Grow Basil Indoors Easily: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Fresh, Flavourful Basil All Year!

Introduction

Fresh basil herb leaves can make any dish taste so much better. Many people think they need a garden to grow basil, but that’s not true! Today we will learn how to grow basil right inside our homes. Yes, it’s possible to have fresh basil whenever we need, without going to market or using dried basil from bottles.

Growing basil herb indoors has become very common these days as many homes don’t have garden to grow. Most people living in flats or small homes are doing it. Why? Because it’s easy, saves money, and gives fresh leaves for cooking throughout the year.

Some people say growing plants inside home is hard work. But growing basil indoors is not difficult at all. With some basic knowledge and little care, anyone can grow basil successfully. Even people who never grew any plants before can do it easily.

The best part about indoor basil? It’s not just good for cooking. These small plants make our homes look nice and give pleasant smell too. This guide will tell everything about growing healthy basil plants inside home. After reading this, growing basil will become very simple for everyone.

Ready to start growing fresh basil? Let’s begin!

Getting Started: Basic Things Needed

Before starting to grow basil indoors, let’s gather all important things. Many people think indoor plants need lots of special items, but for basil, only some basic things are needed. Here’s everything required to start:

Basic Items for Growing Basil

• A pot or container with holes at bottom for drainage (size: 6 inch wide is good for one plant)
• Normal potting soil from garden shop
• Basil seeds or small basil plants
• Small water bottle for watering
• Plate to keep under pot

Choosing the right place for basil. The place where we keep basil plant is very important. Here’s what basil plants like:

Light Needs

• Basil needs good sunlight for 4-6 hours daily
• Windowsill facing east or west is best
• South window also works well
• If not enough sunlight comes, normal LED grow light will work

Temperature Needs

• Normal room temperature is perfect
• Basil grows well in 20-30 degrees
• Keep away from AC direct air
• Don’t keep near gas stove or hot places

Space for Growing

• Small balcony corner works well
• Kitchen window is also good
• Any shelf near window
• Make sure air comes properly
• Keep away from children and pets

One good thing about basil is it doesn’t need too much space. Even people living in small flats can grow it easily. Just one sunny window is enough to start growing fresh basil at home.

After getting these basic things and finding right spot, growing basil becomes very simple. Next section will show how to start planting basil step by step.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Now that all basic things are ready, let’s learn how to grow basil properly. There are two ways to start: using seeds or buying small plants. Both ways work well. Let’s see both methods:

Starting from Seeds

1. Fill pot with soil or potting mix
   • Leave 1 inch space at top
   • Don’t press soil or potting mix too hard
   • Soil should be little loose
2. Put seeds in soil
   • Make small holes (about finger tip deep)
   • Put 2-3 seeds in each hole
   • Cover with little soil
   • Spray water softly
3. Early care for seeds
   • Keep soil slightly wet
   • Cover pot with plastic sheet
   • Remove sheet when small plants come
   • Small plants will come in 5-7 days

Starting with Small Plants

1. Choosing good plants
   • Buy plants with green leaves
   • Check there are no black spots
   • Small healthy plants grow better
   • Avoid plants with flowers
2. Planting steps
   • Make hole in pot soil
   • Remove plant carefully from old pot
   • Put in new pot at same depth
   • Press soil around plant softly

Daily Care Routine

1. Water needs
   • Check soil every morning
   • Water when top soil feels dry
   • Don’t make soil too wet
   • Water at base of plant
2. Light care
   • Turn pot every 2-3 days
   • Clean leaves with soft cloth
   • Move closer to window if leaves become light green
   • Use grow light in cloudy days
3. Temperature care
   • Keep room temperature normal
   • Close windows in very cold weather
   • Give some air flow with small fan
   • Don’t let cold wind hit directly

Following these simple steps will help basil grow well. Most problems happen when plants get too much or too little water. Remember, basil growing is easy – just needs little regular care.

Proper Care Tips

Now let’s learn how to take care of basil plants properly. Good care is very important for getting lots of fresh, tasty leaves. Here are some easy tips that work well:

Watering Properly How Much Water?

• Just enough to make soil moist
• Not so much that water stays in plate
• Make sure the water comes out from the drainage holes.

When to Water?

• Morning time is best
• When top soil feels dry
• Usually every 1-2 days
• More in summer, less in winter

Signs of Water Problems, Too Much Water:

• Leaves become yellow
• Soil stays wet for long time
• Black spots on leaves
• Bad smell from soil

Too Little Water:

• Leaves drop down
• Soil looks very dry
• Leaves become brown
• Plant looks weak

Light Requirements Best Window Positions

• East/west windows to properly utilize the morning and evening sun.
• South window works all day
• North window not so good

Using Grow Lights

• Keep light 6 inches above plant
• Use for 6-8 hours daily
• Normal white LED grow light works
• Blue-red lights also good

Changing with Seasons

• Summer: Move little away from window
• Winter: Keep closer to window
• Rainy days: Use grow light
• Spring: Best time for growth

These care tips are not difficult to follow. Little attention every day makes basil plants grow very well. Most importantly, watching plants daily helps catch problems early.

Making Plants Grow Better

Simple tricks can make basil plants grow much better. Just like how we need good food to stay healthy, basil plants also need some extra care to give more leaves. Here are some easy ways to make basil grow better:

Fertilizer Tips: Types of Fertilizers

• Normal organic fertilizer works best
• Kitchen compost is also good
• Liquid fertilizers are easy to use
• Avoid strong chemical fertilizers

When to Add Fertilizer

• Start after one month of planting
• Give once every month
• Best time is early morning
• Don’t fertilize sick plants

How Much to Use

• One spoon for small plants
• Two spoons for big plants
• For liquid type – follow bottle instructions
• Less is better than too much

Pruning Methods (Cutting Plants): When to Cut

• After plant is 6 inches tall
• When stems have 6-8 leaf pairs
• Early morning is good time

How to Cut

• Use clean scissors
• Cut just above leaf pairs
• Remove top part of stems
• Don’t cut more than half plant

Benefits of Cutting

• Plants become bushy
• More leaves grow
• Stops plants getting too tall
• Keeps leaves fresh

Regular cutting and some fertilizer make big difference. Plants become healthy and give many more leaves for cooking. Remember, cutting plants actually helps them grow better, so don’t worry about removing some leaves.

Common Problems and Solutions

Every plant gets some problems, but don’t worry. Most basil problems have simple solutions. Here are the most common problems and easy ways to solve them:

Problem 1: Plant Looking Weak, Quick Fixes:

• Check if water is enough
• Move to more sunny place
• Add little fertilizer
• Give more space between plants

Problem 2: Leaves Getting Brown, Easy Solutions:

• Reduce watering if soil is wet
• Check for direct hot sun
• Move away from cold air
• Clean leaves gently

Problem 3: Leaves Getting Eaten, What to Do:

• Check under leaves for small insects
• Spray mix of soap and water
• Use neem oil spray
• Remove damaged leaves

Problem 4: Plant Growing Very Tall, Simple Solutions:

• Cut top part regularly
• Give more sunlight
• Don’t keep plants too close
• Remove any flowers

Prevention Tips

• Check plants every morning
• Keep area clean
• Don’t let water stay in plate
• Give proper space to grow

Most problems can be fixed if caught early. Looking at plants daily helps spot problems quickly. Remember, even experienced people face these problems, so no need to worry too much.

Harvesting and Using Basil

Fresh basil always ready at home means tasty food anytime! Let’s see how to pick leaves properly and use them well.

Harvesting Tips When to Pick

• Early morning is best time
• Pick before flowers come
• After plant is 6 inches tall
• When leaves look dark green

How to Pick

• Use clean hands or scissors
• Pick big leaves first
• Take leaves from top
• Don’t remove all leaves at once

Storing Methods: Short Time Storage

• Put stems in water glass
• Keep in room temperature
• Change water daily
• Use within 4-5 days

Long Time Storage

• Clean and dry leaves
• Put in plastic box
• Keep in fridge

Using Fresh Basil Cooking Tips

• Add at end of cooking
• Tear big leaves into pieces
• Don’t cook for long time
• Use fresh whenever possible

Best Uses

• In sandwiches
• On pizza
• In tomato dishes
• For making chutney
• In salads

Fresh basil makes food taste much better than dried basil. With proper picking and storing, we can enjoy fresh basil taste for many days.

Conclusion

Growing basil indoors is really not difficult. With basic items, right place, and little care, anyone can grow fresh basil at home. No need for big garden or special knowledge.

Most important things to remember:

• Keep in sunny place
• Don’t give too much water
• Cut regularly for more leaves
• Solve problems quickly

Start with one or two plants. Soon, there will be enough fresh basil for all cooking needs. Even if some mistakes happen, don’t feel bad. Every plant teaches something new.

Growing basil at home is rewarding. Nothing beats the feeling of using fresh basil from own plants in cooking. Why not start growing today?