A detailed explanation of basil cultivation methods and key technical points
Basil, also known as nine-story pagoda, jinbuhuan, sweet basil, lanxiang, etc., is a medicinal and culinary aromatic plant of the genus Ocimum in the Lamiaceae family. It tastes like fennel, the whole plant is compact, the leaves are emerald green, the flowers are brightly colored, and it is full of fragrance. Used as medicine, it has the functions of dispelling wind and moving qi, resolving dampness and promoting digestion, activating blood and detoxifying, and its cultivation value is relatively high. Let us take a look at the cultivation methods of basil below!
Basil's growth habits
Basil is native to tropical regions of Africa, the Americas and Asia. In China, it is mainly distributed in **, Jilin, Hebei, Henan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, China, Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan, mostly cultivated, and in the southern provinces and regions some have escaped into the wild. It prefers a warm and humid climate, is not cold-tolerant, is drought-tolerant, and is not waterlogging-tolerant. Well-drained, fertile sandy loam or humus loam is best.
Basil planting time
In the south, sow directly from March to April; in the north, from late April to May. Sowing should be done on a sunny morning. Put nutrient soil into a sowing tray, water thoroughly with hot water or warm water, and after the water seeps down, spread 1 layer of medicated soil, evenly sow the germinated seeds in the tray, cover with 1 cm of medicated soil, and cover with plastic film to keep warm and moist. For drilling, open shallow furrows at a row spacing of about 35 cm; for hole sowing, open shallow holes at a hole spacing of 25 cm, evenly scatter into the furrows or holes, cover with a thin layer of soil, and keep the soil moist. Use 0.2-0.3 kg of seed per mu. Seedling raising and transplanting can also be used. In the north, seedlings can be raised in a sunny bed in March, and when the seedlings are 10-15 cm tall, they are transplanted into the field with soil. After transplanting, firm the soil and water.
Basil seedling-raising techniques
1. Land selection and fertilization: Basil is a deep-rooted plant, and its roots can penetrate 50-100 cm into the soil, so it is advisable to choose well-drained, fertile and loose sandy loam. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting, level and harrow finely, and make flat beds or raised beds of about 130 cm. Because the frost-free period in China is relatively short, for open-field cultivation production, to harvest seeds, seedlings must be raised in a greenhouse or plastic tunnel. If only the tender stems and leaves are used for food, seedlings can be raised or direct sowing can be carried out. The seedling-raising period is generally sown in mid-to-late April.
2. Sowing and seedling raising: Put basil seeds into a gauze bag, shake off the water vigorously, cover well with a wet towel or gauze, keep warm and moist, and place at about 25°C for germination. During the germination process, rinse once a day with clean water, drain well. If the seed quantity is large, turn 1-2 times a day to make the temperature even and the germination uniform. In the early stage of germination, the temperature can be slightly higher to promote germination. When the buds are about to emerge (the seeds are about to open), the temperature should be lowered by 3-5°C to make the buds thick and uniform. After the buds have emerged uniformly, if special weather occurs, the buds can be moved to a place at 5-10°C to control bud growth and wait for sowing.
Basil cultivation methods
1. Intertillage and topdressing: When basil seedlings are 6-10 cm tall, thin and fill in the seedlings. For hole sowing, keep 2-3 plants per hole; for drilling, keep 1 plant about every 10 cm. Generally, intertill and weed 2 times. The first time is 10-20 days after emergence, shallowly hoeing the surface soil. The second time is from early May to early June, before the seedlings close the rows. After each intertillage, apply human and livestock manure water. During the seedling stage, it is afraid of drought, so pay attention to timely watering.
2. Harvest time: Basil stems and leaves are harvested from July to August. Cut the whole plant, remove fine roots and impurities, and sun-dry to complete. When the plants are 20 cm tall and have closed the rows, harvest. Select the front ends of young tender branches that have not bolted, with a length of 5-10 cm, and harvest once every 7-15 days. For essential oil extraction, harvest when the inflorescences have fully emerged.
3. Harvesting and processing: When harvesting basil, cut the plant part 20-25 cm above the ground with a sickle, avoiding shaking the root system so as not to affect the regeneration ability. Then strengthen fertilizer and water management to promote the regrowth of new stems and leaves. After harvesting, processing should be carried out as soon as possible to avoid the wounds and leaves turning brown and yellow, which affects the quality of the essential oil.
4. Pest control: In terms of pests, basil mainly has aphids, Japanese beetles, thrips, leafminers, snails and slugs. For organic cultivation, spraying water can be used to drive away aphids, and Japanese beetles can be picked off by hand and thrown into soapy water. As for slugs and snails, small beer containers can be used to trap and kill them, or copper strips can be tied 5 cm from the base of the plant (10 cm is even better). Because of the interaction between copper strips and slug mucus, invading insects are repelled.
5. Disease control: In terms of diseases, basil is highly susceptible to fungal wilt. The pathogen invades from the vascular bundles of the roots, hindering plant growth and causing leaf wilting. In general field cultivation, fungal-resistant F1 hybrid varieties can be selected. In addition, high humidity and poor drainage also make it more prone to fungal leaf spot.