All varieties of basil readily grow well even in hot, sunny weather. The aromatic leaves are most often used in Italian cooking, though the flower buds are equally delicious eaten as a spice. This fast Growing, easy-to-grow herb thrives both in indoor and outdoor gardens. With properly-maintained warm weather, fresh basil crops up in about six months with adequate pruning (for bushier growth). In cooler climates, basil is best stored during the winter months.
When cultivating basil in containers, it is best to start indoors one or two feet away from the windowsill, in a sunny spot. Keep your growing basil plants watered by keeping the pots filled with water. Basil has low maintenance requirements and thrives in full sunlight, high humidity and rich soil. It will also last a long time if you transplant it from a sunny spot in your garden to a pot on the floor, where it should remain for the entire growing season.
Basil grows very well in manure-based fertilizers, so you do not have to buy expensive commercial fertilizers to ensure your plants’ health. If you are planning to cuttings, you may do so in the late summer or early fall, before the main growing season. Basil tends to thrive best when the soil is relatively dry, so be sure to avoid using peat moss when preparing cuttings. Cuttings will also look much better if you plant them directly into a sunny spot in your garden rather than spreading them across your lawn.
To enjoy the stunning blooms of your basil plant, take regular cutting from its lower branches. These delicate branches make ideal blooming flowers when cut from the plant’s main trunk, or even its base. To encourage more growth, pinch about 2 inches of these upper leaves every few weeks.
When harvesting basil, make sure you get rid of all the buds and leaves. To collect the leaves and buds, use a small wire rake and clear a space on the ground under your tomato plants. Then scoop out the plant and any dead leaves or buds.
When you are ready to harvest your basil plant, make sure you dig it up carefully, taking care to keep the roots below the mulch. Dig around the plant, keeping in mind how deep you want to dig so that you don’t dig up too much dirt or plant roots that can hide. Remove all the blossoms as well as the underground stems if there are any. Put the whole thing in a large Tupperware container and add about one cup of fertilizer per square foot of ground (or about a cubic meter, depending on the size of your planting area).