Choose the sowing date carefully
With the brighter lighting from the beginning of April, nature enters the ideal phase for sowing basil seeds. In the weeks before, there was a lack of brightness on the windowsill, so that the vital photosynthesis is blocked. The result is long, weak shoots that the plants use to search for sunlight.
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The fact that the small plants are strong enough to move into the bed or onto the balcony by mid-May speaks in favor of choosing this point in time.
Sow basil correctly - explained step-by-step
So that the seeds of Königskraut do their best right from the start, they are soaked in chamomile tea for a few hours. Knowledgeable hobby gardeners put the seeds in a germinative mood and prevent harmful mold growth. Here are the steps to start sowing:
- small growing pots (14.90 € at Amazon *) or fill a bowl with seed soil or an alternative, nutrient-poor substrate
- moisten this soil with water from the spray bottle, but do not soak it
- sow the prepared seeds
- Just press it on as a light germ and do not sieve
- Place in a heated indoor greenhouse, cover with foil or glass
- a warm and humid microclimate has a beneficial effect on germination
At a constant temperature of 20-25 degrees on the partially shaded windowsill, you can look forward to the first germ leaflets after 5-14 days. Any cover has now done its job. While the first real basil leaves are developing, ideally water the seeds from below. To do this, place the vessels in a larger bowl with a 2-3 cm high water level.
Direct sowing is not recommended
In contrast to a large number of other crops, sowing basil seeds directly in the bed is associated with considerable disadvantages. Even in mild wine-growing regions, the earliest possible date is the beginning of June. If you want to face this challenge, proceed as follows:
- loosen up the nutrient-rich soil deeply in the sunny, warm location
- Weed weeds, remove stones and roots in order to level the soil with the rake
- sow the seeds at a distance of 20-25 cm
- the row spacing is 30-40 cm
- Press the seeds down with a small board and do not cover them
Water the bed with a fine shower so that the tender seeds don't swim away again. A close-meshed net protects the seeds from pecking birds and voracious pests.
Tips & Tricks
Life-threatening fungal spores or insect eggs can lurk in any substrate. That would be fatal for sensitive basil seeds. Disinfecting the potting soil is therefore urgently recommended. Fill the earth into a fireproof bowl and place it in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 degrees Celsius or in the microwave for 10 minutes at 800 watts.
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