Basil is ideal for growing at home, as it is not fussy, grows both in winter and summer, looks nice and smells very tasty. If you are new to home gardening, we recommend starting with planting this particular herb! In this material you will find everything about how to grow basil on a windowsill, how to care for it and pinch it correctly to get as much harvest as possible.
How to plant basil seeds
You can grow basil in a pot from cuttings or from a young shoot from a garden bed, but the best and longest-lasting harvest (almost a year!) at home is basil grown from seeds.
To plant basil on a windowsill you will need:
- Seeds;
- Any variety of basil will do, but keep in mind that the purple and Greek small-leaved varieties take longer and are more difficult to grow. Small-leaved and low-growing varieties of basil grow especially quickly and easily.
- Soil (read more about choosing soil and its preparation in Step No. 2);
- Expanded clay or pebbles for drainage;
- A 1-2 liter pot or a large container at least 15 cm deep, in which the basil shoots can grow at a distance of 10 cm from each other. The container for growing basil must have drainage holes;
- Cling film or plastic bag;
- Spatula.
Step 1. Seed preparation
This stage is not required, but is advisable if you want to slightly speed up the appearance of the first shoots. Soak the seeds in warm water for 1-2 days, changing the water every 12 hours (or more often), then keep them in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours and finally dry the seeds on a napkin or gauze. You can catch the seeds using a toothpick.
Step 2. Preparing the soil
Loose soil - important condition success. Suitable soil can be created from:
- Universal primer mixtures for indoor plants with garden soil (in a 1:1 ratio);
- Mixtures of vermicompost and soil for indoor plants (in a ratio of 1:4);
- Mixtures of vermicompost with coco-soil (in a ratio of 1:2).
Do not forget to treat the purchased soil before planting the seeds: pour it onto a baking sheet and bake it in the oven at a temperature of 100-120 degrees for about an hour, and then feed it with some mineral fertilizer. This procedure will prevent pests from appearing in the future.
Next, we place expanded clay or pebbles on the bottom of the container to create a drainage layer 2-3 cm thick. And finally, pour the prepared soil on top, not reaching 3-4 cm to the edges, level the surface, and then water the soil generously.
Step 3. Sowing seeds
Now you need to sow the seeds at a distance of about 2 cm from each other, sprinkle them with a 1-2 cm layer of soil, and then cover the pot cling film or a bag to create a greenhouse effect.
Next, we move the pot to a warm place and wait for the first shoots to appear, periodically opening the film to ventilate the planting. There is no need to water the seedlings during this period; if desired, you can lightly spray them, then the greens will turn out juicier.
- Depending on the variety and favorable conditions, the first basil sprouts will appear in 7-12 days.
When the shoots finally appear, remove the film and boldly thin out the shoots so that there is a gap of 10 cm between the remaining sprouts. Then transfer the pot to a sunny windowsill.
- When the seedlings grow to 5-7 cm, you can add another 2-3 cm of soil to the pot to strengthen the young shoots.
From the moment the film is removed, you need to start caring for the plant - regularly water it, loosen the soil, control the temperature and lighting. Below is a reminder with the main rules of care.
Rules for caring for basil
Watering: In summer, water and, if desired, spray the basil in the morning every day; the soil should always be moist, but not overwatered. In winter, watering should be moderate - 2 times a week will be enough.
Temperature: Keep an eye on the air temperature, it should be quite high - 20-25 degrees. Keep in mind that basil does not tolerate drafts, and at air temperatures below 20 degrees it begins to lose its aroma.
Light: During the warmer months (March to August), basil needs 6 hours of natural light. solar lighting. In winter, you can’t do without additional lighting. Read more about how and what to create it in Step No. 4.
Soil feeding: If the soil is not fertile enough, then it can be fertilized once a month: with vermicompost, Agrolife (1 teaspoon per soil surface) or other organic fertilizers.
Step 4: Create favorable lighting
If you grow basil in the fall or winter (from September to February), then your mini-garden must be artificially illuminated for 12 hours a day.
- For this, phytolamps or LED lamps with warm white light 2700K, installed at a distance of 15-20 cm from the plants, are suitable.
Step 5. Proper harvesting
The key to producing fluffy, branched basil with lots of leaves is frequent and early pruning, also called pinching.
After 1-1.5 months, when the basil has acquired 4-6 true leaves, you need to collect the first harvest by pinching off 2 leaves from the tops.
Next, when the basil has acquired 3 sets of true leaves, its top should be pinched immediately, cutting off the stem just above the small leaves that are just beginning to grow from the axils. The place of the cut and those very small, barely noticeable leaves can be seen in the photo below. This procedure should be done every few weeks.
- When you need just a few leaves here and there to add to a dish or drink, select the older side leaves and pinch them off where they meet the main stem (shown in photo).
- Remember that plants should always have at least 4 leaves at the bottom. If you prune the lower shoots, the basil will begin to grow in height instead of in width and will become less productive.
- If you notice blooming bud, immediately cut it and the two leaves below it. If this is not done, the greens will begin to deteriorate.
We suggest you take a look visual video lesson about growing basil on a windowsill.
3 Alternative Ways to Grow Basil in Pots
- The same method, but with germination of seeds in a temporary container and subsequent picking into a permanent one
In our instructions, we talked about sowing seeds directly into a permanent pot, which is convenient because the plant does not need to be replanted after the first shoots. But if for the first 1.5 months you don’t want to clutter the window sill big pot, then you can first sow the seeds in a small container (for example, in sour cream cups) and only after the shoots reach 5-7 cm, transplant them into a large pot.
You can clearly see the process of picking basil in the following video tutorial.
- Transplanting basil from open ground in a pot
If you are growing basil in a garden bed, you can simply transplant the young plant into a pot. This type of basil will produce a harvest faster, but will not last long, as it will bloom soon.
- Growing basil from cuttings
Another way to quickly and easily grow basil is by planting cuttings. To do this you need to cut off the tops or side shoots from an adult plant (you can even use store-bought basil), germinate them in water for 1-2 weeks (changing it every day), and then plant them in a pot. Such seedlings will produce their first harvest in 2-3 weeks, but will last only 3-4 months.
So, to grow basil we will need, in fact, the seeds themselves (or seedlings), pots with soil and a little patience, as well as equipment such as a small trident (an ordinary dinner fork will do), a watering can, a spray bottle and scissors. Mineral fertilizers will also be required, since the “pot” soil is quickly depleted, which leads to a slowdown and even stopping of growth.
Pledge great harvest - right choice varieties. Yes, basil is unpretentious, but not every variety will grow well at home. Most optimal choice It is worth considering such varieties as Yerevan, Spoon-shaped or Baku. Any other varieties that are distinguished by small and dense foliage, for example, Marquis or Clove Aroma, are also suitable. The fact is that the formation of large leaves used in cooking requires significant large quantity microelements, which only an experienced gardener can add. As experience grows, you can experiment with large-leaf varieties, and that’s all you need to take care of, essentially. unpretentious plant much more will be required.
After you decide on the variety, you should decide in what form to plant basil in a pot at home. There are two widely practiced methods:
- seeds;
- seedlings.
In the first case, basil will take longer to germinate (from one to three weeks), but the result will be beyond praise. In the second case, the first harvest can be harvested much earlier, but it is far from certain that all the seedlings will take root. This is due to the fact that the undeveloped stem is quite fragile, which affects its sensitivity to transplantation. That is, even with minor damage to the root system, stem or early foliage, plant death can occur. Therefore, to gain first experience, it is still worth choosing to plant the plant with seeds.
We choose the time, prepare the conditions
There is no optimal time for planting, since proper cultivation allows you to grow basil on the window all year round, but if you decide to plant this greenery at home for the first time, then you should choose the period when biological mechanisms, honed by nature itself, are triggered: this is the time from the last ten days of March to until the last ten days of April. Yes, many will say that it is easier to plant Lamiaceae in the country, but, firstly, not everyone has a summer house, and secondly, you need to gain experience when it is easiest, that is, during the natural growth and development of the plant .
Planting of seeds or seedlings is carried out either in flower pots with a capacity of more than 1.5 liters or long flower boxes, since Lamiaceae are quite demanding and do not take root in frequent landing and small volumes of soil.
The latter, by the way, is worth mentioning separately: if you decide to grow greens at home, then dig up some land country beds, as a last resort - from any potato field. You can buy soil, but in this case be prepared to add a large number of fertilizing: if you dig up soil on your site, you will need a single application before planting mineral fertilizers, and if the soil is purchased, then it will have to be spilled twice with a solution of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium chloride (proportion per liter of water: 20/50/15 grams). At least 5 days should pass between watering the soil that has not yet been cultivated; on the third day, the soil must be thoroughly mixed. So, it is still more convenient to use soil from the garden bed for greenery, since its mineral composition is close to what is necessary. 
Boxes or pots should be placed on the south side, since the plant is heat-loving and always reaches out to the sun: the optimal temperature for sustainable growth is 22...24 degrees Celsius. Of course, you can plant basil on the balcony, but it is worth remembering that when it gets cold, you will have to use covering material, so it should always be at hand. Basil, which is grown at home with low insolation, is demanding on lighting: in winter time, when daylight hours are short, it will have to be extended to 15-17 hours a day. The best way would be to create lighting for your home garden, for which you can use not only fluorescent lamps, but also halogen light sources. When using halogen lamps, keep in mind that it is also a powerful source of thermal radiation, which means you risk overheating your bushes. That's why experienced gardeners use halogen light only on the coldest days and only if the plant is grown on the balcony.
How to grow basil at home: planting and cultivation
The plant is planted at lateral intervals of 5 to 7 cm relative to the edges of the container (however, if flower pots are used, then there are no more than three bushes per pot), the intervals between seeds (or seedlings, depending on what you choose) are approximately 100-140mm, depending on the chosen variety: the larger the Lamiaceae planted, the greater the spacing should be observed. The seeds are buried approximately 10-15mm, or laid out in holes 5mm deep, but sprinkled with heaped soil on top. If the depth turns out to be greater, then the plant will take a long time to germinate, but if the layer of soil is shallower, then there is a high probability of washing out the seeds and their subsequent death.
Increased watering during the germination period is not required - it is enough to irrigate the soil once every two days. It is also not worth feeding during this period, since microelements both in the soil and inside the seed are quite sufficient for the normal growth and development of basil. The first feeding is carried out when the plant gains strength, its height will be approximately 40-50mm. Before the first fertilizing, you should loosen the soil, and then carry out a similar procedure about twice a week, since due to growing in a limited container and in a closed space, the roots lack oxygen, which causes weakness of the plant and its susceptibility various kinds diseases. 
Growing basil on a windowsill requires compliance proper watering, since it is a fundamental factor for success. Therefore, you will have to irrigate the land at least once a day, preferably in the morning, since at night the temperature is lower and by morning the room will be as cool as possible, accordingly less moisture will be evaporated, which means more water will remain in the soil by noon. If the radiators heat the air above +25 degrees, or the sun outside the window tries to melt the window sill on which the bushes stand, then watering will have to be increased: once in the morning, once immediately at noon. You should periodically wash the foliage with a spray bottle, but since there is a high probability of waterlogging the soil, do this carefully and only when evening hours.
When the grass reaches a height of 60mm, you can begin to eat it - it is by this time that the maturation of the stem is completed, and the loss of foliage will no longer have a fatal effect on the viability of the bush. Many people make two common mistakes: 
It is also recommended to cut off flowering shoots as soon as they appear. The fact is that this will not only cause branching of the bush, but will also prolong the life of the plant itself. Growing basil at home with such cultivation will lead to the fact that the aroma of the greens will only increase, the amount of vitamins and minerals in the foliage will increase, which will have a positive effect on taste qualities seasonings
At home, Lamiaceae are almost not susceptible to disease., which are often found in open ground conditions. However, if at least one bush gets sick, this can lead to almost complete damage to the entire planting. In order not to lose the entire harvest, you should carefully monitor the “well-being” of the bushes and at the slightest hint of gray mold (the leaves become covered with a kind of grayish coating), the bush is weeded out and destroyed. If mold appears on the ground (gray fluffy mounds or grayish threads that look like a cobweb), then it is carefully removed along with the soil, watering in this pot or box is stopped for at least three days, after which it is resumed with fertilizing with universal fertilizers for vegetable crops.
Green onion feathers on the window will no longer surprise anyone, but “indoor gardeners” have long moved on. They successfully grow other garden crops in pots on the windows, from dill and parsley to fragrant basil. The latter is an almost ideal crop for the home, because in warm room feels great. Even in winter, fragrant bushes grow well into lush foliage without losing their characteristic scent. If you know how to grow basil on a windowsill, you can all year round harvest. And this is absolutely not difficult to do, as you will see after reading this article.
Subtleties of sowing seeds
IN room conditions Basil is most often grown from seeds. Firstly, planting material always available in stores. Secondly, it grows better and longer than plants obtained vegetatively.
For home grown It is better to use low-growing and small-leaved varieties of basil. They grow faster than, for example, the purple and Greek species.
You can sow both dry and pre-soaked seeds. They germinate equally well, but the latter are just faster. Soak the seeds in plain warm water for a couple of days, changing it periodically. The swollen seeds are disinfected by soaking for 1.5-2 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried.
The soil for basil should be airy and nutritious. You can use one of the following soil mixtures to choose from:
- coco soil and vermicompost (2:1);
- universal soil for indoor plants and garden soil and (1:1);
- universal soil for indoor plants and vermicompost (4:1).
Expanded clay should be poured onto the bottom of the pots or boxes for drainage, and soil should be poured on top and spilled. Scatter the seeds over the surface, trying to maintain a distance of a couple of centimeters, and cover them a little with soil. All that remains is to cover with film and place in a warm and bright place. When the shoots appear, the film is removed, and the basil itself is thinned out, leaving at least 10 cm between the seedlings. After a few more days, you need to add some soil to the grown bushes.
How to grow basil on a windowsill: the basics of caring for an indoor spice
Indoor basil is an unpretentious plant, but some rules still need to be followed. So that it turns into lush bushes and gives good harvest, necessary:
- Maintain a comfortable temperature of at least 20°C. In a cooler room, the weed will not disappear, but it will begin to lose its bright, specific aroma.
- Avoid drafts.
- Water daily in summer and twice a week in winter.
- In the autumn-winter season, add additional light to the plantings, otherwise the bushes will stretch out.
- If necessary (if the soil is poor), feed the basil once a month with vermicompost.
- Periodically, approximately every 2 weeks, trim the bushes to stimulate branching. The first pruning of the tops is done at the stage of 4 leaves, then when 3 pairs have grown.
You can’t pick everything from a bush lower leaves– at least 4 things should remain. Otherwise, the basil will begin to stretch and produce fewer side branches. Accordingly, the harvest will be smaller. In addition, flowering should not be allowed - the buds must be cut off at an early stage.
Video about growing basil in pots
It's no secret that you can grow basil in a pot on a windowsill. whole year. Still, practice often diverges from theory, and once again, without waiting for shoots or having pulled out the “long-legged” shrunken seedlings, the gardener gives up - this is not fate.
The fact is that basil is a light- and heat-loving plant, and for its full growth you need: long daylight hours, enough heat(20-25°C), fertilized soil with drainage and regular water procedures": watering and spraying.
3 ways to grow basil in pots:
- Transferring a mature plant from open ground to a pot. This method is used by gardeners who grow basil in their beds in the summer. In this case, the youngest bushes that have not had time to bloom are dug up together with a lump of earth and transplanted into a pot. The growing season of these plants is short - soon enough they will bloom, and you will need to trim the shoots or tear off the flower stalks into cuttings to plant a new plant.
- Growing basil from cuttings from a previous bush. Tops from an existing bush or side shoots of basil (or from one purchased at the market) are placed in water for 1-2 weeks so that they produce roots, and then planted in pots. After about half a month, you will be able to cut the first greens. This bush will last you 3-4 months.
- Growing a new basil bush from seeds. When planted from seeds, a basil bush will need 8-12 months to finally form, but it will also supply you with fresh herbs significantly longer than basil grown from cuttings.
Growing basil from seeds: main steps
In principle, any variety of basil is suitable for growing in pots, but, as a rule, low-growing bunch-forming varieties are chosen.
As a container for initial stage Small pots, plastic cups or buckets can serve. Then, some time after the basil has formed several true leaves, the plants will need to be carefully transplanted into large containers without damaging the roots. In order to avoid this procedure, it is better to immediately plant the seeds in liter containers.
The soil must be fertile, light, with high water permeability. You can use humus mixed with coconut fiber in a ratio of 1:2, you can take a mixture garden soil With ready-made, completely decomposed compost, you can prepare soil from 2 parts of peat and 1 part of humus, which is then watered with a solution of mineral fertilizers (1/8 teaspoon of urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate per 1 liter of water). And don’t forget about drainage – it is essential for basil. Therefore, before filling the containers with soil, place a layer of expanded clay, broken polystyrene or broken bricks 2-3 centimeters high.
Before planting, basil seeds are soaked for two hours in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are planted in prepared moist soil to a depth of 1 centimeter at a distance of 7-10 cm from each other and covered with a bag or cling film, which is not removed until germination.
The best temperature for germination of basil seeds is from 22°C to 28°C; in such conditions, the first shoots will appear in 5-8 days.
Containers with young plants are immediately placed in a bright, warm place and provided with systematic watering. It is recommended to water basil in the morning once a day (on very hot summer days you need to water it twice - in the morning and in the afternoon) with water room temperature. It will not be unnecessary to sprinkle the plants with water from time to time (in summer you can do this daily).
The homeland of basil is the subtropics, so it cannot survive without heat and light. In order for basil to grow, branch and bush, the air temperature on our windowsill must be no lower than 20°C (or even better 25°C), and the sun should shine no more than 3-4 hours a day. Basil is afraid of drafts.
In containers with adult plants, loosen the soil every two to three days to enrich it with oxygen. If the soil for growing basil is not very fertile, the bushes need to be fertilized once a month. Universal fertilizers based on organic gummates or compost are excellent for feeding.
After 1.5 months, you will begin to pick off the first spicy leaves from the side shoots. When pruning greens later, keep at least three leaves on the stem - new side shoots will begin to form in their axils. When the bush has grown enough, you can pinch the top so that it grows wider.
Best time to grow basil in pots
Basil can, of course, be grown at home all year round, but its increased sensitivity to light and heat requires additional effort on your part in the autumn-winter period.
To protect against drafts and create optimal temperature In autumn and winter, you will probably have to wrap the pots with transparent cellophane film.
In addition, from October to February plants need additional lighting in the evening hours (about 3-4 hours), in order to lengthen the daylight hours. On gloomy days, additional light is needed throughout the day.
For this reason, basil is usually planted in late February - early March, so that the period of intensive growth passes with increasing daylight hours. And in the summer, natural warmth and light will be completely enough for the grown bush.
We wish you success and good harvests!
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