I couldn’t resist the temptation to plant a couple of tasty annual herbs. In my case, frequent relocations make it impossible to grow anything else—many plants can’t handle a change in environment and all the chaos surrounding it. It was time to try growing basil on a windowsill from seeds.
How to Grow Basil on a Windowsill
Everything you need to grow basil: a sunny windowsill, good watering, quality soil, and drainage. The simplest way to grow basil is by propagating cuttings. Place a basil stem in water, and in a few days, it will develop roots.
Growing basil from seeds is more rewarding. The plants will bloom much later and provide more leaves compared to propagated ones.
Sow directly into the pot. You can fit 5-6 plants per 1 liter of soil. Bury the seeds about 1.5 cm deep in the soil. Be sure to add drainage to the bottom of the pot.
Preparing the soil mix with perlite and vermiculite
I usually prepare the soil according to the same recipe: universal potting mix, perlite, vermiculite , a little bit of ash for disinfecting the soil , and as an initial potassium fertilizer. Cover the pot with plastic wrap until the seeds germinate. Avoid direct sunlight during this phase.
Swollen basil seed
Basil sowing
Basil seedlings
Basil sprouts
The seedlings won’t take long to sprout. They come up evenly. If the nights are still cold, you can cover the seedlings with plastic wrap temporarily.
Basil seedlings three weeks after planting
Basil seedlings three weeks after planting
Basil in a pot
Basil in a pot
Basil after one month
When watering, basil emits a wonderful aroma. Walking past the pots, you can catch a subtle lemon-cinnamon scent—there’s nothing better than herbs grown with your own hands. Pinch off the side shoots.
Basil loves moisture and misting but doesn’t tolerate a drop in temperature very well. After flowering, basil loses its good taste. So don’t hesitate to trim it.)))
From personal observation, I can understand why basil becomes inedible right before and during flowering—its leaf aroma turns overwhelmingly strong, almost like a sharp cologne. As soon as I notice even a hint of budding flowers, I pinch off the top. Those flower buds could make a fantastic evening fragrance… if only I knew how.)))
For a large bowl of salad, I use about 8-10 basil leaves—it enhances, rather than overpowers, the taste of the vegetables.
Once basil starts to flower, its aroma becomes too strong, making it unsuitable for salads. So I made aromatic basil vinegar .
