Basil is a very commonly used herb in cooking. As such, it’s a great herb to grow indoors! Basil is very sensitive to colder weather and requires a good amount of sun. Honestly, the majority of us live in climates that are only warm enough for outdoor basil 3-4 months a year, making indoor growing ideal.
Basil Can Be Easy To Grow Indoors, As Long As These Key Guidelines Are Followed:
- Begin with an adolescent basil plant purchased at your local garden center.
- Be sure to pick a container with a hole at the bottom so any excess water can drain out after watering. The best choice is to use an actual herb planter, which you can find at your local garden center. You can also use a small strawberry pot.
- Use nutrient rich, fertile potting soil that will drain well. I suggest lining the bottom of the pot with gravel or a course sand.
- Water your basil plant on a fairly regular basis. The soil should stay moist (not sopping wet!) and excess water should be allowed to drain from the bottom of the pot into a saucer placed underneath. Try to water below the leaves.
- Position your plant near a window where it will be able to get at least 6 hours of sun per day. Of course, not all of us are lucky enough to have a window which receives 6 hours of sun per day, so it is acceptable to provide artificial fluorescent lighting for your basil plant. Obviously, try to give the plant as much sunlight as possible, and simply supplement the “missing” sun with fluorescent lighting.
Fertilize your basil once every 4-6 weeks with an organic, all-purpose plant fertilizer. It is recommended that you use half of the instructed amount when fertilizing any indoor plant. In addition, using an organic fertilizer will help maintain a healthy pH level for your soil.
- For basil (and other indoor herbs) pH level is very important. Too much acid in the soil can be harmful and too much alkali can also hurt your plant. The perfect level for growing basil is between 6.0 and 7.5. You can test your soil’s pH with a kit from your local garden center. They are fairly inexpensive and easy to use. Test your soil once every 4-6 weeks, preferably during the middle of your fertilizer cycle.
- When it comes to harvesting, pick leaves off many different arms, from the upper most available. Fresh basil has a potent flavor, while dried basil will deliver a hint of flavor to your cooking.
Following, find another favorite recipe of mine! Until next time, take care and happy gardening!
Basil Salmon and Julienne Vegetables:
| 1 | tablespoon butter or margarine |
| 1 | bag (1 lb) frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry |
| 1 | medium zucchini, cut into julienne (matchstick-size) strips |
| 4 | salmon fillets (4 to 5 oz each) |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves |
| 1/2 | teaspoon seasoned salt |
| 1 | teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning |
| 1/4 | cup chicken broth |
| 1. | In 12-inch nonstick skillet, meltbutter over medium heat. Add bell pepper stir-fry. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini. |
| 2. | Place salmon, skin side down, in skillet, pushing down into vegetables if necessary. Sprinkle salmon and vegetables with basil, seasoned salt and lemon-pepper seasoning. Pour broth over salmon and vegetables. |
| 3. | Cover and cook over medium-low heat 8 to 10 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork. Remove salmon and vegetables from skillet with slotted spoon. |
Oh I do love basil. And it is so easy to grow in a container. Do you have any specific recomendations about organic fertilizers? What about liquid fertilizers? I’m just not sure what it would respond to best.
A liquid concentrate fertilizer that is easy to mix and use, and is made from natural ingredients is ProtoGrow. It has a full N-P-K profile, and micronutrients, as well. You can get it at http://www.growlikecrazy.com
I was searching for a topic positively different than this post but I’m very glad I stumbled upon your blog. I found this topic very intriguing. I plan on visting the rest of the site when I finish this comment. Thank-you!
what errors people normally make when they try to grow basil indoors? light, water,heat, transplanting too soon? please advise -normally i have very good success w/ most plants thank you
Thank you for your comment. With basil, the key is pH. It’s really important to text your soil’s pH on a pretty regular basis and add amendments as needed. Another tip: don’t over-water. A lot of people make the mistake of over-watering container plants. You want to keep the soil damp, but just be careful that it’s not wet all the time. Thanks!