The herb garden on the balcony is only complete when basil is added in a pot. In order for the aromatic herbal plant to develop its full potential, professional planting comes into focus. You can find out here which specifications have to be taken into account.
List of materials and preparatory work
Basil plants from the supermarket usually have the disadvantage that they die within a week. As part of a propagation by sowing, knowledgeable hobby gardeners instead create strong, vital young plants on the windowsill. The seedlings therefore thrive behind glass until the start of the planting season in mid-May. In addition, the following materials are required:
- a herb pot with a diameter of at least 15 cm and an opening in the bottom
- inorganic material for drainage, such as pebbles, grit (€46.95), expanded clay (€19.73) or potsherds
- an air and water permeable fleece
- Compost based potting soil
- fine-grained sand and horn shavings
To keep the potting soil from compacting, add a handful of sand and some horn shavings (€32.93) for extra nutrients. This mixture is disinfected in a fireproof container for 30 minutes in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius.
Proper planting guide
Since basil does not tolerate temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius, planting should only be considered after the ice saints. Place the still potted young plant with the root ball in water until no more air bubbles rise. In the meantime, tackle the rest of the work as follows:
- spread the drainage over the bottom opening in the pot
- Spread the fleece over it so that the coarse material does not clog
- fill in a handful of the substrate
- plant the stuffed royal cabbage in the middle
- fill in the remaining substrate, press lightly and water
Do not expose freshly planted basil to direct sunlight. Only after an acclimatization phase of 3-4 days in partial shade are the warm rays of the sun welcome. Make sure that the soil does not dry out afterwards. After 4-6 weeks, the nutrients in the substrate are used up, so fertilizer is used for the first time.
tips and tricks
A spirited pruning of young basil plants encourages further branching. If you repeatedly pinch back the shoot tips, the plant will thrive all the bushier. At the same time, the flowering is prevented, which regularly makes the taste of royal herb bitter.
GTH