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How to...

grow basil from seed

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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.

How to do it

  1. Filling pot with compostFill 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.

  2. Placing basil seeds on compostPlace 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.

  3. Covering pot with clingfilmCover each pot with clingfilm - turns them into mini-propagators, that keep the compost damp, aiding germination.

  4. Labelling potsLabel 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.

  5. Removing the rootball from the potAfter about five weeks, remove the rootball from the pot and gently separate each plant with a pencil.

  6. Making planting holes with a pencilIn 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.

Comments and rating

Overall rating (from 5 ratings):

5 out of 5

5 out of 5

5 out of 5

Brilliant, step by step for us beginners. Thanks

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thanx very much

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Brilliant! I've germinated 6 varieties and they're all doing well. Thank you.

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I'm pretty much a COMPLETE beginner with gardening, and I think this is a brilliant guide. I've just planted my basil, with plans to do parsley in the same way if this goes well.

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