Today 
Overview
Basil is an easy herb to grow, and does well on a warm, sunny window sill. After about five weeks, the seeds will be ready for pricking out. You can keep basil plants indoors all summer, or transplant them outside in late-May.
Do it:
March - June
At its best:
May - September
Takes just:
ten minutes to sow the seeds
How to do it
-
Fill each pot with compost, water it with tap water and leave to drain. Don't use rainwater from a butt as it may contain bacteria, which can cause damping-off disease. -
Place the seeds on the surface of the damp compost, spacing them evenly. Take your time, as this can be a fiddly job. Then sprinkle a thin, even layer of fine compost over the seeds, ensuring they're not disturbed. -
Cover each pot with clingfilm - turns them into mini-propagators, that keep the compost damp, aiding germination. -
Label the pots and place them on a window sill in plenty of light. Aim to keep the room at
21°-25°C while the seeds germinate. -
After about five weeks, remove the rootball from the pot and gently separate each plant with a pencil. -
In a new pot containing multi-purpose compost, make planting holes with your pencil. Then, holding each seedling by its leaves, gently tease the roots into the planting hole. Firm the soil around each plant and water.
