How to grow basil? A detailed guide from sowing to management
Basil, also known as nine-layer pagoda, is a plant in the Lamiaceae family. Its flavor resembles fennel, and it often appears in Western cuisine. The whole plant is compact, with emerald green leaves and brightly colored flowers, giving it high ornamental value. It can also be used as medicine, making it a plant that combines culinary, medicinal and ornamental uses. It has relatively large market demand and significant economic benefits, so many people have started growing it. So how should it be grown? Let's take a look.
1. Site selection and fertilization
Basil is a deep-rooted plant, and its root system can extend 50-100cm below the surface, so when choosing a plot for planting, you should select soil with a deep soil layer, loose texture and good drainage, as this will benefit its root growth. If the soil is too hard or too heavy and sticky, its root growth will be hindered, which will affect its yield. When planting, apply sufficient base fertilizer to supply the nutrients needed for its growth and speed up its growth. After applying the base fertilizer, rake it fine and level it, then according to the terrain make flat beds or raised beds of about 130cm. Make flat beds on level terrain and raised beds on higher terrain.
2. Germination
Because the frost-free period is relatively short, when growing it in the open air, the seeds should be germinated in a greenhouse environment. Generally, in mid-to-late April, put the seeds into gauze, soak them in warm water for 5-10 minutes, then take them out and dry them, cover them well with a wet towel, keep them warm and moist, and place them in a greenhouse environment at about 25 degrees for germination. During germination, rinse the seeds once a day with clean water to keep them clean, and also turn them 2-3 times a day to keep the temperature balanced. When the seeds crack and sprout, lower the greenhouse temperature by 3-5 degrees to make the young sprouts sturdy and uniform. Once the young sprouts have grown to a certain extent, they can be sown.
3. Sowing
The sowing time is from late April to early May. Choose a sunny morning to do it. It can be drilled or drilled; drilling requires opening shallow furrows on the bed surface. Dibbling requires opening small holes. For drilling, open shallow furrows at a row spacing of 30cm and scatter the seeds evenly in the furrows. For dibbling, open shallow holes at a hole spacing of 25cm and sow 2-3 seeds per hole. After sowing, cover with a thin layer of soil and water to keep the soil moist. Generally, 0.2-0.3 kg of seed is used per mu.
4. Field management
When the seedlings grow to 6-10cm, thin and fill in the seedlings in time. For drilling, control the plant spacing at 10cm, while for dibbling, keep 2-3 plants per hole. When the seedlings grow to more than 10cm, they can be transplanted, and after transplanting, tread the soil firm. During the seedling stage, cultivate and weed 2-3 times to speed up root growth. After each cultivation, apply a thin slurry of human and livestock manure. The seedlings are afraid of drought, so water management should be done well.
The above is an introduction to how to grow basil. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more about growing knowledge, please stay tuned to us.