Let's find out how to grow basil between domestic walls, with the two main growing techniques, in pots and on the ground. Both are easy and within reach of the majority: here is a way to have a good stock always ready to use!
Basil is an annual herbaceous plant imported from Asia and Africa and cultivated everywhere as an aromatic plant due to the characteristic smell of its leaves which, depending on the variety, can be more or less intense.
As with many other aromatic plants, growing basil is very simple, whether you have a large space, such as an orchard, a garden or a piece of land, or do it in a pot.
The properties of basil.
Beyond its culinary uses, basil is a plant with many beneficial and healing virtues useful in the treatment of various diseases. The leaves and roots of the basil, in fact, are rich in vegetable fats, proteins, fibers, sugars, mineral salts, vitamin A-BCE and amino acids. .
Recently, however, it has been demonstrated that the intake of concentrated basil in pills or raw is effective in the treatment of joint pain, inflammation of the respiratory system. and various skin diseases.
Its use is also recommended to stimulate the lazy intestine, promote digestion and strengthen the nervous system. Last but not least, basil can increase breast milk production and relieve anxiety.
In herbal medicine, basil is used mainly in its essential oil rich in estragole for its antialmic and invigorating action, the parts of fresh or dry air that can be taken in the form of teas or infusions for their digestive properties, but also to combat Free radicals and delay cell aging.
How to grow basil: techniques and suggestions.
In order to grow basil you do not have to adopt particularly complex techniques, but you must follow some really simple and basic cultivation practices. However, there are ideal conditions that ensure an abundant harvest in some periods of the year, including:
The weather: basil prefers mild temperatures, never below 10 degrees, although some varieties show a good tolerance even in colder areas. Growing basil in a pot means guaranteeing good sun exposure (6/8 hours a day) and a refuge for colder nights or atmospheric events of some importance.
The soil: it must be soft, well drained and enriched with an organic fertilizer just before planting.
water: irrigation should be frequent and abundant, preferably in the morning or at dusk. Eye to the stalemates.
Sowing: depending on the type of crop chosen (in the soil or in pots, indoors or outdoors) sowing can start from January to the end of March (greenhouse), from March to May (open) with a suitable slip for Depending on the climatic zones.
How to grow basil: varieties.
In addition to the Genoese basil and the common, the most common and cultivated in Italy, especially for the realization of the famous Genovese pesto. , the varieties of cultivable basil are really many.
Who could grow them in the open, could have fun. combining different varieties to obtain aromatic shrubs with some aesthetic impact. Among the most common varieties of basil we remember:
A Greek asylum, more rustic and with a characteristic rounded growth that has also earned it the nickname "basil ball";
Thai basil, very aromatic, with notes of mint and licorice;
Lettuce basil and Neapolitan basil, with large leaves, sometimes characterized by 'bubbles' and menthol aroma.Mexican purple basil, the only one with a dark red color and a fruity aroma. It is used in many parts of the world for the production of a red pesto.
How to grow basil in a vase or on the ground.
Given its adaptability and its small size, basil is one of the most cultivated pot plants. It is possible to grow basil in a pot even if you do not have a terrace or a balcony, simply by making sure that the plant is well exposed to direct sunlight, for example, by a window or a windowsill.
The choice of the vase and its correct predisposition, in this sense, is very important for the success of the project: the size of the vase must be appropriate to the seedling you choose to grow or the amount of seeds you plant.
In the lower part of the vase, you must place a bed of fragments and gravel to facilitate the drainage of the water and then fill with a soft and well moist soil before planting.
If you are lucky enough to be able to use a piece of land, a garden or a garden, then the propagation of the basil planting in the soil is the most recommended technique.
Planting in the field is done from April, when the weather is warmer and the temperatures are around 15/18 ° C.
If you live in particularly hot climatic zones, prefer a bright area, ventilated but not excessively exposed to the sun and proceed with regular watering only when the bed is dry.
During the growth of the plant it will be appropriate to cut the vegetative apices with regular pruning, eliminate weeds and possible parasites. Apart from the initial one, growing basil in a vase does not involve successive fertilizations. The basil harvest usually occurs after one month, however, when the leaves are well developed and have an intense, beautiful green.