Professional cultivation lays the foundation for magnificent basil plants that deliver juicy, aromatic harvests. The following guide explains step-by-step how tiny seeds turn into royal herbal plants.
Sowing basil seeds made easy
Choosing the optimal date for sowing sets the course for strong young plants. If you start the work at the beginning of April, robust royal herbs will be ready in time for the start of the planting season in mid-May. How to grow behind glass:
- Soak the seeds in water or chamomile tea for a few hours
- fill a shallow dish or seed pot with nutrient-poor, well-drained substrate
- moisten the growing soil with water from the spray bottle
- Sow basil seeds at least 5 centimeters apart
- Press lightly on the light germs without covering them with soil
Depending on the variety, germination takes 5-14 days at a constant temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius. A glass or cling film cover creates a warm, humid microclimate that is beneficial to germination. Ideally, a heatable room greenhouse is available for the cultivation. During this time, the seed must neither dry out nor be exposed to direct sunlight.
How to properly transplant basil seedlings
If the cotyledons break their way through the seed coat, growth progresses rapidly. Within a short time, the seedlings have reached a height of 5 centimeters and proudly present at least 2-3 pairs of leaves. Now is the time to prick your pupils. How to do it professionally:
- Fill pots halfway up with pricking soil or a potting soil-sand mix
- Make a small indentation with the pricking stick
- lift a strong seedling out of the potting soil with a spoon
- Insert in the middle of the fresh substrate and plant down to below the cotyledons
- place the pots in a vessel with a water level several centimeters high
If the substrate surface feels damp, the seedlings are sufficiently watered from below. On the bright, warm windowsill, the little plants are busy developing their own root system.
tips and tricks
Would you like to dry basil to preserve it? Then we strongly recommend tying a cloth around your nose and mouth. Dried kingweed turns into a delicious sneeze powder when processed.