Health, Knowledge, Recipes

SUWASO Planter’s to Grow Basil

Growing basil is a wonderful choice. This culinary herb not only provides edible yields but also provides benefits to other plants growing in your garden.

 

To grow basil at home, the process is simple:

  1. Choose a suitable location (how to choose a suitable location) to grow your basil.
  2. Select Your basil seeds or purchase plants.
  3. Sow (distance) or plant your basil.
  4. Care (how to care ?) for your basil throughout the growing season.

Where to Grow Basil

The good news is that this healthy, leafy herb can be grown in a wide range of locations (any specific temperature/sunlight, etc). It can be grown in small spaces alongside other herbs or leafy greens in a vertical planter like our Pinnacle Planter. This tiered planter is a great way to make the most of your space.

You can also grow basil alongside other edible crops in a planter like the Infetora Planter. This planter has a support structure that could make it a great choice for growing tomatoes. Planting basil around tomatoes can bring a range (an example) of benefits.

Basil is a good companion plant for a number of other edible plants. Growing tomatoes and basil together is one of the most common combinations. The basil provides good ground cover to reduce moisture loss from your planter, may help in repelling pests, and is even said to make tomatoes taste better.

Basil needs plenty of sun and a moist yet moderately free-draining growing medium. So think carefully about where any planters (any suggestion for location) for basil and other similar herbs are placed.

Choosing Which Basil to Grow

Once you have decided (how to decide, what factors to consider) where to grow basil, you will of course have to decide which basil to grow. The most common choice is Basilicum ocimum (common basil). But you might also grow holy basil, (Ocimum tenuiflorum) also known as Tulsi.

You can purchase these as small plants, to place in your planters. Or you can consider taking the extra step and growing these plants from seed (any link/Tips to grow).

Sowing or Planting Basil

If you choose to grow basil from seed, you can sow indoors in February or March, then transplant the young plants to your outside garden in April. April or May is also a good time to transplant purchased basil plants into your garden.

How to Care for Basil Plants

  • Mulch around the plants after planting with compost or other organic materials. (You can make your own compost very easily at home from kitchen scraps and other biodegradable materials.) Mulch keeps water in the soil and adds fertility slowly over time.
  • Water (frequency & qty) well to keep the soil moist (meter to check) throughout the growing season.
  • Feed basil in planters with a nitrogen-rich organic liquid plant feed in spring and summer to boost growth. (You can make your own compost tea, or a liquid feed made from grass clippings or green tea, for example.)

Harvest by pinching off the top leaves little and often as required. The more you harvest little and often, the bushier and healthier your basil plants should become.

Basil Pesto Recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *