Growing herbs in their square foot garden - basil

Growing herbs in their square foot garden - basil

The cultivation of herbs, especially basil, in their square meter garden, is an excellent opportunity to have a vegetable garden right in front of your back door. Herbs that are mixed with fresh vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, leeks and beets can be easily prepared with Mel Bartholomew's gardening.

If you have not picked up a copy of Mel's book entitled All New Square Foot Gardening, you really shouldn't hesitate. In it you will find an abundance of information about the cultivation of basil. In addition to learning the basil cultivation, you will find helpful information on the cultivation of other herbs such as coriander, mint and oregano. There are many varieties to choose from.

basil, especially 'Sweet Genovese', is the best for Italian pesto. But be sure and experiment with basil aromas such as cinnamon, liquorice and lemon, which are also good in many dishes. Six plants from "Sweet Genovese" provide enough leaves to make pesto all summer without being overwhelmed. Of course it is easy to freeze every variety of this wonderful herb if necessary.

Another variety that you should try, especially if you like Asian cuisine, is 'Siam Queen'. A spicy Thai basil with an intense taste and fragrance makes it a great choice. Another good choice is the "Holy Basil", which was introduced in the 16th century as a kitchen and medicinal herb in Europe. You want to experiment and enjoy growing the different basil varieties in your garden.

Many varieties of basil seeds will be available in garden centers from February. Even more varieties, such as the above, are available online from seed companies. Some companies, such as Pinetree Seeds, offer square foot gardeners a lower number of seeds per pack.

grow and maintain

There are two ways to grow basil. The first way is to start the seeds within 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost date, or start the seeds outdoors after the risk of frost and the floor is warm.

The second way of growing basil is to buy transplantation (plant -ready plants) in your local garden center. These are usually sold in 4-inch pots.

A good rule of thumb for the time of planting is: If you need a sweater outside, it is too cold for basil. To give your plants the best chance to thrive, plant them outside after all frost probabilities have disappeared and it is nice and warm.

One of the advantages of quadrat foot gardening is that you can put plastic over your raised bed to warm up the floor. If you are surprised by a cold snapshot after the frost -free date, just a few years ago, simply go over your bed with a glass bell or a greenhouse bracket for protection.

If you plant basil in your square meter garden, it is a good idea to plant it next to your tomatoes so that they become stronger and tastier. Plant basil one per square foot if you don't want to harvest very often. Plant two per square foot if you want to harvest frequently to use them fresh, dried (the least desirable) or frozen.

During the vegetation period, pinch flower buds to save the plants energy for leaf growth. Press the stems directly over the leaf node, where new stems sprout. If you have planted two basil plants per square foot, concentrate on harvesting the side stems so that they do not become too full.

basil harvest at any time and only use the leaves for cooking. Stems can be placed in the compost heaps.

You will quickly find that the cultivation of herbs, especially basil, is easy to do using Mels method of square foot garden work. It has been a proven system all over the world for over 25 years. Create your own vegetable garden on your deck or somewhere next to your house to make access easier and simplify the cultivation of herbs.

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