How To Grow Basil: Planting and Growing Tips
Basil is one of America’s most beloved herbs. Many people use basil in the kitchen for tasty dishes, it is easy to grow, and has relatively few pests and diseases. Basil comes in a multitude of flavors. Many people refer to basil as “the king of the herbs”. Basil has many uses in culinary dishes, in oils, soaps, cosmetics, liqueurs, and even perfumes. Today’s post is about some of the ways we use basil, how to grow it, care for it, pests and disease you may encounter with basil, and what to plant and not plant with basil. Let’s dig in…
Growing Basil
I have found basil to be one of the easiest plants to grow. And I am not the only one. Millions of people around the world are growing it too. There are so many different flavors that it is easy to find one for you. Basil can be grown in raised beds, containers, or grow straight in the ground.
Basil is an tender annual. Some people say that it is a perennial. But, if you live in an area that freezes during the late fall and winter basil will be an annual for you. It cannot handle frost and freezes and will die. It only grows during the spring and summer (sometimes fall) months. Here in Houston it can last from spring until the first freeze.
Planting Basil
If you want to plant basil you can do so by seeds or get transplants from your local nursery. You will only need one or two plants per season, unless you want to get multiple varieties. If you would like to grow your basil from seed you can plant your seeds 4-5 weeks before the last frost date in pots kept indoors away from cold weather. If planting the seeds directly outdoors you will need to wait until the temperature is maintaining around 75 degrees. This is optimal temperatures for seeds to sprout.
When planting your seeds or seedlings you need to space the plants 18 inches apart to give the plants adequate spacing for when the plants mature in size. When planting basil pick a spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight a day. They can tolerate a little bit of shade but the plants can get leggy if they are in too much shade. You want to make sure that the location you plant in has well drained soil. Basil does not like soggy roots.
Care While Growing Basil
During the growing season provide Basil at least one inch of water a week. Do not overwater your plants. However, if the temperatures get too hot and you have not had any rain you can give the plants an extra drink of water. When watering take care to water the roots and not the leaves. This will help prevent air borne fungal diseases, such as downy mildew and leaf spot.
To keep your plants bushy you can trim them back when necessary. This is a great time to use the trimmings for cooking or another one of basil’s great uses. If you desire, you can use the trimmings to propagate new plants by planting those cuttings in soil. Are you using those cuttings for cooking? Make sure that you wash the cuttings to remove any soil or insects that have made that plant their home. If you happen to cut more than you need you can store the cuttings in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. Take care that you have dried the cuttings off before sealing them in the plastic bag.
Fertilizing Basil
To fertilize basil use a fertilizer that is well balanced. For basil you need a fertilizer with equal amounts of nutrients. Look at the fertilizer container for the letters N-P-K. The N stands for nitrogen which helps plants leaves grow. The P stands for Phosphorus which helps plants flower and fruit. The K stands for Potassium which helps the roots grow nice and healthy. You need to fertilize basil every 2-3 weeks.
Basil Flowers
The flowers of basil are lovely, however, it signifies that the plant is nearing the end. The entire goal of a plant is to produce seed to start new life and grow more plants. It is possible to extend the life of basil by cutting those flowers off as soon as they are visible. This not only gives you more time to enjoy your basil leaves but it keeps the leaves tasting fresh. When basil begins to flower the flavor of the leaves begin to get less flavorful and can even make the leaves taste somewhat bitter.
When my growing season is getting near the end I do like to let the flowers grow so that the plant will set seed. I collect the seeds and store them in a dry location indoors until it is time to plant them again in early spring the next year. Make sure that the seeds you are storing have had time to dry before sealing them up so they will not get moldy. I have had several years that I have not had to plant any seeds since the plants reseeded before I could get them and came up the next spring without any help from me. That is my kind of gardening.
Basil Pests and Disease
Basil has few pests or diseases. It is relatively easy to care for. The few pests that might find their way and eat or damage basil are: aphids, snails, slugs, spider mites, Japanese Beetles, leafminers, thrips and some caterpillars, and grasshoppers.
Basil is amazing because it will repel pests and help increase yields of vegetables that are planted around it. The insects that are repelled by basil are: white flies, mosquitos, carrotfly, asparagus beetle, and potato bugs.
Diseases that can interfere with the growth of basil are: Leaf spot, gray mold, Cercospora leaf spot, Fusarium Wilt, and downy mildew. I find that the most important way to prevent one of these diseases is to water the soil – not the leaves. I have one exception to this rule: when you have spider mites you can wash the leaves off with the water hose to help get rid of them. Spider mites like a dry environment. Another way to prevent these diseases are to water in the morning, not in the evening. This gives the leaves a chance to dry during the day to prevent the development of some of these diseases. Even with good watering practices you can still get a disease on your basil. Many of these diseases are air-borne and can travel many miles to reach your plant.
Companion Plants to Grow with Basil
What is a companion plant? A companion plant is a plant that grows well with another plant. Some plants can grow well with any plant, however, there are plants that do not grow well with others. Many companion plants will help prevent pest and disease problems on other plants that are planted nearby. Basil grows well with many plants. Here is a quick list of some plants that are companion plants with basil and some plants that you should not plant near basil.
Companion Plants for Basil:
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Potatoes
- Root Vegetables
- Borage
- Oregano
- Peppers
- Marigolds
- Asparagus
- Beans
- Eggplant
Plants You Should Not Plant Near Basil:
- Cucumber
- Rue
- Mint
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Fennel
- Thyme
Basil Varieties
Basil is versatile and grows in a variety of shapes and flavors. There are around 150 different varieties of basil. Some varieties are sweet, spicy, chocolate, citrus, anise, and camphor. My personal favorite basil is Lemon Basil. The most common type is Sweet Basil.
Scientific Name: Ocimum basilicum
Ocimum is derived from the Greek meaning “to be fragrant”
Common names for basil include: St. Joseph Wort, Sweet Basil, Common Basil, Krishna Tulsi, Munjariki, Varvara, Visva Tulsi
- Sweet Basil-Ocimum basilicum – Most Common type grown; has peppery undertones; bright green leaves 2-3 inches long; 12- 18 inches tall; white flowers
- Thai Basil-Ocimum basilicum- Licorice basil– loves the heat; sweet licorice flavor; 20 inches tall; purple flowers
- Genovese’ Basil-Ocimum basilicum ‘Genovese’– Italian type basil; perfect for making pesto; large dark green leaves; 18-24 inches tall;
- Lemon Basil-Ocimum basilicum var. Citriodora-large bright green leaves; lemon flavor; white flowers; plant height is 20-24 inches
Uses For Basil
People use basil all over the world. Its biggest contribution is to the culinary world. This is particularly because of the robust flavor that it can give to a dish. Basil comes in many different flavors and can be used to cook with fish, meats, vegetables, salads, and sauces. The leaves are the main part of the plant that is used in cooking. The leaves can be used either fresh, dried, and even frozen. The flavor will change depending if it is fresh, dried, or frozen. You can eat the leaves raw-fresh. The flowers can be eaten, as well. They are great in salads. Basil can be preserved in vinegar or olive oil to help preserve the flavor. It is also the main ingredient in pesto.
Therapeutic Uses For Basil
Many people consider basil to have therapeutic qualities.
- Basil is an antioxidant. Diets rich in antioxidants are known to help lower diseases, like Heart Disease and some cancers.
- Basil leaves are high in Vitamin K, which helps blood clot. People that take blood-thinning medications should take care that they do not ingest too much basil to interfere with their medication.
- Basil can help lower your blood pressure.
- Basil can be used to soothe pain and relieve headaches.