What are the cultivation methods and precautions for basil?
Site selection
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, loose sandy loam. Before planting, apply sufficient base fertilizer, level and harrow the soil finely, and make flat beds or raised beds about 130 cm wide.
Seedling raising
Because the frost-free period is relatively short, for open-field cultivation production, if seeds are to be harvested, seedlings must be raised in a greenhouse or plastic tunnel. If only the tender stems and leaves are to be eaten, seedlings can be raised or direct seeding can be done. The seedling-raising period is generally in mid-to-late April for sowing.
Place the seeds in a gauze bag, shake the water off by hand, cover well with a wet towel or gauze, keep warm and moist, and place at about 25°C for germination. During germination, rinse once a day with clean water, drain thoroughly; if the seed quantity is large, turn them 1-2 times a day to keep the temperature even and the sprouting uniform. In the early stage of germination, the temperature can be slightly higher to promote sprouting; when the buds are about to emerge (when the seeds are about to split open), the temperature should be lowered by 3-5°C to make the buds sturdy and uniform. After the buds have all emerged, if special weather occurs, the buds can be moved to a place at 5-10°C to control bud growth and wait for sowing.
Planting time
In the south, sow in March to April; in the north, sow from late April to May. Sowing should be done on a sunny morning. Put nutrient soil into a sowing tray, water thoroughly with hot or warm water, and after the water has drained, spread a 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 transplanting can also be used; in the north, seedlings can be raised in a cold frame in March, and when the seedlings are 10-15 cm tall, transplant them with soil into the field. After transplanting, firm the soil and water.
1. Morphological characteristics
Basil has a conical primary root and dense fibrous roots growing from it. The stem is erect, bluntly four-angled, slightly grooved in the upper part, hairless at the base, covered with backward-pointing fine soft hairs in the upper part, green, often tinged with red, and much branched. The leaves are ovate to ovate-oblong, 2.5-5 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, with a slightly blunt or acute apex, a gradually narrowed base, and an margin with irregular teeth or nearly entire; both surfaces are nearly hairless, the lower surface has glandular dots, and there are 3-4 pairs of lateral veins, flat above and more or less distinct below along the midrib; the petiole is elongated, about 1.5 cm long, nearly flat, more or less narrowly winged toward the leaf base, and covered with fine soft hairs.The raceme is terminal on the stem and branches, with all parts covered with fine soft hairs, usually 10-20 cm long, composed of many whorled cymes with 6 flowers in opposite pairs; the lower whorled cymes are distant, up to 2 cm apart from each other, while the upper whorled cymes are close together; the bracts are small, oblanceolate, 5-8 mm long, shorter than the whorled cymes, with a sharp apex, a gradually narrowed base, sessile, ciliate along the margin, and often colored; the pedicel is obvious, about 3 mm long at flowering, elongated at fruiting to about 5 mm, with the apex obviously curved downward.
The calyx is campanulate, 4 mm long, 3.5 mm wide, covered with short soft hairs outside and sparse soft hairs at the throat inside; the calyx tube is about 2 mm long; the calyx teeth are 5, in two lips; the upper lip has 3 teeth, the middle tooth is the broadest, 2 mm long, 3 mm wide, nearly round, concave, with a short pointed tip, its margin extended downward to the calyx tube, the lateral teeth are broadly ovate, 1.5 mm long, with a sharp apex; the lower lip has 2 teeth, lanceolate, 2 mm long, with spiny tips; the margins of the teeth all have cilia; at fruiting the calyx persists, obviously enlarges, up to 8 mm long and 6 mm wide, obviously drooping, with prominent veins.
The corolla is pale purple, or the upper lip white and the lower lip purplish red, exserted from the calyx, about 6 mm long, covered with fine soft hairs outside on the lips, hairless inside; the corolla tube is included, about 3 mm long, more or less enlarged at the throat; the corolla limb is two-lipped; the upper lip is broad, 3 mm long, 4.5 mm wide, 4-lobed, the lobes nearly equal, nearly round, often with wavy wrinkles; the lower lip is oblong, 3 mm long, 1.2 mm wide, drooping, entire, nearly flat. There are 4 stamens, separate, slightly exceeding the corolla, inserted at the middle of the corolla tube; the filaments are filiform, the posterior pair with tooth-like appendages at the base, bearing fine soft hairs, the anthers ovate, merged into 1 locule. The style extends above the stamens, with the apex equally 2-cleft. The disk is flat-topped, with 4 teeth, the teeth not exceeding the ovary.
The nutlets are ovoid, 2.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, dark brown, with glandular pits, and with 1 white hilum at the base. The flowering period is usually July to September, and the fruiting period is September to December.
2. Distribution of origin
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 it has escaped into the wild. It also occurs in warm regions from Africa to Asia.3. Growth habits
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.How to grow basil, basil cultivation methods and precautions / temperature and light are crucial
Although basil leaves have many effects and benefits, to bring all these benefits into full play, basil must be kept relatively healthy while growing. Because basil is relatively sensitive to temperature, certain techniques are needed when cultivating it, so how do you grow basil? Let us look at the cultivation methods and precautions for basil.
The growing environment of basil
Before understanding how to grow basil, you need to have a preliminary understanding of its suitable growing environment. Basil is relatively sensitive to temperature; it grows rapidly in a warm, dry environment, but is not cold-tolerant. In addition, it is relatively drought-tolerant and not tolerant of waterlogging, prefers fertile, well-drained soil, and has average requirements for light.
How to grow basil
1. Soil requirements
Basil relatively prefers fertile soil. When cultivating it, humus soil and sandy soil are best; garden soil, river sand, and so on can be mixed together. If growing in pots, vermiculite, peat soil, and so on can be used to make the substrate.
2. Temperature requirements
Basil is a relatively cold-sensitive plant. It likes a warm environment, and the most suitable temperature is between 15-28°C. Therefore, in spring, summer, and autumn, it grows relatively quickly, but in winter the temperature must be kept above 5°C to prevent the plant from freezing damage.
3. Light conditions
In the cultivation methods and precautions for basil, basil's requirement for light is sufficient sunlight. It is a sun-loving plant. If it lacks light, the leaves will become dull in color and growth will slow down, so in normal care it should be placed in a bright or full-sun location.
4. Watering method
In terms of watering, the soil should be kept on the dry side, because basil likes a dry environment and has strong drought tolerance. In normal watering, water once every 3-4 days; just do not let the soil become too dry. Apart from frequently spraying water in summer when the temperature is high, at other times spray the leaves as little as possible to avoid excessively high humidity.
5. Pest and disease control
The main pests harming basil include aphids, leaf miners, snails, and so on, while diseases include fungal wilt. The main control methods are to do a good job of environmental sanitation at ordinary times, and not let the environment lack light, have too low a temperature, or have too high humidity. If pests and diseases appear, treat them promptly with medication.
Cultivation methods and precautions for basil
1. Soil should not accumulate water
When watering, do not pour in an excessive amount at one time; just ensure that both the upper and lower parts of the soil are moist. Do not let the roots soak in water, as this easily causes root rot. At the same time, ensure the soil drains well, to avoid water being unable to drain promptly during the rainy season.
2. Light should not be lacking
Only when basil leaves are green and lush can it deliver its greatest value. To achieve this, sufficient light is needed, so never let the environment lack light, and especially do not place basil in a room with neither scattered light nor lamplight, otherwise basil will quickly wither and die.
3. The environment should be ventilated
One way to maintain environmental sanitation is good ventilation. Only when air circulates can the breeding of pathogens and harmful microorganisms be avoided. If basil is always in an airtight environment, the probability of pests and diseases will increase exponentially, causing huge harm to its health.