List of materials and preparatory work
Basil plants from the supermarket usually have the disadvantage that they die within a week. As part of cultivation by sowing, skilled hobby gardeners create strong, vital young plants on the windowsill instead. The seedlings therefore thrive behind glass until the start of the planting season in mid-May. The following materials are also required:
- a herb pot with a diameter of at least 15 cm and a bottom opening
- Inorganic material for drainage, such as pebbles, grit, (€ 44.95 on Amazon *) expanded clay (€ 17.50 on Amazon *) or potsherds
- an air and water permeable fleece
- Compost-based potting soil
- fine-grain sand and horn shavings
also read
- What is really important when planting basil?
- Plant and care for wild basil correctly - this is how it works
- Basil thrives like a king in pots - that's how you plant it right
To prevent the potting soil from compacting, add a handful of sand and some horn shavings (€ 6.39 on Amazon *) as additional nutrients. This mixture comes to disinfect in a fire-proof container for 30 minutes in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius.
Instructions for proper planting
Since basil cannot tolerate temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius, planting is only considered after the ice saints. Put the still potted young plant with the root ball in water until no more air bubbles rise. In the meantime, you start the further work as follows:
- Spread the drainage over the bottom opening in the pot
- Spread the fleece over it so that the coarse material does not clog
- Pour in a handful of the substrate
- Plant the potted royal herb in the middle
- Fill in the rest of the substrate, press lightly and pour on
Do not expose freshly planted basil to the blazing sun straight away. The warm rays of the sun are only welcome after an acclimatization phase of 3-4 days in the partial shade. In the following time, make sure that the soil does not dry out. After 4-6 weeks, the nutrients in the substrate are used up, so that fertilization is carried out for the first time.
Tips & Tricks
Courageously removing the tips of young basil plants promotes further branching. If you snap back the shoot tips repeatedly, the plant will thrive all the more bushy. At the same time, the flowering is prevented, which regularly makes the taste of Königskraut bitter.
GTH
