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key growing information
How to Grow Basil From Seed
How to grow basil from seed: germination temperature, direct sowing or starting transplants, spacing, watering, when and how to harvest, and handling pelleted seed.
By Hensley’s Seed Co.
Basil - Key Growing Information
DAYS TO GERMINATION:
Seedlings come up in about 5–10 days at 65–70°F (18–21°C).
SOWING:
Sowing in place is recommended. Plant 1/4" deep at 2–3 seeds per inch in rows 18" apart and firm the soil over the row. You don't have to thin, but plants spaced 4–8" apart grow fuller and healthier. Holy basil needs some light to germinate, so cover it more thinly than other types. For transplants, start seed indoors about 6 weeks before planting out, 1/4" deep, and hold the trays at 70°F (21°C) for the best germination. Set plants out once they have 3–4 pairs of leaves, 4–8" apart in rows 18" apart.
LIGHT PREFERENCE:
Full sun.
SOIL REQUIREMENTS:
Moderately fertile soil that stays moist. Basil handles drought poorly and can suffer in extreme heat, so steady watering all season is the key to a good crop.
PLANT HEIGHT:
Depends on variety; see each product page for its height.
PLANT SPACING:
4–8" apart.
HARDINESS ZONES:
Grown as an annual.
HARVEST:
Once plants are well established, you can start picking lightly. Harvest in the cool of early morning, when leaves are least likely to wilt. Take the main harvest just before flowering begins, cutting the whole plant 4–6" above the soil so it regrows. Leaves bruise easily, so handle them gently, and never store basil below 50°F (10°C).
PELLETED SEED:
Pelleted seed needs evenly moist soil while it germinates. Keep it cool and dry until sowing and use it within a year of purchase.
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Ocimum spp.
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