The basil herb is one of the most used herbs in food.
Basil is quite popular to numerous people because this herb provides leafs that are fragrant and tasty when mixed to food.
Raw basil leaves can be added to salads or sandwiches to make them more delicious and they can also be added to some cooked dishes like pasta.
That is why more and more homeowners grow basil in their garden or in pots inside their home where there is sufficient sunlight and a good level of temperature.
If you are one of those people who love basil, and are planning to plant it in your garden or inside your home, do not worry, because you can easily grow basil at home and have it as part of your favorite meals anytime you like.
When you grow basil in pots or containers, just be sure that there will be sufficient drainage in your pot bases.
You can also place some coarse gravel in your pot bases if necessary.
Otherwise, if you prefer to grow basil in your garden outside, just dig the soil well and free it from weeds.
Just before planting the seeds, the soil must be watered generously to make the soil or compost moist.
Keep in mind that basil hates the last frosts in spring.
So if you are planning to plant or grow basil outside, you must wait patiently and plant the seeds at the end of march.
However, if you will grow it in pots or containers inside your home, do not worry about the what the weather is because you can plant the seeds at anytime.
Sow them thinly in your garden or sow only a few basil seeds in each of your prepared pots.
Cover the seeds with just a half centimeter of compost or soil and lightly firm them.
Usually, there will be seed sprouts after a week so once your basil seedlings grow at least 2 pairs of its leaves, start thinning the seedlings that seems to be the weakest ones in each of your pot.
Remember that if you will grow basil, it needs at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight so be sure that you plant it in your garden spot where it can get sunlight.
Furthermore, you must ensure that the cold winds will not reach it.
Inside, you can grow basil on your sunny windowsill or containers where a good level of temperature is present.
In addition to that, basil loves a well cultivated and fertile soil so if you are going to grow them in pots, make sure that you will add a small amount of fertilizer in the soil once a month.
Watering it weekly is also good, just be sure not to water the leaves and the stems of your plants.
Also, if any flower appears in the pot, pull or pinch them out.
This will preserve the flavor of your basil herbs as well as allow the leaves to grow bigger.
Harvest the top most leaves first and just keep the leftovers frozen for later use.