Also known as Ocimum basilicum, sweet basil can give you the best feeling on Earth once you picked it directly from the plant, and then cook it right away.
Don’t have inclination or room to cultivate it in the yard? Don’t worry, you can still enjoy fresh basil flavor through planting basil in pots.
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How to Grow Bash in a Pot? Here Are 4 Easy Tips For You to Follow!
WHY GROW BASIL IN CONTAINERS?
Apart from food factor, learning how to grow basil in a pot is the easiest way to make the aromatic basil close at hand.
Unlike when you plant them in soil, growing basil in containers makes them more visible, especially if you also want to grow them for aesthetics purposes. Not only that, nothing is much more appropriate when you need a pinch of basil than to step out from your kitchen to your container garden of herbs.
Fresh organic basil can add an aromatic flavor to your dishes.
Basil’s spicy and fresh flavor profile (not to mention that it’s clove-scented) is a good natural addition into different culinary cuisines and styles. Take note that a well-pruned plant can already supply with about half cup of basil every week.
Though you don’t have enough space, you can simply look for a sunny window spot and just fill a pot with good soil. When everything’s settled, you’re good to go.
READY TO KNOW HOW TO GROW BASIL?
So, if you’re craving to know how to grow basil in a pot, steal these tips away
Basil’s leaves look like peppermint, which is also another aromatic herb.
1. Look for a sunny place.
In order to survive, basil requires a warm and sunny place. It needs 6 to 8 hours of direct light from the sun. However, if you’re living in hot places, you may desire to provide your herb some afternoon shade.
Moreover, you don’t have to rush to put it out during springtime as it requires fairly warm air and soil. You may use HPS bulbs during this season, especially if you’re worried about your herbs getting an insufficient amount of light.
2. Pick a good pot for it.
Choosing the right container is another important thing to consider if you want to know how to grow basil in a pot. Actually, you can plant basil almost everywhere just make sure it will receive a good amount of sunlight for photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is a much-needed process to grow your basil plant healthy. So, place it near your window or in the balcony.
Every container will surely work out such as laundry basket, kiddie pool, and much more. But, you should know that basil demands space to let the air circulate the herbs. Avoid from drying it out completely through using big containers.
Also, you may put them a little bit closer than the advised distance, 12 to 18 inches apart. Maintaining airflow between the herbs is essential since basil is vulnerable to fungus.
Utilize a high-quality of potting soil and ensure that your pot has lots of drainages. This herb does not like too much moisture, so you’d better keep the soil moist, not mushy.
3. Water and feed the basil
As implied above, this herbal plant is too picky when it comes to water. It doesn’t thrive in areas which are too wet or too dry. To determine whether you need to add water to the container or not, place your finger into the soil.
When you feel any dry soil, then that’s the time you’ll need to open your lawn sprinklers to add some water. Please don’t use high-pressure tools like a pressure washer when watering the basil; however, you can use an electric pressure washer to clean big planters and plant containers instead.
Basil needs a well-drained soil to grow indoors.
Blend an organic fertilizer on the potting soil using a fertilizer spreader. However, make sure that the potting soil doesn’t contain any fertilizer already.
This is because basil reacts if you put too much nitrogen, which most fertilizers have. After that, add some diluted liquid fertilizer each week.
4. Harvest and Pick-As-You-Go
To raise a bushy basil plant, it is significant to pinch the herb back more often. Begin pinching it right from the time that it is already 4 inches tall. Take off the top leaves.
Remember, it will be much better if you harvest this herb before it bears flowers. Indeed, a nice trick to learn, especially if you’re determined to master the procedure on growing basil in a pot.
Make sure you use the right soil type-- not too dry yet not too mushy-- as this is vital when growing basil.
In storing basil, you can create a ton of pesto which you can freeze in food containers. In addition to that, you can create slurry through blending basil along with some olive oil. With that, you could create them into ice cubes and add them to stews, soups, or fish.
CONCLUSION: POINTS TO PONDER
With these tips on how to grow basil in a pot, you can certainly raise a healthy and green Basil leaves. Gone are the days when you still need to run to the supermarket just to buy something to sprinkle over your caprese salad, Bloody Mary’s, or Thai soups.
Growing your own fresh basil plants means saving a few dollars from your cooking ingredients.
Established basil plants are more cost-efficient than those packed basil in stores. Therefore, stop buying these packages with the label "fresh basil" and start planting your own basil plant at home!
Do you like the taste of basil in your dishes? Why not plant your own basil plant using pot containers? It’s easy and hassle-free. Go ahead, comment and share if you find this article helpful. Thanks for reading!
Hi there! I’m Lucy - founder of GardenAmbition.com and I’m a self-confessed garden fanatic. Gardening has always been a passion of mine and will always be my favorite pastime. Now that I am married and have one adorable son, I have the time to write and share my personal experiences with other garden enthusiasts like me.