scare away most of them. As a rule, mass destruction of landings by harmful insects is not observed. But young and weakened plants can suffer from aphids or meadow (field) bugs. Sucking pests feed on the cell sap of plants, which leads to a slowdown in their growth, and then to the drying of the leaves.

Compliance with the preventive measures described above will help prevent the appearance of uninvited guests. Well, if they appeared, folk remedies will help to cope at an early stage. Decoctions of herbs will scare away pests:

• tansy,
• wormwood,
• hot pepper,
• Luke,
• dandelion,
• garlic.

Processing is carried out several times with an interval of a week. The ash solution will do just fine - pour 300 g of ash with boiling water, simmer for half an hour over low heat, cool and strain. The resulting volume is diluted with water to 10 liters.

If you can’t do without chemicals, then use Karbofos, Aktellik or Akarin.

The meadow bug is not afraid of strong aromas, so it can visit the basil garden

Growing problems

While basil is not a picky plant, it can sometimes be a problem to grow. Most often this can happen at home or when grown in a greenhouse.

Table: Problems and Troubleshooting

To prevent basil leaves from being bitter, the inflorescences must be cut off.

Growing Secrets

If you first decided to grow this useful plant in the garden, first carefully study all the secrets for its successful cultivation:

• Choose the sunniest spot for basil. Not bad if the bed is protected from the north by dense plantings of other plants.
• In the southern regions, sow seeds or plant seedlings only in well-warmed soil. If you live in a cold climate, grow basil either in greenhouses or in a window sill room.
• In time, break out or cut off the resulting inflorescences. This stimulates the branching and growth of delicate vitamin greens.
• Basil loves a clean bed, so weeding and loosening should be done at least 7 times during the growing season.
• If you plant basil with peppers or tomatoes, you will greatly facilitate your care of spicy grass. While caring for vegetables, you also pay attention to basil.

Collection and storage of basil

To use basil as a fragrant addition to dishes, you can pluck the leaves or the top of the shoot when the plant has reached 15 cm in height. Do this carefully so as not to accidentally pull out the entire bush.

By the time the flowering begins, and this is approximately the end of July-beginning of August, the leaves have already accumulated a sufficient amount of essential oils. It is during this period that it is necessary to collect the sheet mass for harvesting for the future. You can save vitamin greens in various ways:

• to freeze,
• pickle,
• conserve.

Frozen basil does not lose its beneficial qualities

But the most common way to store vitamin grass is drying. Preparing basil in this way is very simple:

1. Pluck or cut off the shoots of the plant.
2. Collect in small bunches of 5-6 branches.
3. Hang upside down in a well ventilated dark room.
4. After a few weeks, the leaves will naturally lose moisture.
5. Store the finished product in a glass jar with a tight lid.

You can also dry basil in the microwave, electric dryer and in the oven.

Like any aromatic herb, basil is easy to dry naturally.

As you know, basil has tropical "roots", so many varieties and varieties simply do not take root in the open field. They can freeze, dry out under adverse weather conditions, or simply develop very slowly with a lack of sunlight. But these problems were largely solved thanks to the efforts of domestic breeding stations, which acclimatized annual grass. Modern varieties allow each summer resident to grow spices in their own area without special care for them. Consider the most popular varieties of basil, which have already proven themselves in the temperate climate zone.

1. Anisic. High-class hybrid of the Krasnodar breeding station, acclimatized for cultivation in the southern regions of the Russian Federation, in Poland and Moldova. It grows at temperatures from +2 to +30 degrees, the leaves are very small. Due to its unusual taste (somewhat reminiscent of anise with apple flavor), it has become very popular. It has several flavors that change during its preparation. The inflorescences have a bright red color, so it is often planted on the site as an ornamental grass. With good watering, it can produce up to 4 kg of green mass per square meter.
2. Moulin rouge. One of the most famous decorative varieties. It is often planted instead of flowers in flowerbeds, as the color of most of them simply cannot compare with the appearance of a blooming basil. Cross-pollination allows you to get all the colors of the rainbow in your area, while this beauty can still be used as a very odorous spice for dishes. The leaves have an extremely strong smell and taste, reminiscent of an anise-apricot mixture. Recommended to use Moulin rouge as a seasoning for beef or rice. With good care, you can collect up to 3 kg of greenery from 1 square meter. Stems can reach 70 centimeters in height.
3. Minimum. Exclusively culinary culture, which is used as a seasoning for many dishes and an ingredient for making healthy salads. A feature of this plant is its small size - only 12-16 centimeters in height. Suitable for growing on balconies, as the root system does not require a lot of free space for high-quality rooting and sucking out nutrients from the soil. The yield is high, from 1 square meter you can collect up to 5 kg of greenery per season, the main thing is to periodically mow the mass so that new leaves grow.
4. Thai queen. A unique variety of its kind, which has a very strong aroma and sharp taste, for which many gardeners liked it. It has unusual inflorescences, very similar to lilac clusters. It is used in cooking and also as an ornamental plant. It requires constant watering, only then the leaves will have the desired taste, and the yield will be at least 3 kg per 1 sq. m.

The choice of the desired variety depends only on the personal wishes of each culinary specialist. Some prefer a more "soft" taste and smell, while others prefer a sharp basil. If you are going to grow it on a windowsill, then it is best to choose low grass - it is easier to care for it.

Growing basil outdoors with seeds

The easiest way to get a large amount of spices in your garden without much effort is to sow a crop. In order for everything to go "like clockwork", you need to choose a well-lit and heated area. Pre-select the seeds (in appearance, choose only large and undamaged seed) and soak them for 9 hours in any growth stimulator.

Next, bury the seeds in the soil. To do this, you need to make a small trench with a hoe, somewhere 2-4 centimeters deep, so that weak seedlings can freely reach the light through a thin layer of earth. The soil is chosen fertile and loose, so that with frequent watering it does not crack - only then can you count on a good harvest of this crop.

The grass is very sensitive to cold, so it must be sown no earlier than 2 weeks after frost.. It is advisable to wait for at least + 5C at night, then the herbaceous plant will develop very rapidly and in a few weeks will please you with the first harvest of leaves. If the soil is clayey, then it is best to plant basil in seedlings - growing from seeds will not give the expected result, as the plant will be extremely weak. Seeds are shown from the ground after 7-10 days (if you previously soaked in a growth stimulator, then seedlings can be obtained in 4-5 days) and for the next 2 weeks they must be watered abundantly, mixed with a little fertilizer.

Some gardeners use agrofibre in their beds to get faster shoots and to effectively control weeds in the early stages. But the labor costs will be very large, since the planting density is high and it is necessary to spend more than one hour of time for high-quality laying of matter on the bed. Basically, this technology is effective in the presence of drip irrigation, since moisture does not fall on the leaves and feeds only the root system. In this way, many diseases that can attack your crop are prevented.

After germination, it's all about watering and occasional fertilization in the early stages. It is best to use natural organic mixtures and do not add any chemicals 2 weeks before harvesting the green mass.

Growing spice - how to get seedlings

What to do in order to get basil ready for harvesting in 3-4 weeks, how to grow seedlings on the balcony, how to save money on purchasing expensive planting material - these and many other questions torment every novice gardener. Of course, the easiest way to work with seeds is less hassle. But, if you need to get seedlings and finished products as quickly as possible, then it is better to spend a little time and effort and start seedlings.

First, soak the seeds in water or a growth stimulant for 8-9 hours, as they take a very long time to germinate and have little vitality. Before you place the seeds in the soil, you need to prepare the right mixture. To do this, add 30% sand and 15% peat to ordinary fertile soil. The main thing is that it should be loose as a result and pass air well. Drainage is also a must. Without it, the roots of future seedlings can rot, and the earth will be much denser due to the increased moisture consistency. Seeds should be at a depth of 1-2 centimeters from the surface, so that it is much easier for them to break through to the light. After 5-6 days you can see the first seedlings.

After all the operations are completed, and the seed fits into the ground, you can cover the pot with plastic wrap - this will increase the temperature, save moisture and speed up the development process by half. Feeding is optional if you added peat and humus to the soil. If the soil is not fertile enough, then you can use the drug Master or Terraflex for top dressing (20-40 grams per 10 liters). After 40-55 days, seedlings can be planted in the ground, and now your basil will have time to ripen well and give a good harvest.

Collecting herbs all year round is the dream of every gardener. They can be grown in a greenhouse, on a windowsill, on a balcony, and even in a basement under artificial lighting. The best option, of course, is a greenhouse.

Growing basil in a greenhouse is a step-by-step process and, if you follow the sequence and all the rules, you can get a huge amount of greenery in a couple of months after the seed hits the soil. Let's take a closer look at what needs to be done for this:

1. Take a dive box and spray it with any disinfectant. Copper sulfate (3%) is best suited for this. This is necessary in order to kill all kinds of pathogenic bacteria and viruses that are contained inside the wood. Such treatment is especially relevant if basil or other annual herbs with similar diseases were previously grown in the box.
2. Prepare the "correct" composition of the soil. For a greenhouse, it would be best to use the following proportion: 25% fertile soil, 25% humus or peat, 40% sand and 10% large elements, mainly crushed stone. The total thickness of the soil should be at least 10 centimeters. Small furrows are made from above, 2 cm deep and at a distance of 6 centimeters from one another.
3. Planting of seed. The grains are placed in furrows at a distance of 6 centimeters, then they are abundantly filled with water and placed under the film. Then you just need to wait 10-15 days until the first seedlings sprout.

Important: before doing all this, you need to check the material for germination. It must be at least 85%. Then the seed is sorted by size, damaged and deformed grains are selected. They germinate at a temperature of at least +20 degrees, and the average daily temperature should be around +6-8 degrees, so that the vegetative mass develops as actively as possible.

It is necessary to water only the first 2-4 weeks, then it is best to isolate the plant from moisture, since its excessive amount can lead to many diseases, in particular to the black leg. If you think that the land is not fertile enough, and you need to feed the plant, then you need to do this as soon as the first true leaf appears. The usual mineral fertilizer will be enough - the culture is very responsive to top dressing and will immediately acquire a dark green color. 3-4 grams of nitrogen fertilizer and ammonium nitrate are dissolved per 1 liter of water. Consumption: 1 liter of water is enough for 3 sq.m. In the case of working with seedlings, everything happens by analogy with open ground (described above). The only difference is the need for ventilation. At high relative humidity and temperature, a constant supply of fresh air is needed. Otherwise, the grass in the greenhouse will hurt, powdery mildew and spotting will form on it.

Basil - how to grow big grass and when to mow it

This culture is interesting in that it does not have a specific ripening period. The time when the “tryn-grass” is ready and when it is time to go mow it is determined by the gardener. Some prefer to harvest at a time when it is already beginning to age a little, and the leaves are becoming harsh. This (again, according to some experts) gives it more aroma and a sharper taste. In fact, it is very difficult for an ordinary cook to distinguish a young stem from an old one, especially if it is already dried or is in a dish. But rigidity is the opposite. In a salad, old leaves can “get on the tooth” and spoil the first impression of the dish.

The most fragrant leaves will be at the beginning of flowering (but the taste is still very weak), so if you use basil for first courses, you need to mow 20 cm stems, that is, about 3-4 weeks after the grass appears from the ground. The main mistake of a beginner is inaction after the leaves are removed.. It is necessary to pay for 1 sq.m. 12 grams of saltpeter and superphosphate so that the shoots quickly gain new mass. It is very important to "weed" the basil in the garden or break through the stems if you are growing on a windowsill or in a greenhouse. About 20% of the stems are removed.

"Haymaking" can be continued until the very frosts, the main thing is not to forget that after you remove the leaves, you need to replenish the supply of minerals and organic matter in the soil, and also remove some old plants. If you are late with cleaning, you can lose the aroma of spices.

It is desirable to store the "harvest" in glass and metal containers with air access.

Useful properties of herbs and vitamin content

Why is basil the crop that every farmer tries to grow on his plot? The fact is that fresh grass has a huge amount of nutrients. When eaten immediately after it is mowed, the body receives a lot of vitamins and minerals. A large amount of ascorbic acid and vitamin A, a huge content of almost all B and PP vitamins, essential oils and beneficial acids - this is only a small part of what is contained in the leaves and stems of this spice.

The content of essential oil (it is this that is the key to the rich smell and taste of the culture) during the growing season at 4-5 weeks reaches 2% in the stem and up to 21% in the seeds. The juice of the plant contains in large quantities the following elements: camphor, linalol, cineole. It is recommended for the treatment of many cardiovascular diseases, as well as for the prevention of chronic diseases. The plant has long been used as a good antipyretic, as well as a cure for infectious diseases. With regular consumption, it significantly increases human immunity, prevents the spread of inflammatory processes.

Many painkillers are made from basil juice, since the components contained in it quickly act on damaged receptors (it has a local effect). People with digestive problems (including patients with ulcers and gastritis) are advised to constantly include this spicy herb in their diet. It not only “lightens” the stomach and intestines, but also contributes to the active release of enzymes necessary for digestion and assimilation of food. It is recommended for spasms and flatulence, the positive effect can be seen almost immediately after eating basil greens.

Dry mix is ​​often used to prepare a relaxing bath. In Turkish hammams, spicy herb is an integral component that allows you to relax the body as much as possible, open the pores. It is believed that in this way it is possible to remove a large amount of toxins from the body and tone the muscles of the body.