Experienced gardeners offer tips for growing basil on your windowsill, a process that’s simple and rewarding. Basil, known for its delightful fragrance and culinary uses, can be propagated from seeds or cuttings. Choose a type that appeals to your flavor and scent preferences, and obtain seeds or cuttings from a healthy, adult plant.
Finding the Perfect Spot: Basil loves warmth and sunlight, so pick a spot on your windowsill where the temperature stays between +20°C and +30°C and receives at least four hours of sunlight daily.
Soil Setup: Get your planting containers and a nutritious growing medium ready. You can use pots, containers, or pallets with holes for drainage. Make sure the containers are roomy, and the growing medium is loose and well-aerated. You can either use a pre-made universal seedling mix or create your own by mixing equal parts humus, peat, sand, and wood ash.
Preparing the Seeds: Before planting, sift through the seeds to remove any that are damaged or hollow, and soak the good ones in warm water or a growth stimulant for 12 hours. Afterwards, dry them and treat with a manganese or phytosporin solution to disinfect.
Preparing Cuttings: If you’re using cuttings, snip them at an angle, strip the lower leaves, and let them sit in water or a growth stimulant for a few hours.
Planting Basil: Fill your containers with the growing medium, press it down, and make small holes about 10-15 cm apart. Drop a single basil seed into each hole and lightly cover with 1-2 cm of the medium. Gently water the soil and cover the containers with plastic wrap or glass to create a greenhouse effect, and place them somewhere warm and bright.
For Cuttings: Insert the cuttings into water or the growing medium to a depth of 2-3 cm. If you’re using water, remember to change it regularly. If you’re planting in the medium, keep the humidity up and cover the containers with plastic or glass.
Maintaining basil on your windowsill requires consistent attention. Keep an eye on the temperature, moisture levels, and light exposure to prevent the plant from becoming too dry or shaded. The ideal growing conditions are a temperature of +20-25°C, humidity between 60-70%, and 12-14 hours of light each day.
Water the basil sparingly, only when the top layer of the substrate feels dry, and use lukewarm, gentle water. Be mindful not to overwater or let the soil dry out completely. Mist the plants regularly to maintain humidity and keep the leaves vibrant.
Nourish your basil biweekly with either organic or mineral-based fertilizers. Organic choices can include nutrient-rich solutions made from rice water, onion peels, banana peels, or tea. If opting for mineral fertilizers, look for those that contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and essential trace elements. When the basil reaches a height of 10-15 cm, thin out the plants by removing any weak or sickly shoots, leaving the robust and healthy ones to grow.
Harvest your basil as required, snipping the tops or individual leaves with care to avoid harming the main stem.
Check the next Post: How to help birds survive the cold
