Differences Between Perennial Basil and Schizonepeta, Their Benefits, and Potted Planting and Fertilizing Methods
Basil is an aromatic plant used both as medicine and food, with a flavor similar to fennel. It is also known as nine-story pagoda, jinbuhuan, St. Joseph's wort, sweet basil, and lanxiang, and it prefers a warm and humid climate.So what are the differences between basil and schizonepeta? What are their benefits and effects? How do you grow it in pots? How do you fertilize it? According to data from the Lamiaceae family, basil has the functions of dispelling wind and moving qi, resolving dampness and promoting digestion, invigorating blood, and detoxifying. It is used to treat conditions such as externally contracted headache, food-related bloating and qi stagnation, epigastric pain, diarrhea, irregular menstruation, bruises and injuries, snake and insect bites, damp skin sores, and pruritic urticaria.
What are the differences between basil and schizonepeta?
1. When comparing the two, schizonepeta leaves are relatively small and narrow, while basil leaves are relatively broad and large. Schizonepeta leaves are relatively smooth, without obvious wrinkles, and are rather flat, which also makes them appear more upright. By contrast, basil leaves have quite obvious wrinkles and a very strong bumpy texture.
2. The scent of the schizonepeta plant is very strong and highly pungent. By comparison, the scent of basil is relatively mild and not as pungent as that of schizonepeta. Therefore, we can also distinguish basil from schizonepeta by smelling the scent of the two.
3. The petioles of mature basil are relatively dark in color, tending toward purple, and the petioles of basil are very smooth, without fuzz. The petioles of schizonepeta, like its leaves, are tender green, but the petioles of schizonepeta are covered with fine, soft fuzz. In addition, there are also some small white prickles on the petioles of schizonepeta. From this point we can distinguish basil from schizonepeta very well.
4. The flowers of both basil and schizonepeta are relatively small, but basil flowers are purple and have a relatively strong scent, which attracts some small insects. The flowers of schizonepeta, however, are white. Basil and schizonepeta can be distinguished by flower color alone.
How do you grow basil in pots?
1. Choose the variety you want to grow.
2. Sow seeds indoors. Sow seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Basil likes warmth and sun, so sowing indoors is safer and can prevent basil from being harmed by frost.
3. Prepare the sowing containers and soil. Fill square pots or individual containers with equal parts vermiculite, perlite, and peat soil. Press the soil lightly to remove air. Wet the soil with water to prepare a suitable environment for seed germination.
4. Sow the seeds. Bury one to two seeds in each container, then gently cover with a layer of soil. Wrap the flower pots with plastic film to keep the soil moist. Place the pots under a sunny window, uncover the film twice a day, and sprinkle water into the soil to keep it moist.
5. Remove the plastic film after the seeds germinate. When you see the first tuft of curly green seedlings emerge from the soil, it is time to remove the film. Water the young shoots twice a day, and never let the soil dry out completely. When the plants grow to a few centimeters tall and the leaves gradually mature, you can move the basil to a larger container.
6. When basil grows 1-2 pairs of mature leaves, you can move the basil to the garden or to a proper flower pot. Basil is not frost-tolerant, so do not move it outdoors too early. It is best to move basil to a place with sufficient light and plant it in well-drained soil.
7. Keep the soil moist, but do not let the soil become waterlogged. Basil can only grow well in well-drained soil and cannot stay soaked in water all the time. For mature basil, water once every morning to give the basil enough time to absorb and evaporate water and prevent the soil from drying out at night.
8. Pinch off the flower buds. When basil blooms, pinch off the flowers and the two leaves below them. Flowering causes hormonal changes in basil, reducing its fragrance and causing basil to produce fewer leaves. This flowering and seed-setting phenomenon mostly occurs under conditions of particularly abundant sunlight. If you do not pinch off the flower buds, you will find that basil leaves become increasingly slender and no longer as rich in fragrance as before.
9. Watch out for pests and mold. Basil easily attracts Japanese beetles. The best way to deal with the pests is to pick out and catch the beetles by hand. If your basil tends to be harmed by mold, that proves they may not be getting enough sunlight or are growing too densely. Dig out the small basil plants and give the large basil enough space to grow.
How do you fertilize basil?
When transplanting basil, keep the field soil moist. During growth, carry out intertillage and weeding in a timely manner, and apply 15 kg of urea per 667 sq m as a topdressing. When the plants form buds, remove the buds promptly to reduce nutrient consumption. In the middle and late stages of harvesting, pinch the growing tips promptly to promote more side branches. Root topdressing can also be carried out together with pinching. For root topdressing, use a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 0.2% urea solution and spray it evenly on the leaf surfaces in the early morning or evening. At the same time, if conditions permit, irrigate once every 15 days to ensure full growth.