Let's look at what basil is like. Growing from seeds and caring for it will not add any special difficulties to the gardener. Many people like basil for its special taste, aroma, beneficial properties. It is a lush medium-sized bush, approximately 60-80 cm tall, often used not only for cooking, but also as decorative decoration plot.

Many people like aromatic spices such as fennel, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, cilantro, and basil, which is why they have been successfully grown in our gardens for a long time.

Green and purple basil in the garden

What kind of plant is basil?

This plant, originally from Asia, has several varieties, the varieties differ in color and leaf shape. Cooking European countries Green basil is widely used for cooking.

Green basil

In our country, on the contrary, its purple counterpart is more common, which has a bright, pronounced aroma.

Purple basil

The leaves of the Baku variety are purple in color, their smell is somewhat reminiscent of a mixture of the aromas of mint and cloves (seasoning). Basil with a bluish color (Yerevan) smells of tea and allspice. Green basil (spoon-shaped) - the smell is a little like laurel with a hint of cloves.

In addition to its culinary purpose, this aromatic crop has quite wide application, since its leaves and stems contain many vitamins, essential components, camphor, carotene, potassium. Purple basil has bactericidal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Its use has a positive effect on the nervous, genitourinary system. An interesting fact is that mosquitoes, midges, and flies do not like the smell of basil, so it would be advisable to sow it near gazebos, benches or other recreational areas at your dacha.

Dry or fresh basil leaves are used to prepare a wide variety of dishes, sauces, and soups. It should be added very carefully, as it can completely change, even interrupt, the taste of the main ingredients.

Growing basil from seedlings

This herb prefers light fertile soil, begins to bloom in mid-summer and continues until the first days of autumn. Basil loves warm, well-lit places and does not react well to temperature changes. How to grow basil from seeds at home? Experienced gardeners recommend pre-soaking the seeds (2 times) hot water- no more than +30°C, for about 15 minutes. If you have potassium permanganate, you can add a little powder to the water.

Basil shoots

Shallow containers (5-7 cm) with a substrate are prepared in advance, which is thoroughly moistened before sowing the seeds (early to mid-April). Also for planting you can use a soil mixture consisting of humus, peat, sand (proportions - 2: 4: 1).

The seeds are buried approximately 1 cm, carefully watered, after which the box is placed in a sunlit place where the temperature is not lower than +23°C. After 7-10 days, the first shoots appear, by this time the temperature should be lowered to +17..20°C so that the seedlings do not stretch.

At all stages of growing basil, watering should be done only with warm water. You should also not allow the soil to dry out or become waterlogged (to avoid the appearance of blackleg).

How to plant basil in separate pots? When the seedlings have two true leaves, it is time to pick. To do this, you can use special cassettes or other small containers. At the bottom you can put small crushed stone or pebbles, which will serve as drainage. Picking is done carefully, for fear of damaging the root system. Plants are planted in small depressions, followed by regular watering.

Basil - planting and care in open ground

Somewhere 7-10 days before transferring the plants to open ground, you need to start hardening - reduce the amount of water when watering, ventilate, gradually reduce the temperature (not lower than +7..10°C). By the end of May/beginning of June, when the ground warms up to about +15°C, you can remove the seedlings from the pots and replant them in the ground.

Next, we plant and plant basil in the beds. V open ground This crop is practically no different from any other seedling. The bushes are located at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other, the depression in the soil should be approximately 7-10 cm. The distance between the beds should be approximately 30 cm. The hole should be well watered before planting the plant. The bush itself should be planted in such a way that its main bud and leaves are located above the soil. As is the case with other seedlings, it is better to choose a cloudy day for planting bushes so that the sun has minimal contact with the young basil.

In order for the bushes to develop well and delight you with their splendor, the tops of the plants can be pinched off at the stage of the appearance of the fifth or sixth full-fledged leaf. This maneuver helps the basil grow in width and density. Subsequently, in order for the plant to also produce lush leaves, the inflorescences must be removed in a timely manner - pinch off or cut off. The soil, naturally, requires regular watering and loosening, and weeds should be destroyed.

Planting basil seeds directly in open ground

You can also plant this aromatic spice directly into the ground, bypassing the process of preliminary cultivation in boxes or pots. If you live in the south of the country, then this process should be completed by the middle or end of April. If you are in middle lane, then it is better to sow basil by the middle/end of May, when you are absolutely sure that no more cold snaps are expected.

Similarly, seeds are first soaked in hot water. Shallow beds are formed in the garden, and the specifics of sowing seeds repeat the above-described method of sowing seedlings. Burying the seed - no more than 1 cm, subsequent watering, fluffing up the soil, removing weeds. When the plants reach 20 cm, the tops are pinched. The more leaves you remove from the bush, the more actively they will grow again.

Basil is a plant whose best time for harvesting for autumn, winter is the period before flowering. By this time, it reaches the maximum concentration of useful components, vitamins, and essential oils. As soon as you see buds that have not yet blossomed, immediately tear off the sheet for the workpiece. When the seeds ripen, you can collect them and use them for their intended purpose with the onset of spring.

Basil feels comfortable in the garden until the first serious cold snap occurs. Before frost approaches, you can dig up a bush and plant it in indoor pot, thus, in winter you will always have aromatic spice and at the same time beautiful plant Houses.

You should know that it is not recommended to plant basil in the same place for several years - this increases the risk of the plant contracting fusarium.

Now you know when to plant basil seedlings, plant them, how to care for seedlings and grown bushes. It grows well with normal care, but if you decide to feed it organic fertilizers, then it won't get any worse. Using the method described above, you can grow basic varieties of basil or hybrid ones, such as “Balconstar”, “Anise”, “Fantaser”, “Lemon Aroma”.

We hope that the fragrant, spicy ornamental annual basil, grown from seeds and subsequent care for which were described in this article, will now settle in your summer cottage.

The name of this plant comes from Greek word basileus, which means “king” or “king”. In ancient times, this spice was served only to the table of royalty and was used for religious rituals. This is a very healthy spice, both in cooking (where it is best combined with tomatoes) and in home cosmetology.

Basil comes from India, but grows well in our climate and in open ground beds, in greenhouses and greenhouses, and in containers on the balcony, and in flower pots on sunny windowsill. If you manage to provide it with enough heat and sun, morning watering, as well as constant soil moisture, the plant will thank you with fragrant leaves that contain essential oils even when grown in room conditions, not to mention open ground, will be no less than those that grew up in Greece or India. Basil shoots are most fragrant at the very beginning of flowering.

The aroma of basil repels mosquitoes (which is a definite plus his room contents). Also, the smell of this plant is not to the liking of aphids, so it is often planted as a companion crop in greenhouses.

This is an annual herbaceous plant, depending on the variety, reaches a height of 30 to 80 cm. Basil is quite bushy - up to 15 lateral branches of the first order. The flowering phase begins in July and lasts until September. The flowers of this plant are most often white or pink, collected in a raceme-like inflorescence. Basil seeds remain viable for up to five years; like most aromatic plants, they are very small. Therefore, basil seedlings are sown using the ordinary method.

TYPES OF BASIL

Basil is most often used in cooking. All aboveground part basil has a spicy aroma, and the smell of different varieties of this spice is very different: it can be notes of allspice and tea, clove-mint aroma, aftertaste bay leaf, lemon and anise.

Sweet basil- the most common type of plant of this genus in cultivation. Its leaves have a tart clove flavor, and the plant reaches a height of 80 cm.

The best varieties: Magiccal Michael (bush form of basil), Mammoth– the plant has large leaves, whose taste is sharp and spicy, Genovese Gigante– in Italy it is considered the best variety for culinary purposes.

Summer residents also grow the following types of basil:

Cinnamon or Mexican basil, – has a cinnamon flavor, grows up to 50 cm in height, and thanks to its bright purple flowers it looks very decorative.

Small leaf basil– a plant with small and narrow leaves and a sweet taste. Unlike other varieties, its taste lacks astringency.

Aniseed or Thai basil, - this plant is distinguished by silvery, very attractive leaves and a strong anise smell. This spice is an indispensable ingredient in Thai cuisine.

Bush basil is a plant with small leaves and a bushy growth habit. The variety is deservedly popular Spicy Globe.

Purple basil is often planted in aromatic gardens because it has unusual red-purple leaves. Popular in Caucasian cuisine - in the Caucasus countries it is called regan. Most famous varieties – Red Ruby, Purple Ruffles(with wavy leaves and sweet taste), Purpurascens, Osmin Purple.

IN recent years The lemon basil hybrid is popular among summer residents, the leaves of which have a strong lemon aroma and taste. This basil is especially tasty in fish dishes. Well proven varieties - Mrs. Burns, Lesbos.

WHAT IS BASIL USEFUL FOR?

IN folk medicine Basil is used for gargling, and an infusion of this plant is drunk for headaches. Basil decoctions and tinctures are useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Fresh basil leaves contain vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, carotene, essential oils and phytoncides. Masks with basil juice have a pronounced antioxidant and rejuvenating effect. For medicinal purposes, basil is used as an antifever, diuretic and disinfectant. The leaves can be used to scent baths.

WHAT DO YOU EAT IT WITH?

A pinch of basil leaves will add a unique taste to any dish. There are many recipes for salads with basil. This spice is irreplaceable in marinades, as well as in the preparation of sauces, especially tomato sauces.

Both fresh and dried basil greens are eaten. And if dried herbs are definitely a seasoning, then fresh ones can become a full-fledged ingredient in salads from fresh vegetables, giving the dish a unique piquancy.

Basil is added not only to salads, but also to meat, fish, and vegetable soups. A lot has been developed based on this plant. effective diets. Powdered basil leaves mixed with rosemary leaves are used as pepper and can replace salt when salt-free diets. Basil is used in sausages and cheeses, for pickling and pickling cucumbers, canning squash, zucchini, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Salted porcini mushrooms topped with basil sprigs are very tasty. And the most valuable variety of basil for canning is called Minimum.

PLANTING BASIL

Basil is heat-loving, so it is recommended to plant seedlings in open ground when the threat of frost has passed.

This plant grows well in sunny places because it needs a lot of light. If you provide basil with light, it can be grown on a windowsill. all year round.

Basil needs high permeability of the soil. The soil should be light and structured, with a pH close to neutral value. Heavy soils unsuitable for basil, especially with standing tall groundwater.

Basil is not grown in the same area for several years in a row, since in this case the plants are affected by fusarium (the main symptom of this fungal disease is brown spots on the leaves). Basil can only be replanted in the same area after 10 years.

Basil loves watering in the morning, and it should be regular. Nitrogen fertilizers are used to feed basil, which stimulate the growth of green mass of plants.

BEST NEIGHBORS

Basil grows well next to tomatoes, asparagus, different types cabbage, hot and sweet peppers. This plant repels and even causes the death of many insect pests. Its insecticidal properties are used to protect against aphids, spider mite both indoor and greenhouse plants. Pots of basil are placed among the affected plants or areas are planted with basil. Dry herbs are also used.

GROWING BASIL

Basil in the middle zone is grown by seedlings. Sowing seeds “directly to the garden” in our latitudes is only suitable for obtaining spicy young greens. To grow mature plants and harvest decent harvest, it is better to use the seedling method.

Basil seedlings are sown at the end of March. Sow the seeds in seedling boxes, sprinkle a little on top and moisten (the depth of seeding is 0.5-1 cm with a distance between rows of 5 cm). When sowing seeds, as well as hatched basil seedlings, it is unacceptable to water cold water. It is better to cover the boxes with covering material to provide the necessary humidity and place them in a warm place. For germination, a temperature of +20-28 °C is required. Basil will begin to sprout within a week.

Seedlings dive into pots and are planted on permanent place into the ground. You can do without picking.

The soil mixture for basil is most often prepared according to this scheme: 1 part humus and 2 parts peat. The substrate is watered with a solution mineral fertilizers(1 teaspoon of urea, the same amount of superphosphate, potassium chloride and potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water).

Before sowing, the seeds are soaked. But you can do without this procedure, the main thing is that the soil is kept moist until germination. But there is no need to allow the soil to become waterlogged, otherwise the basil may be affected by blackleg. If this happens, watering with a solution will help. copper sulfate– 0.5 tsp. for 1 liter of water.

You can plant seedlings in the ground when the plants reach five centimeters in height. Basil seedlings are planted in rows, the distance between which should be about 40 cm, 30 cm between plants. By the time basil is planted on a personal plot in open ground, stable warm weather should have established itself - usually this happens at the end of May. It is best to choose a not very hot, cloudy day for planting seedlings in the ground. If the day is hot and sunny, it is better to plant seedlings in a permanent place after the heat subsides, in the afternoon. After planting in the garden, the seedlings must be watered.

Basil is also propagated by cuttings. Moreover, even a basil bush bought in a store in the fresh vegetable department is suitable for this. Cuttings from the top of the stem, as well as from its middle, are placed in a jar of water. The cuttings should take root within 5 days, and after 14 days the plant can be planted in the ground.

BASIL: CARE

Caring for basil is not difficult, and consists of loosening the soil, weeding, regular watering, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, and controlling pests - slugs and snails.

When caring for a basil plantation, you need to hill up the bushes and water them at least 6-10 times during the growing season. With regular watering, the leaves will be juicy and there will be more green mass. It is advisable to cover the plants with film, especially at first, since the optimal temperature for the growth and development of basil is above +20 ° C.

If basil is grown for culinary and not decorative purposes, then when the buds appear, they should be cut off immediately. At the height of flowering, the leaves lose their aroma.

FEEDING

Basil is fed twice during the growing season. The first feeding is carried out 10-12 days after planting the seedlings in the ground. The next feeding is carried out another 15-20 days after the previous one. Most often, basil is fed with the following solution: 2 tbsp. l. nitrophoska per 10 liters of water. This composition will require about five liters per square meter.

HARVEST

Basil leaves are harvested many times. In basil, you can constantly cut off the tops of shoots with several leaves with a sharp, clean knife, rather than breaking them off. Ta-

This procedure will stimulate the subsequent growth of greenery and preserve the youth of the plant for a long time. You can cut branches 10-12 cm long.

If basil is harvested for the purpose of harvesting for the winter, that is, you want to cut off a lot of green mass at once, then the entire stem is cut off, except for the four lower leaves. If, after the first cut, the plants are fed with mineral multicomponent fertilizers, weeded and loosened between the rows, you can get a harvest of green mass again. On average from square meter remove about a kilogram of fresh basil, which is about 200 g of dry spice.

Summer residents usually carry out mass cutting at the beginning of basil flowering. It has been noted that it is at this stage that the leaves and young shoots are the most fragrant and contain the most essential oil and vitamins. In order not to lose essential oils, which, in fact, are the main reason why spice plants are grown, basil must be harvested in a short time. Harvesting time is at the beginning of flowering, when the leaves are most fragrant and the green mass of plants is most abundant. Basil should be harvested in dry weather; plants should be cut at leaf level. We use the green mass immediately - for canning or drying.

Basil greens are dried naturally, in the shade and with active ventilation.

To properly dry the plants, they must be spread out in a thin layer, avoiding “steaming” - otherwise the basil will lose its taste, aroma and color. Signs of properly dried basil: the plant retains its natural color (depending on the variety, light or dark green, purple, violet). Properly dried stems should be brittle and easy to break, and leaves and flowers should be easy to grind into powder.

Drying basil in the microwave is unacceptable. When dried under natural conditions (without exposure to direct sun rays!) The temperature should not exceed +35 degrees, otherwise the essential oils will evaporate.

Store the dry ground mass in a dark place, in a tightly closed container, preferably not transparent. This way the aroma will last longer - up to 3 years.

You can keep basil leaves fresh for a long period. An old Neapolitan method is to place fresh leaves in clay pots, sprinkle them with salt and pour olive oil cold pressed (can be replaced with any vegetable oil).

Basil is easy to grow and transforms an ordinary dish into a culinary masterpiece! Fresh basil not only tastes better than dry basil, it tastes completely different, as if the two were different plants. This article describes the process of planting and harvesting basil.

Steps

Seeds

Select the variety of basil you want to grow. Basil comes in many different varieties, each with its own unique taste and smell. Read about the different varieties of basil and choose one (or several) that you like, then order the seeds or buy them at the store. Here is a description of some varieties:

• Vietnamese basil tastes like a sweet spice and has unusually beautiful and fragrant petals.
• Lemon basil contains citral, an aromatic compound found in citrus fruits that has a lemony scent.
• Purple basil is often grown for decoration, scent and flowers.
• There are also perennial varieties of basil that produce year after year - such as African blue basil (which has beautiful blue vessels on its leaves) and Thai basil, while most other varieties are annuals, requiring annual planting.
• Greek small-leaved basil is much more difficult to grow, but it grows in very beautiful small bushes.

1. Start the seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date. Basil needs to grow warm air and sun, so it is easier to start planting indoors so that it is not damaged by frost.

   • If you live in a hot climate, you can plant the seeds outdoors.
   • To determine when the last frost will be, you can look at the forecast or consult with fellow gardeners.

2. Prepare a container for the seeds. Pour a mixture of perlite, vermiculite and peat in equal parts into a common pot or into each individual pot. Apply gentle pressure to the soil to remove pockets of air. Moisten the soil with soil to provide a suitable environment for the seeds to grow.

   Plant the seeds. Drop one to two seeds into each pot. Lightly sprinkle them with soil. Cover the pots with plastic wrap to retain moisture. Place the pots in a sunny window. After a couple of days, remove the wrapper and lightly water the pots.

   When sprouts appear, remove the plastic wrap. Remove the wrapping from the pots when you see the first tendrils emerging from the ground. Continue to water the sprouts twice a day to prevent the soil from drying out. When the plant grows 5-7 cm tall and its leaves mature, they should be moved to a larger container.

• Basil can be grown directly in the garden. Since you don't have much experience at first, you can choose one of the fast-growing varieties, like lemon basil. On the other hand, all varieties of basil grow equally quickly to produce a harvest, they simply will not have the advantage that fast-growing varieties have.
• If the stems of the seedlings are tall and thin, they may not be receiving enough light.
• When planting basil directly in the garden, be sure to keep the top layer of soil moist. You need to let the soil dry out, but be sure to keep an eye on the dryness level. Seeds and seedlings that do not yet have deep roots can be damaged by even a few hours in dry soil.
• Water your basil twice a day. warm water until it hardens.
• Basil is known to improve the taste of tomatoes and peppers, and also repel aphids and caterpillars from them.

Basil is a wonderful herb that is extremely popular in European and Mediterranean cuisine. But not everyone can grow basil. Let's figure out why.

Basil is a heat-loving crop, but early. If you just sow it on the beds in the spring, usually nothing will sprout. There are two ways to grow this spice: seedlings and in a greenhouse.

How to plant basil

Which way to plant depends on how heavy the dense soil is on the site - on heavy clay soil, the seeds do not germinate well - only as seedlings. Depends on the severity of the climate, for example, in Siberia it is worth planting only seedlings; in the spring it is still too cold. And in southern regions In Russia it grows well when sown in open ground.

For seedlings, basil seeds are sown in early - mid-March, in wide bowls or boxes, in well-moistened soil. You can buy soil for seedlings, or you can make a soil mixture yourself - from garden soil and sand in equal parts. The seeds are sown dry, without soaking, without covering them with soil - they germinate in the light within 7-9 days, optimal temperature 25-28°C.

After sowing, make sure that the soil is constantly moist; overdrying is disastrous for seedlings. If the crops are covered with film, the humidity will be quite high; you can spray them 1-2 times a day, but be sure to ventilate them; mold should not form on the soil. Make sure the seedlings have enough light. If the window is not sunny or the weather is cloudy, add additional light to the seedlings.

If a bowl with crops is taken out during the day glass balcony, be sure to bring it into the apartment at night.

You can plant seedlings in beds or in a greenhouse only when the threat has passed return frosts, in central Russia this is the beginning of June. Basil has very tender seedlings and can die from the cold.

Without seedling method Basil can be sown in open ground only after the weather has settled at least 15 degrees. Then no shelters are needed - neither film nor glass.

If you want to plant earlier, then at a temperature of at least 10 degrees you can sow basil in a greenhouse with tomatoes and peppers. The main thing is that the place is sunny.

Usually basil is not planted in a separate bed, except for spice fans who use it for huge quantities. Then, before planting basil, it is advisable to add organic matter to the beds - about a shovel of humus per 1 square meter. m of land, if the soil is clay or sandy, it is advisable to add peat - a bucket per 1 sq. m. m. Level the ridges and plant seedlings in rows with an interval of 15-20 cm between plants, the distance between rows is 30 cm.

If you need a little basil for the table, it makes sense to plant it in one row with vegetables, in beds already prepared for them. There is no need to apply additional fertilizer, remember that excess fertilizer enters your body and puts a strain on the liver and kidneys, and we begin to pick basil leaves early, as they grow back.

Caring for Basil

At the beginning of the growing season, after planting seedlings, it is important to protect the spice from return frosts and drying out of the soil. If the crops in the soil are dense, they need to be thinned. When plantings are dense, basil is affected by fungal infections, such as gray mold and fusarium.

In dry weather, after watering, be sure to loosen the soil around the bushes so that a dry, dense crust does not form.

Never water basil with water from a hose, well or borehole, this water is cold, the plant does not tolerate this. Store water in buckets or barrels so it can be heated in the sun.

From time to time, the beds with spices must be weeded, otherwise the weeds will clog the young plants. Once a month you can fertilize basil, for example, with nitrophoska (1.5 tablespoons per bucket of water), half a bucket per 1 square meter. m, fertilize only on wet soil, in no case on dry soil.

As soon as the basil begins to bloom (late July, early August), break out the inflorescences; this stimulates the growth of new shoots and helps maintain the juiciness of the leaves. If the inflorescences are left, the spice may become sticky, and the plant itself begins to deplete and turn yellow. lower leaves, we are losing the harvest.

The exception is basil varieties that have purely decorative value, for example, cinnamon basil, which is also grown in flower beds and is valued not only for its delicate leaves, but also for its beautiful purple inflorescences.

If you planted basil with your tomatoes, keep in mind that your herb may not get enough sun. Therefore, tomatoes need to be pinched and the lower leaves removed in time. Tomato stems and fruit clusters are tied as high as possible, then they do not shade the basil or peppers, and they get sick less.

What to plant basil with

As already mentioned, basil grows well next to tomatoes, peppers, and goes well with legumes, asparagus, zucchini, and pumpkin. Can be planted next to kohlrabi cabbage, lettuce, green and onions.

Basil does not like being next to marjoram, dill; it is undesirable to plant it next to cucumbers and white cabbage large varieties, radishes and radishes, do not plant marigolds near basil. Neutral to beets and beans.

You can grow basil in the same place for 3-4 years, then try to find another place for it to avoid fungal infections. As for the predecessors, there are no ideal ones for basil; plant them in any new place - sunny, on well-drained soil.

If you can’t change the basil’s registration in the garden, you can plant it not in a garden bed, but in boxes, baskets, and other containers; it is important that there are plenty of drainage holes to drain excess water. Basil loves to drink, but does not tolerate excessive dampness and souring of the soil. You can also use an old trough (punch a hole in the bottom) or stack two car tires and cover with earth.

Basil in the flower garden

Very often basil is grown and how ornamental plant, planting it in flower beds. Basil leaves are beautiful and go well with many plants. Bush height different varieties is from 25 to 60 cm on average, so basil is planted along the edge of flower beds, in borders.

Basil is combined in flower beds with plants such as hyssop (blue St. John's wort), chistema, heuchera, chives, decorative lettuce and cabbage, it looks great with the tenacious Geneva plant, oregano and mint will go well with basil, and can grow next to young roses and hostas.

Basil in a pot

All summer you can tear off basil leaves for salad, and at the end of August, when it starts to get colder, transplant the plants into pots and take them into the house. If there is enough light, it can grow on a windowsill all year round. If the basil in the pot begins to stretch out, place a lamp nearby; it grows well with artificial lighting.

To determine if your basil is getting enough light, pay attention to the inclination of the stems. Ideally, they are upright; if there is little light, they lean toward the window.

You need to water basil in pots carefully - without over-watering, so as not to rot the roots. Water as soon as it dries out top layer soil.

If the basil in the pot begins to stretch out and the stems become coarse, you just need to cut off the top of the shoot and re-root it in water. With sufficient light and warmth, the cuttings take root both in autumn and winter.

Medicinal properties of basil

“He who chews basil lives long” (Armenian proverb)

Basil is commonly used as a beneficial herb containing many vitamins and minerals. But basil can also be used as a medicine. Rim Akhmedov in his book “Plants - Your Friends and Foes” tells the reader that herbalists recommend drinking a hot infusion of basil leaves for inflammation of the kidneys, bladder, and colds. Basil infusion helps with intestinal and liver colic, flatulence, is useful for neuroses, headaches, bronchial asthma. Basil stimulates lactation in nursing mothers, but does not affect the taste of milk. Here are some recipes we can recommend:

• Otitis: pour 2 tablespoons of chopped basil herb with half a glass of boiling water, cover with a saucer, leave for 10 minutes. Moisten a cotton ball and apply a compress to the sore ear. Keep it for 1-2 hours every day until the pain goes away.
• Conjunctivitis: 1 tablespoon dried basil or 3 tbsp. Pour a glass of boiling water over spoons of fresh chopped herbs. Cover with a saucer. As soon as it cools down, rinse your eyes without diluting with water 3-4 times a day.
• At nervous tension and fatigue: brew 1 level tablespoon of dry herb in a glass of boiling water, leave for 15-20 minutes. Drink like tea with honey, but no more than 2 times a day. The same infusion, only without honey and in small sips, relieves nausea.

Basil has contraindications; due to the presence of a hypercoagulant effect, it is contraindicated for coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, thrombophlebitis, and thrombosis. Basil is not suitable as medicine for hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Two leaves in the salad will not hurt, but it is not recommended to drink infusions from the herb.

Fragrant and spicy basil, the cultivation of which is difficult special difficulties, has been known to mankind for more than 5 thousand years and is widely used in both culinary and medicinal purposes. The culture is unpretentious and decorative; it can be kept at home on the windowsill as indoor plant and fresh green spice. Grown on personal plot or in the garden, basil will delight a bountiful harvest all summer, if you follow simple rules of agricultural technology.

Basil (Ocimum) is an aromatic annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Its name can be translated from Greek as “royal” or “royal”. Among the wide variety of herbs and greens, it occupies a dominant position.

The most suitable for growing basil in open ground are: different varieties of this crop, which differ not only in leaf color, but also in taste. The above-ground part of the plant may be yellowish-green, dark green and dark purple colors. The tetrahedral stems of this herb do not grow more than 0.3-0.6 m, covered with shiny and rough leaves of an ovoid-oblong shape. The shoot ends in an inflorescence consisting of several white or pinkish-purple buds.

Essential oils contained in fresh and dried herbs give dishes a refined and sophisticated, subtle taste of allspice, delicate notes of spicy cloves and a tart lemon aroma. The plant contains a rich set useful substances(phytoncides, camphor, tannins), vitamins (E, A, C, PP, K, group B), minerals (potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, sodium, mercury and others).

Basil seed sowing

Basil can be sowed directly in open ground. garden plot or previously in individual containers for seedlings, which are moved to the bed after the onset of stable heat. The seedling method allows you to get a harvest of fragrant greens much earlier. In addition, in the fall the seeds have time to ripen and can be collected for sowing next year. This option is considered the most preferable when growing crops, although with the first method you can also collect a lot of aromatic herbs.

When to sow basil: the process of planting the plant

Basil is planted for seedlings approximately 55-60 days before the expected day of moving the seedlings into open ground. It is recommended to do this at the end of March or beginning of April. This time is enough for the seedlings to fully develop; it makes no sense to plant earlier. First, prepare a soil mixture from equal parts of peat, garden soil and well-rotted humus. You can use universal gardening compounds sold in stores.

The soil is poured into boxes or individual pots with a mandatory drainage layer at least 3-4 cm thick.

To speed up germination, it is recommended to additionally fertilize the soil with a special mineral composition prepared from potassium chloride, urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate (½ tsp per 5 liters of water). The soil in the box is sprinkled with a mineralized solution and left to warm up until room temperature for several hours. Seed material is prepared in advance. To do this, it is kept warm for about 2 weeks, and immediately before sowing it is soaked for 9-10 hours in a solution of potassium permanganate or any growth stimulant (Zircon, Epin).

You need to sow basil using the following technology:

• seeds are planted in the soil no deeper than 0.8-1 cm;
• gently water with settled water at room temperature;
• cover the container with glass or transparent plastic film and place it in a well-lit, sunny place (window sill) with a temperature of at least +23 °C;
• when the first shoots appear (after 7-10 days), the temperature must be reduced to +17...+20 °C so that the seedlings do not stretch out;
• When 2-4 full-fledged leaves appear, the seedlings can be planted in separate pots.

How to care for seedlings?

When grown from seeds, basil requires the following conditions:

1. Regular ventilation of seedlings. The cover is removed daily for 10-15 minutes.
2. Good lighting. Otherwise, the seedlings will stretch out and be stunted. They need to be turned periodically to prevent them from growing askew. If there is a lack of light, the plantings are illuminated with fluorescent or phytolamps.
3. Watering. Carry out carefully and carefully, only with warm water. Excessive waterlogging of the substrate can cause the development of blackleg, which will destroy the seedlings. If this happens, you can spray the basil seedlings with a urea solution (½ tsp per 1 liter of water).
4. Loosening. About once every 10-14 days.
5. Feeding. After 5 leaves appear, the seedling is pinched to increase bushiness. When the side shoots grow a little, the seedlings are fertilized with organic matter (humus, manure).

Planting seedlings in the ground

Basil seedlings are planted in open ground only when warm weather sets in and the soil warms up to +15...+17 °C. In most regions, this time falls at the end of May or the first ten days of June. Experienced vegetable growers recommend starting to harden off seedlings about a week before the expected date.

To do this, containers with plants are taken out and left outside for 15 minutes, gradually the time spent on fresh air increase to several hours. To get good harvest spicy herbs, it is necessary to comply with some agricultural technology conditions.

What should the soil be like to plant basil?

For this herbs choose illuminated sunny places on the site. But the crop does not tolerate cold winds and drafts, so it is advisable to plant seedlings under the protection of large trees and shrubs, as well as near fences and various buildings. Basil grows well in loose, fertile and well-drained light soils. The best predecessors for him there will be cucumbers, tomatoes and legumes.

• humus or rotted compost - 3.5-50 kg (depending on nutritional composition soil);
• granulated superphosphate - 20-25 g;
• potassium sulfate - 10-12 g.

Immediately before planting, the soil is watered generously with a fertilizer solution (½ teaspoon of potassium chloride, urea and potassium sulfate per ½ bucket of water).

If the selected area is located in a lowland, then it is better to make the beds high and fence them with boards or other material. Basil will not grow well in damp, waterlogged and airtight soils.

How to plant seedlings correctly?

It is better to plant seedlings on a cloudy and rainy day to avoid the appearance of sunburn on tender leaves. Holes are dug 9-10 cm deep at a distance of 15-17 cm from each other, leaving at least 25-30 cm between the rows, otherwise the bushes will be crowded. You need to pour water into the holes (at least 1 liter), then you can plant basil in the wet soil.

The soil around each plant is carefully compacted and watered again. The first time of planting, cover with film at night. When the seedlings take root well and begin to grow, the shelter is completely removed.

Caring for basil: features of growing an aromatic plant

Basil is a heat-loving plant, this should be taken into account when choosing a variety for planting. It must be adapted to local climatic conditions. In the middle zone, it is recommended to grow this crop in seedlings. The best varieties for this region are considered:

• Russian giant purple (clove-pepper).
• Dragon (clove-pepper).
• Peppery aroma (spicy pepper).
• Yerevan (pepper-tea).
• Ararat (anise).
• Valya (clove).
• Greek (mint-pepper).
• Velvet (mint).
• Aniskin (anise).

To grow basil, it is necessary to take proper care of it, which consists of timely regular watering, loosening the soil, weeding and fertilizing.

Watering and caring for the garden bed

For proper cultivation of basil, it is important to follow the watering regime. It is necessary to moisten the soil only after its top layer has dried. Severe dampness can lead to rotting of the root system. It is recommended to water after weeding and loosening, so that more air reaches the roots and moisture seeps out faster. It is imperative to remove weeds, since they take away cultivated plant nutrients and their powerful root system interferes with the growth of herbs. We water the ridges exclusively with warm, settled water.

When does a plant need to be fertilized and how to do it?

To get a good and abundant growth of green mass of aromatic basil, it is necessary to fertilize with fertilizers containing nitrogen. To do this, you can use a simple nitrophoska, diluting it in the following proportions: 2 tbsp. l. granules per 12 liters of water. Each bush needs to be watered, the consumption is approximately 3-4 liters per 1 m² of planting.

The first feeding is carried out at the end of June or beginning of July, the second - after 3-4 weeks.

This herb is a disease-resistant crop. All diseases of basil are associated with unfavorable weather conditions or errors in agricultural technology. With dense plantings, low temperatures and excessive moisture, it can be affected by fusarosis and gray mold. Diseased bushes are removed and fresh ones are planted in their place.

As a preventative measure and in the initial stages of pathology development, spraying with infusion is used. onion peel(4 parts water and 1 part onion peel). It is not recommended to plant this spicy plant for more than 2 years in one place, as this increases the likelihood of infection with fungal infections (fusarium).

Insect pests attack basil extremely rarely; they are not attracted to the phytoncides contained in its leaves. Many gardeners even use this crop in mixed plantings for repelling aphids and spider mites from other crops.

Harvesting: how to collect greens?

Basil can be harvested throughout the growing season. Single leaves can be plucked continuously for consumption. But you cannot completely expose the bush, as it will certainly die. After flowering begins ground part loses its aroma and original rich taste, even becomes bitter. Therefore, flower brushes on specimens not intended for subsequent collection seed material, you need to cut it off.

When and how is cutting done?

Mass harvest of basil is carried out twice per season:

1. Before flowering (early July), as soon as the buds appear, large grass is cut off. They only collect top part, leaving the lower branches.
2. When the side shoots grow well on the bush, they can also be cut off. This occurs 4-5 weeks after the first harvest (early or mid-August).

To obtain spicy herbs all year round, several copies of basil can be transplanted into flower pots and keep them at home on the windowsill all winter.

How to prepare basil?

Growing basil requires a temperature not lower than +20...+25 °C, so at the end of August the bushes stop growing and healthy greens need to be harvested for storage for the winter. This is done in several ways:

1. Drying. Can be dried in a natural way, in which the cut branches are scattered in a thin layer and placed in a dry, well-ventilated place without direct sunlight. You can dry the greens in the oven at a temperature of about +40 ° C or in the microwave. Store dried spices in tightly closed glass or porcelain containers.
2. Freezing. The green mass is crushed, frozen, then placed in individual bags or plastic jars and store in the freezer.
3. Canning. There are many different recipes in which basil is salted and preserved. You can make basil paste from it.

The most common method of harvesting this herb is drying. In this form, basil retains its original aroma for the longest time and large number useful substances.