Basil growing in the garden is a sure sign of summer. It is an easy to grow sun-loving herb that goes a long way in the kitchen. Freshly picked it takes pasta, salads and pizzas to a new dimension in tastiness and at the end of summer, when you have more than you know what to do with, you can make a mountain of pesto to freeze for delicious pasta and soups through autumn and winter.
COMPANION PLANTS
Tomato, asparagus, beans, chilli pepper, aubergine, potato.
WHEN:
Indoors you can grow basil in a pot on a warm windowsill all year round. Outdoors basil is usually planted at the same time as tomato seedlings. This means from spring once the soil has warmed up
WHERE:
Basil loves warmth and sunshine, it often shares a planting spot on the sunny side of the base of tomato plants. It grows very well in pots and window boxes.
SOIL:
Basil likes a free-draining soil that doesn’t hold onto moisture for very long – a watering can of water poured onto the soil should drain away within 30 minutes or so. A fertile, sandy soil with a bit of organic matter dug through it is ideal.
SOW:
Soaking the seeds overnight helps to improve germination. Indoors, sow seeds into pots of seed compost for growing on a warm windowsill. Sow three or four seeds per pot and thin seedlings as they develop until you have one strong one per pot.
PLANT:
When the weather has settled and it is reliably warm and sunny, plant seedlings at an average spacing of a good hand’s length. Protect with a plastic juice bottle cloche as plants establish. Keep an eye out for slug damage overnight. If you see evidence of attack then go on a slug hunt and utilize slug control methods.
HARVESTING
Pick regularly from the top to discourage plants from flowering and to produce more large, sweet leaves further down the plant. Sow a new batch of plants every four weeks from spring onwards to ensure a long and aromatic harvest.
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