How to Grow Basil

First things first! For the record, this is an irritating video. Her words don’t match her lips, so it’s annoying to watch. But, she lays out in detail how to grow basil in just over six minutes. So, if you are looking for a thorough How to Grow Basil video, this one is for you. I think her name is Lily Galloway, if I understood her right. I definitely couldn’t read her lips.

She starts by talking about the popularity of basil, and links it to the amount of varieties and flavors of basil. It’s also easy to grow, even in containers. Just give it sunshine and water. That does sound pretty easy!

Lily demonstrates how to plant basil from seeds in a container. But, she says this is the same way you would plant basil seeds in the ground, too. Here’s what you need: watering can, potting soil, basil seeds or starter plants, fish fertilizer, spray bottle, trowel, and container.

Step 1
Basil likes well drained soil mixed with organic matter (amend with compost) and full sun of 6-8 hours. She suggests a high quality potting soil. Premoisten soil so basil seeds won’t float, and will stick to the soil a bit.

Step 2
Plant seeds when soil is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Nights shouldn’t be dipping below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, either. Sprinkly seeds over soil. Lightly pat the soil. Sift the soil with your hands over the seeds, lightly. You only want to cover the seeds so they are ¼ inch deep.

Step 3
Water the seeds in. Water gently, so you don’t cause the seeds to float and clump together. Basil seeds are pretty tiny. Don’t let the soil dry out. She recommends using a watering can instead of garden hose, even when planting in the ground to water gently.

Step 4
When seedlings are 2-3 inches tall, thin to 4-6 inches apart. This step is mainly about pruning basil, and is very important when aiming for the biggest harvest from your basil plants. Pinch back the plants above a set of leaves. A set of leaves is two leaves on the opposite side of the plant. Pruning basil gives you bushy basil plants, which is what you want. This might be the most important step to watch on pruning basil. It starts at minute 4:08, if you want to fast forward to this step. With proper basil pruning, one plant can produce 24 cups of leaves. That’s a lot!

Step 5
Use organic fertilizer. Basil is a heavy feeder. She suggests fish emulsion. Follow instructions on the bottle. She does a foliar feed and sprays the leaves being careful to get the underside, too. Lily suggests for the first two months of the growing season, fertilize basil every two weeks. The rest of the summer, fertilize monthly.

Step 6
Harvest basil. Don’t put in the refrigerator, because the leaves will turn black. Just put stems in water and out of direct sunlight.

Ok, even though her words aren’t match with her mouth. We like this girl because she gets her hands dirty! This is a detailed video and LONG. But, it definitely answers any questions you might have about pruning or planting basil.