Grow basil at home

Basil is an annual plant, it is very warm and photophilous, since its homeland is the tropics. In our climatic zone, in an open area, it grows only in the summer season, but at home - all year round. Therefore, if you decide to plant basil on the windowsill, then you will have the opportunity to pamper yourself and loved ones with fresh vitamins, because this bush is a real "storehouse" of useful substances for the body. In addition, it has unique taste, so the leaves are added to various dishes (soups, meat, fish, salads). Basil food takes on a special mouth-watering aroma. How to grow basil on a windowsill? It is not at all difficult, but you should remember some planting rules and features of caring for this crop.

Lighting and temperature control

It is best to place the container with the plant near the sunniest window. The best temperature is 21-25 degrees. The temperature should not be allowed to drop below 20 degrees, then growth will be inhibited. If the basil grows at home on the balcony, then in the cold season it is necessary to cover it with cellophane wrap to prevent hypothermia. Basil does not like drafts, try to eliminate this possibility. Sunlight should hit the leaves and stems for at least 3-5 hours a day.

to the content ↑ Planting capacity and soil for basil

For growing a basil bush at home, long wooden containers or elongated clay flower pots are ideal, the main thing is that they are sufficiently voluminous, since the root system grows abundantly.

It is best to warm up the soil before planting and fertilize with mineral fertilizing or humic concentrate.

The container chosen should be well drained to prevent fluid stagnation. For planting this plant, black soil and sandy loam are suitable.

to the content ↑ Fertilization and watering

The plant likes regular and moderate watering. Water the basil as the soil drains, about once every five days. The soil should be slightly moist. If you are growing a crop at home, then you do not need to water too much, since this can only harm the basil. If you do flood the soil and your plant begins to grow moldy, then you should immediately take appropriate action. Eliminate infected leaves and stems to avoid further spread of disease to healthy parts. Then dust the ground with ash and loosen it well.
Basil should be watered daily, preferably in the morning. In hot summertime, you can water it 2 times a day (during daylight hours). Spray the bush sometimes, and in the summer, do this procedure every day.

You can use top dressing once every 30 days for a bush. Feed your basil with an all-purpose fertilizer that includes gummates or organic compost.

In caring for the plant, it is important to regularly loosen the soil every 3 days. Thanks to this procedure, a sufficient amount of oxygen enters the ground, which is so lacking for a plant living at home.

back to content ↑ Basil breeding methods

By growing basil at home, you can get great results. But how do you do this and where to start? First of all, let's start with the methods of propagation of this plant, there are several of them:

1. A young bush from a cutting. Basil propagates by cuttings, and this is the most convenient and fastest method of obtaining a new bush. Just take a few shoots or tops from an adult bush and place them in a container of water for 7-14 days. The cuttings must take root, then they can be planted in pots. After 40-50 days, the first greens will already appear, which can be eaten. Such a plant will bring you green leaves for 3-4 months.
2. Growing a new plant from seeds. This is a longer and more painstaking way, but such a bush will last you much longer than the one that grew through cuttings. It will take eight months to a year for a young basil to fully form from the seed.

back to content ↑ How to grow a basil bush from seeds?

Any type of plant is suitable for growing at home, but it is better to choose varieties with a relatively short stem length. You can start with a small pot or plastic cup. Later, when several real leaves appear at the young shoot, it will need to be carefully planted in a larger container without damaging the root system. Although it is possible to immediately plant the seeds in large pots.

The soil needs fertile and light. Ordinary black soil with compost will do. For fertilization, take a mineral dressing. Provide high drainage properties of the soil, because this is very important for the plant. For this purpose, foam or broken brick is suitable. In front of the soil layer, lay out the selected material with a layer thickness of 2-4 cm.
Basil seeds must be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate before planting in the ground. Then you should plant the seeds in watered soil, pressing them about 1 cm. Make an interval of 10 cm between seeds. When you are done planting, cover the pot with cellophane, do not remove it until germination.

In order for the seeds to germinate as quickly as possible (after 5-7 days), a temperature of 23-27 degrees is required. After about 40-50 days, the first spicy leaves will begin to appear, which can be eaten. When you cut the greens, leave 3-4 leaves on the stem to ensure the growth of new shoots in the future. While the bush has not yet bloomed, remove the top so that it grows in breadth.

back to contents ↑ Instructions for planting and caring for basil at home

1. The beginning of March is most suitable for planting, then you do not have to highlight the plants. Take the seeds and soak them in a potassium permanganate solution for a couple of hours. Prepare a pot of potting soil as described above. Plant the seeds, retreating from each other by 3-5 centimeters, sprinkle them with about one centimeter of earth.
2. Then close the pot with a plastic bag or cap, remove this "greenhouse" only when the first shoots appear. Keep the seed pot in a warm place.
3. After removing the lid, transfer the sprouts to a well-lit area. If you planted seeds in the autumn, artificial lighting is needed for a young bush. To do this, use a fluorescent lamp, directing it to the sprouts for 8-10 hours a day. This procedure will speed up the growth of plants.
4. When the sprouts grow longer and a second corolla of leaves appears, plant the plants in separate larger containers.
five.From this stage, it is necessary to increase the time of artificial illumination up to 12 hours. Plants should not be watered and fed too abundantly. When the third corolla of leaves appears, spray the young basil with water at a comfortable temperature every 7 days in the morning or in the afternoon.

Back to contents ↑ Varieties of basil

For growing at home, you can use any kind of basil, but it is best to take varieties with miniature leaves (Dwarf, Marquis, Basilisk).

Cultivars vary in color and leaf aroma, so pick a plant that suits your taste. Basil gives cooked dishes a special aroma, the notes of which are different according to the variety.
Yerevan. Its leaves are a deep blue hue, smell of tea and allspice.
Baku. The leaves are purple-brown, giving the food a clove and mint flavor.
Spoon-shaped. The leaves are green, smell like laurel and cloves.

Now you know how to grow basil on a windowsill. Growing a basil bush at home will not be difficult if you adhere to the above rules of care. Do not be lazy to take care of the plant, then it will delight you with an excellent harvest of spicy leaves!

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Basil is a crop that requires special attention, but many people know that it can be grown all year round in a regular flower pot at home. True, not everyone has enough patience and skill.

This culture loves warmth and light. She needs a constant temperature in the range of 20-25 degrees and continuous lighting. The basil should have good quality soil, as well as a daily "shower" and always watering.

3 ways to grow basil in pots

Transplanting an adult plant into a pot

This method is suitable for those who grow basil in a vegetable garden or in a personal plot. Young bushes that have not yet bloomed are carefully dug out together with a small earthen clod and placed in a flower pot. After a short growing season, the basil begins to bloom. Flowers will have to be cut off, and young shoots are cut, they will be useful for propagation by cuttings. This method can be called "transfer from open ground".

Growing by cuttings

The method of growing by cuttings is not complicated. Young shoots or tops of an adult plant can become cuttings. They must be placed in any container with water for about ten days. As soon as the roots appear, the plant can be planted in a pot. It will only take a couple of weeks and you can try the first greens. This plant will be useful in the house for 3-4 months.

Growing from seeds

The way to grow basil from seeds has its pros and cons. The downside is that the bush will grow much longer than when propagated by cuttings. You will be able to taste the first greens not earlier than after 8-12 months. And the plus is that such a bush will last much longer.

Growing basil from seeds: basic steps

The basil family has several types and varieties. For planting in pots, you need to choose seeds of undersized and bunch-like varieties. Initially, seeds are planted in small plastic containers or small pots. As the plant grows, after the appearance of 2-3 full-fledged leaves, you will have to move it to a container of larger volume. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the fragile young roots. You can shorten this process by planting the seeds directly into a large pot (about 1 liter capacity).

Before filling the pot with soil, do not forget to put any drainage at least two centimeters high on the bottom. The soil must be specially prepared from several important components: one part of humus and two parts of coconut fiber (or peat). Be sure to pour the entire mixture with liquid mineral fertilizers. Basil soil requires fertile and easily absorbing water.

Selected basil seeds must go through a disinfection period, being in a solution of potassium permanganate for two hours. Only then can they be planted in soil that has been watered abundantly beforehand. Each seed is planted at a shallow depth (no more than 1 centimeter), every 10 centimeters. Then the surface is completely covered with a transparent film and is not removed until the first shoots appear.

If a constant temperature (from +20 to +25 degrees) is maintained in the room where the seeds germinate, then very soon (after about 10 days) the first shoots will sprout.

As soon as young shoots have appeared, the pots are immediately transferred to a room, where it is always warm and well-lit. The Basilica is very fond of "water treatments". It must be watered regularly at the same time, once a day. On hot summer days, this procedure can be repeated in the morning and evening. Spraying with water at room temperature will not be superfluous.

Basil is a subtropical plant that should be exposed to sunlight for as long as possible. Solar lighting and heating is simply vital for a plant to grow and develop normally. Under favorable conditions, the culture will bush and branch very quickly. The main thing is that the air temperature does not fall below 20 degrees Celsius, and there are no drafts.

The soil under adult basil needs to be enriched with oxygen. This is done every 3 days by loosening. And it is also desirable to feed poor soil with organic or universal fertilizers.

The first spicy greens can be tasted in about a month and a half. It is necessary to carefully cut off mature leaves and be sure to leave at least three leaves on the bush. In order for the basil bush to grow in breadth, and not in height, you need to pinch the topmost leaves.

Best time to grow basil in pots

Basil can be grown in pots throughout the year. True, at a certain time he will need more attention, patience and additional strength. This plant is native to the subtropics, therefore, throughout the year, it needs to create special conditions for full growth and development.

He is very sensitive to drafts and reacts very negatively to them. He constantly needs sunlight and warmth. Therefore, in the cold autumn-winter period, you will have to work hard to preserve the plant. The basil pots may need to be wrapped in plastic on the coldest days. During short light days or in cloudy weather, the plant will need additional lighting.

In this regard, basil is recommended to be planted in early March, when daylight hours are already increasing and the sun's heat becomes more noticeable. Such natural conditions help the plant in the active phase of development. And in the summer, the strengthened basilica is not afraid of anything.

Translated from Greek, the word "basil" means king. This spicy herb received this name due to its taste, incredible aroma and a huge list of useful properties. The seasoning is in great demand in the Mediterranean countries. In Italy, the Pesto sauce is made from it, and the French prefer its combination with tomatoes. In Russia, basil began to be grown not so long ago, but many summer residents have already managed to master all agrotechnical techniques. How to sow basil outdoors? What to do with the first shoots? All of this below.

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Ancient history of purple and red basil

Basil became known to mankind over 5000 years ago. All this time it was actively used for culinary and medical purposes. Basil tea has a calming effect on the nervous system and tones the body. The drink helps to improve the functioning of the liver and gallbladder.

Basil in a pot close up

The birthplace of the basilica is Africa. In Russia, they learned about the miraculous properties of this herb in the 18th century.In those days, cosmetics were prepared from it in the form of tonics and masks. Basil is also used today to improve the condition of the skin.

Description of the bush

Basil is an annual plant with short petiolate oblong leaves. Its stem can grow up to 60 cm in height. The root is branched and is located close to the surface of the earth. The leaves and stem are covered with hairs. The color of the flowers is white, pale pink. The fruits outwardly resemble nuts, ripen in a group of 4 pieces. and are able to remain viable for up to 5 years.

How many varieties can you plant in the country?

The variety of basil varieties is striking in its abundance. The most popular among them is fragrant basil. In Africa, you can find camphor basil, which has blue leaves. In Mexico, brown basil is grown, in southeast Asia - lemon. The plant with purple leaves has a less pronounced aroma, but due to its bright color, it is used to decorate dishes.

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Preparing seedlings at home in spring

Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out at the end of March. They are pre-soaked in warm water or a non-concentrated solution of potassium permanganate. After 2 hours, the liquid is drained. For growing seedlings, pots and boxes are suitable, the depth of which is at least 10 cm. A layer of drainage is placed on the bottom of the container, then a soil mixture consisting of peat, humus, sand (in a ratio of 4: 2: 1).

In the soil, holes are made 1 cm deep and seeds are placed in them. Sprinkle earth on top of the grooves and spray using a spray bottle. After all these manipulations, the crops are covered with foil or glass. The pots with them are placed in a warm place. The next stage involves proper care of the seedlings:

• Once a day, the film or glass is removed and the crops are allowed to air.
• Condensation must be collected from the inside.
• The soil should be watered periodically with a moderate amount of water.

Basil flower

You can observe the appearance of the first shoots after 7 days. This is a sign that the seedlings need to be opened. As soon as a full-fledged leaf grows, the sprouts should be planted and a distance of 5 cm should be left between them.

When there are 5 leaves, pinch the top of the sprouts. This is to keep the plant thicker. At the end of spring, sprouts sprouted at home can be sent to the garden. This can be done only after 5 leaves have formed. Until this amount is available, landing is not worth it.

A week before planting seedlings in open ground, it must be hardened. To do this, it should be taken out daily to fresh air. The duration of the first hardening procedure is 15 minutes. Further, the time spent on the street must be brought to 24 hours.

How to plant seeds or seedlings outdoors

Basil dies under the influence of low temperatures. In this regard, the seedlings are planted in the garden when the morning frost has passed. It is best to plant this plant in the spring, in mid-May. The sowing scheme can be any.

Basil responds well to fertile, moisture-permeable soil. Mandatory fertilization is required before planting. For 1 m2, 2 kg of humus, peat and compost are applied.

The distance between the shoots should be about 40 cm. The depth of the holes is 10 cm. Before planting, the holes must be watered.

Experienced summer residents do not recommend planting basil in the same place for two years in a row. If you do not take this point into account, brown spots will appear on the leaves of the plant, and over time it will die. This disease is called fusarium. Its pathogens are fungi that live in the ground for a long time. The optimal planting interval should be 5 years.

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Growing and caring for green shoots of basil in the garden

Keg Grown Basil

In order for basil leaves to delight with their spicy taste and healthy leaves, it needs to be properly cared for.The plant needs abundant watering with warm, settled water. It is best to fill a plastic barrel with it, put it in the sun and wait for it to warm up. In the evening, the water can be used for irrigation.

While moistening the soil, you should try not to flood the sprouts with water. Excess moisture will lead to black leg injury. The spice grows well if you apply nitrogen fertilizers under it. The first feeding is carried out after 14 days from the moment the seedlings are planted on the garden bed. To increase the green mass of the plant, in addition to pinching the tops, cutting the flowers will be required.

The soil around the basil bushes is loosened, all weeds are removed. During the summer season, you need to carry out 6-7 such procedures. When weeding and loosening is over, the sprouts are watered with warm water.

Collecting crops in the garden

The basil leaves must be harvested before they bloom. It was during this period that it contains an abundant accumulation of vitamins and essential oils. Unripe buds will tell you that the grass can be cut.

Basil blooms until autumn. The plant loves warmth, so it must be placed in a house or greenhouse before the first frost. It grows well in a pot for indoor plants. Basil will not only decorate the room, but also fill it with an incredible spicy aroma.

Correct drying

When the crop is harvested, it must be dried. This can be done in different ways:

• On open air. The leaves are washed, debris removed, laid out on a towel. After the water has drained, they are placed on a baking sheet. If the leaves are large, it is better to collect them in bunches, tie and hang them to dry on a rope in a warm room.
• In the oven. Clean and dried leaves are laid out on a baking sheet and sent to the oven, preheated to 400 ° C for 2 hours.
• In the microwave. To dry the grass, the appliance is turned on at full power and the plant is left in it for 3 minutes.

You can manually determine the readiness of the basil. If it's completely dry, the greens will crumble in your hands. Glass jars or paper bags are suitable for storing spices.

Freezing whole leaves

Basil plant care

You can prepare basil leaves for the winter by freezing them. To do this, they are washed, immersed in boiling water for a few seconds, then in cold water. After such contrasting procedures, the leaves are laid out on a towel. Once they are dry, they need to be arranged in bags and sent to storage in the freezer.

Quick freeze chopped leaves

For express freezing of basil, its leaves need to be washed, chopped and filled with water. Divide the liquid into molds and send to the freezer. If you replace the water with olive oil, you get a piece that can be used for frying.

Basil seeds

Basil leaves contain vitamins, essential oils, substances useful for the body. Essential oil has a bactericidal effect. This spice should be included in your menu in order to lower blood cholesterol. The plant is characterized by antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects. It heals wounds, eliminates muscle spasm, and reduces gas formation in the intestines.

Because basil contains mercury compounds, it should not be consumed in large quantities. This spice is contraindicated for pregnant women and those who suffer from diabetes and heart disease.

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Even a novice gardener can handle the cultivation of basil in the country. The plant is unpretentious and does not need special attention. It rises quickly and grows actively. A pick of this spice is not always necessary. Harvesting and harvesting is also straightforward. If you follow all the rules of cultivation, you can get a good harvest and get this healthy spice for the whole year.

Basil of any kind and type can be grown on a windowsill. This plant has purple or green hues, small or large leaves and a pleasant smell.In order for it to be accepted at home, it must be located in a warm and sunny place, provided with good watering, fertile soil and high-quality drainage. In this article, we will tell you how to grow basil on a windowsill, give advice on care, watering.

To grow basil on a windowsill, provide it with all the necessary conditions for full growth.

Preparation for sowing basil: recommendations

If you decide to grow this plant at home, then start doing it from seeds, not from cuttings. In this case, the plant is well accepted and less sick, but it will take longer to wait for the harvest. You can start sowing at any time of the year. If grown from shoots, then make every effort to ensure that the basil takes root. The leaf is cut from the top or middle of the stem. We put the leaf in water, and after 4-6 days it gives a root. After that, proceed to planting in the ground. Read also the article: → "Spicy herbs - we grow ourselves."

Before this procedure, take into account the following points:

• Pick the right type of basil;
• Prepare the soil;
• Soak the seeds;
• Select containers for growing the plant.

The best basil varieties for growing on a windowsill

There are hundreds of types of basil in nature, but only a few of them are used for food. For home cultivation, give preference to undersized and ornamental varieties. Choose the one that works best for you, depending on the qualities of the plant.

The varieties that are in demand include:

• Clove aroma - Basil with a spicy and strong aroma. Such basil is used everywhere: in preserves, in the form of seasonings for a meat dish, it is used fresh. Plant height - 20-25 centimeters, but dense foliage is present. Found on balconies and window sills of housewives.
• Thai queen - the leaves are dark green. Growth goes up to fifty centimeters. Grown both indoors and on a personal plot. Read also the article: → "How to grow herbs in the country."
• Osmin is a small, bronze-colored plant. It is dried or consumed fresh.
• Marquis is a plant with small foliage and small size.
• The dwarf is the lowest among the basil varieties. Reaches a maximum of twenty centimeters in length. It has a pungent and spicy taste and rounded leaves. Colors range from green to purple.

Basil "Dwarf" - a good option for growing on a windowsill.

Preparing soil and seeds for sowing

For basil, soil from the garden is suitable, but it should be fertilized with mineral fertilizers. It should be light and fertile. Remove all roots and weeds from it. If there is an opportunity to buy special land for planting ornamental crops, that's great.

Tip # 1. You don't have to fertilize such soil with anything. An earthen substrate is perfect - a mixture of vermicompost with coconut fiber.

If you have the time and desire to create a fertile and light soil, then pay attention to the following components.

Composition option	The name of the constituent components	Norm
1	Humus Coir	2 parts 1 part
2	Earth Fresh compost	1 part 1 part
3	Humus Peat Earth	1 part 1 part 1 part
4	Peat Humus Superphosphate Urea Potassium sulfate	2 parts 1 part 3 g / 1 l of water 1 g / 1 l of water 2 g / 1 l of water (moisten the soil with a mixture of these solutions)

As for the seeds, you should buy them in a special store. A prerequisite is soaking the seeds in a manganese solution before planting. You need to keep them there for 4-6 hours.

Soak the seeds in a mild manganese solution before sowing.

Basil planting container

To make the basil grow comfortably on your windowsill, find a wooden box, plastic container, or flower pot for it. Depending on the amount of planting material, the number of planting containers is also selected. Take care of the holes through which excess moisture will escape.

Basil seeding process

After all this, you can start sowing the basil. Plant the plant in a large container, if you plant in a small one, you will have to, then dive. Do not plant seeds deeper than two centimeters. there should be a distance of 8-10 cm between the seeds. The soil should be moistened and pass through the drainage. Expanded clay, pebbles, white bricks or shards may lie at the bottom. Maintain a distance between each seed of at least fifteen centimeters.

Tip # 2. After sowing, cover the containers with oilcloth until sprouts appear. This will happen within five days, at temperatures from +23 to +26 degrees.

Plant care and watering

Seedlings should be carefully looked after so that they grow and form faster. The important steps are:

1. watering;
2. maintaining the temperature;
3. top dressing;
4. pruning;
5. correct lighting.

The plant should be watered every day, and best of all - this is the morning hours. If the days are hot and the ground dries out quickly, then you can add evening watering. Daytime watering is not recommended due to the risk of burns. Watering should be carried out only with settled and warm water. To prevent an earthen crust from appearing from frequent watering, loosen the soil once every seven days. Thanks to this manipulation, the root system is enriched with oxygen.

The temperature regime, as mentioned earlier, should be conducive to the development of the plant. At lower temperatures, the plant stops growing and loses its taste. At higher ones, it withers, dries up and disappears. If the room air is dry, then spray the plant with water several times a day. Also place a jar of water next to it to humidify the air. Read also the article: → "How to grow onions and other greens in an apartment."

Tip # 3. Provide the optimal temperature regime on the balcony, for good growth of the basil it is +22 - +26 degrees.

As for dressings, once every two weeks, basil should be fertilized with complex mineral fertilizers. Complexes for vegetables are suitable for this plant. Complex mineral fertilizers contain:

• Phosphorus;
• Potassium;
• Nitrogen;
• Calcium.

You can use such complexes:

• Nitrofoska;
• Ammophos;
• Nitroammofosk;
• Calcium nitrate;
• Diammophos;
• Potassium monophosphate.

Application rates are shown in the table.

Item No.	Fertilizer name	Norm
1.	Calcium nitrate	Dilute 3-5 g in 1 liter of water
2.	Nitrophoska	Dilute 4-6 g in 1 liter of water
3.	Ammophos	Dilute 3-4 g in 1 liter of water
4.	Diammophos	Dilute 2-3 g in 1 liter of water
5.	Nitroammofoska	Dilute 3-5 g in 1 liter of water
6.	Potassium monophosphate	Dilute 3-5 g in 1 liter of water

Agrolife or Rostom are also used in the form of dressings. Agrolife is poured onto the top layer of soil, in the amount of one teaspoon, Growth is diluted in water in proportions of 1 cap: 2 liters. If there is vermicompost, then it is added to the soil. When transplanting, the plant is fed with the following composition: 3 g of wood ash, superphosphate 3 g, ammonium nitrate 2 g. It is recommended to dilute everything in one liter of water.

Tip # 4. Cut off the first basil greens in a month, this will help the growth and strength of the plant. If you pinch the top, then the basil will bush.

Lighting and additional lighting of the basilica

The plant loves light and warmth. If you decide to start growing basil in the autumn-winter period, then provide it with additional lighting. In winter and autumn, the days are short, and these hours are not enough for the plant to grow, so if you want to get a good harvest, you should work hard. Purchase a special lighting fixture, lamp. Light the plant from 15 to 20 hours a day, if this is not possible, then your crop is at risk. In this case, start sowing in early March when daylight hours increase. There should be no draft, because basil cannot stand it.

If there is a lack of sunlight in winter, use additional lighting.

Harvesting and using it

When harvesting, pick off only the tops, while the plant will not give color and will branch further. If the plant blooms, then it will have to be pulled out. Remains in the case when you need to collect seeds. Basil can be dried or used fresh. It is added to pickles and various dishes. In a glass container, a dried plant can lie for up to 5 years. It is not recommended to store in plastic and metal. If you want to keep it fresh, then use the refrigerator for this.

Recommendations for growing a plant at home:

1. Choose a spacious and wide container for planting basil.

Plant your plants in large pots.

2. Watch out for watering. Avoid excessive moisture and dryness in the soil.
3. Place the boxes with the plant on the sunny side.
4. Split off the top to allow the plant to grow.
5. Feed the basil every two weeks to improve the quality and growth of the plant.

Answers to questions about growing basil at home

Question number 1. Does basil get sick if you grow it on a windowsill and how to prevent these diseases?

Yes, the plant is sick, both in the open field and when grown on a balcony or windowsill. It is affected by Fusarium and Gray mold.

1. Fusarium is a dangerous fungal disease that affects a plant at any age. The basil leaves turn yellow and the stem is thin. The root system is rotting. The plant instantly dies, if you do not take appropriate measures, then the disease will spread further. Fusarium appears due to excessively humid air and soil. Also, the infection could already be present in the soil or seeds. To prevent disease, it is advised to process the seeds before sowing and do not over-water the plant. If the disease manifests itself, then the affected plant is pulled out, and the rest are treated with Fundazol.
2. Gray mold is a microscopic fungus that infects a plant when it is waterlogged. In this case, the plant withers, fades, and spots appear on the leaves, in the form of burns. As a preventive measure, monitor the ratio of moisture, light and heat. Spray the plant with special preparations. At the first signs of illness, remove spoiled leaves, stems and burn them.

Question number 2. What sorts of basil, besides Osmina, Thai Queen, Clove Aroma, Marquis and Dwarf, are grown on the windowsill?

Popular varieties of basil:

• "Anise flavor" - this name because of the bright aniseed flavor. Flaunts with its branched stems and spreading crown. Grows up to 50-60 centimeters.
• “Broadleaf” is a basil with large green leaves. Used fresh and dried.
• "Yerevan" has purple leaves and ripens quickly. Twenty days later they are already eaten.
• "Lemon aroma" - due to its citrus aroma, it is widely used to flavor dishes, but the variety is rare.
• "Basilisk" - peppery-clove smell and taste. Has ripened early. Grows up to 25 cm in height.
• "Philosopher" - purple foliage and clove scent. It grows up to 30cm.
• "Troll" - small purple-green foliage. Grows up to 40 cm.

Question number 3. How to care for rooted basil?

With sprouts up to 6 cm, loosening is not performed, but only the plant is watered. Then the soil is loosened once every four days. Water once a day, but if the soil is too wet, do it less often. Remember that with an excess of moisture, diseases appear: Gray mold and Fusarium. Feed with complex mineral fertilizers every 3-4 weeks.

Question number 4. How is basil divided by ripening time?

There are early, medium, late and transitional varieties.

• The early ones include: "Yerevan", "Basilisk", "Clove aroma".
• To medium - "Anise aroma", "Lemon aroma", "Marquis".
• By the later - "Broadleaf".

Question number 5. Why cover basil with foil before germination?

For quick emergence, provide maximum warmth and light.Covering with foil, you will ensure good heating of the seeds, which will sprout within 4-5 days.

For early emergence, cover the seeded pots with plastic wrap.

4 common gardener mistakes

1. When growing basil on a windowsill, choose decorative and undersized varieties. You should not give preference to tall ones. They will take up a lot of space and will shade each other. You cannot provide them with full-fledged conditions for growth and development on the balcony or windowsill.
2. Plant the plant immediately in large containers. They need enough space to grow. If this is done in small pots, then they will have to be transplanted. A transplant for a plant is stress, from which not all seedlings survive.
3. Do not plant seeds close to each other. In the future, they will have to be seated or thinned out again.
4. Don't pluck basil at the root. This should be done from the tops. Cutting off this way will prevent the plant from blooming, and this will improve its growth.

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