Sweet basil grow and care – herbaceous type of basil genus Ocimum also known as Italian basil, Sweet basil annual plant used as edible plant for the leaves also used as ornamental plant and it’s fragrant, can grow in mediterranean, subtropical, temperate or tropic climate and growing in hardiness zone 5+.
Leaves color light green soft with ovate shape with gentle flavor.
Flower color white, small flowers grow on inflorescence.
Well drained soil, Add more water in hot summer days
How to care:
Add more water in hot summer days, fertilizer 2-4 year, put organic matter, prune once a year and consider to prune the bloom stems
What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seedling / Seed / Vegetative Reproduction
Is it necessary use vegetative reproduction in Sweet basil?
No, but when you buy from the super fresh leaves on stems you can use the stems
Difficulties or problems when growing:
Not something special
Recommended planting season?
Spring
Pests and diseases:
Aphids, prodenia
Pruning season:
All the season
How to prune:
Prune in the beginning of the bloom
What is the size of a Sweet basil?
30-60 cm, 12-24 inches
Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing
Water requirement:
Average amount of water
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / almost Full Sun / Half Shade
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No
Growing is also possible in a pot / planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes, when grow in container, size 5-12 liter (1.5-3 gallon) amount of water that needed, it’s to keep the soil moist and the water go out of the pot, better not to use bottom of pot and make enough holes in the pot, soil need to be well ventilated with good drainage, rich with organic matter, can us in potting mix or peat soil with perlite or vermiculite.
Bloom season:
Summer
General information about the flower
Small white flower that grow on inflorescence
Thinning the bloom:
Should thinning the inflorescence when they start to bloom, all the strength of the plant go to the blossom
Pollination is done by:
Bees, butterfly
Leaves harvesting season:
After the plant in full size you can start to trim all the season
How to harvest the leaves?
Trim branches but leave few buds on the branch
Information about leaves:
Green oval leaves
Uses of Sweet basil leaves:
Pesto, spices
Vegetative Reproduction Method:
Stems / cutting
Preferred time for vegetative reproduction:
Spring. Early summer
Time to grow roots in vegetative reproduction:
1-2 weeks
Treatment for vegetative reproduction:
Put in glass of water and change the water every few days
Sowing requirement:
Easy to sow no special demand, but recommend by cutting
Saving seeds until sowing:
Room temperature, dry place
Sowing season:
Spring after the last frost
Planting spacing:
15-25 cm
Depth of Sowing:
0.4-0.6 cm
Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist, full sun
Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water
Germination time:
7-20 days
Condition of seedling:
Not too much moist, Well drained soil
Do the seeds require burying?
No
Ocimum basilicum
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