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Intro
Basil is the perfect herb for beginners and expert gardeners alike. With a little care, anyone can grow basil indoors all year long!
Growing Basil is a great way to add flavor and color to your food. Whether you want fresh basil leaves for your dinner salad, or need some pesto sauce for pasta night, growing this herb will be the perfect solution. This post will teach you how to grow basil indoors.
Choosing The Pot
First, pick out a pot. A one-gallon pot will be big enough for a basil plant, if you go a little bigger you can add more plants to the pot. It's important to know what type of container you can use for a basil pot. You'll need something with drainage holes in the bottom that will accommodate the height of your plants. If your pots don't have any holes, be sure to poke some! The best containers are those made out of plastic or clay. Terracotta pots are another option, but they tend to dry out too quickly, so you'll need water more often. They also crack when left out in the cold.
Starting Basil Seeds
How to Germinate Basil Seeds
Using soil blocks is an excellent way to start your seeds. Make your soil blocks, add them to a clear plastic container, and place them in a sunny location or under grow lights. Using a plastic container with a lid will create condensation so your seeds will stay moist and they will not need to be watered continually. Doing this will ensure that your seedlings will not be leggy when they germinate because they will have light soon after germination. When seedlings don't get the sunlight or grow light, they will grow tall and skinny. These will not be healthy or strong seedlings.
Using a heat mat will also help your seedlings to germinate. Basil seeds germinate best in temperatures from 75 degrees to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Preparing The Soil Mix
I prefer to make a soil mix myself, but you may also choose a good potting soil. I like Happy Frog Potting Soil. It's essential to make sure you use a potting mix if you buy soil. Buying potting soil will get expensive. Well-draining soil is vital for growing in pots. Basil needs well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter.
A good soil mixture is one part compost, one part coco coir, and one part perlite. I add one tablespoon of greensand, one tablespoon of bone meal, one tablespoon of blood meal, and half a tablespoon of azomite to the mix. This is what I use for a one-gallon container.
Sunlight Requirements
Basil needs at the very least four hours of sun.
Water Requirements
Water at least twice a week. Check your soil because your climate is different than mine, so use good judgment on watering.
Basil Nutrition
Sweet basil is part of the mint family and can be used in cooking or as an herbal supplement. Although sweet basil isn't going to give you many vitamins and minerals on its own, it does have high concentrations of vitamin K which aids blood clotting when applied topically for minor wounds. It's also rich in calcium--the more raw leaves you consume!
Basil is the perfect herb to add flavor and zest to any dish. One tablespoon (around 2 grams) fresh leaves, chopped - of sweet basil: contains only about 6 Calories, but packs a whopping 13% RDI for Vitamin K! Vitamin A 3% of RDI; Calcium 0.5%; Iron 4%.
As recipes demand relatively small amounts of basil, this herb contributes few vitamins and minerals in typical diets.
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