Growing basil is a great way to get into hobby gardening while also promoting a healthy lifestyle! Basil is an amazing finishing touch to many dishes and easy to grow for beginner gardeners.
The following points drive this notion home.
- Plays a crucial role in the kitchen by turning simple meals into elevated ones.
- Basil is ideal for treating colds and flu due to its antibacterial and antiviral nature
- It works perfectly in relieving pain and aids in digestion
- It’s rich in vitamins and minerals
- It enhances better sleep and relaxation
Basil refers to a pungent-smelling and robust tasting herb belonging to the Ocimum genus of the mint family that is used in cooking. It’s said to originate from India and other tropical regions. It has been in existence for over 5,000 years, and today it’s grown in all corners of the world.
How To Grow Basil Indoors
Growing your herbs is the best decision you can make today. This activity has many benefits ranging from being economical, time-saving, requiring minimal effort to start, most herbs are easy to grow, give you fresher herbs than those bought in a store, and the therapeutic benefits accrued from spending time in the garden.
Basil Plant Care
To successfully grow Basil indoors, you will need well-drained nutrient soil. Additionally, the pots should have good drainage to eliminate excess water, which could otherwise damage the plant. One tip to aid you on when to water the plant is to always check the soil around the plant if it’s moist; it means the plant is good to go, but when not, that’s an indicator that the plant needs watering.
When doing the watering is careful not to overdo it as this is harmful. Make sure to also water around the roots. The plant will also require occasional fertilizing to grow healthy and faster. It’s advisable to use minimum fertilizer, probably half of the recommended strength, to avoid harming the plant.
Basil thrives in 6.0 and 7.5 soil PH levels. Therefore check the PH levels once in a while to make sure they are suitable for the plant. Moreover, exposing the plant to at least six hours of sunlight every day. If possible, have the pot concerning the growing Basil placed in a sunny window facing south or put it under fluorescent light.
With this type of lighting, the plant will need a maximum of 10hours for adequate growth. Also, remember to do appropriate repotting when the need arises.
Basil Recipes
To get the best flavor, make sure to pick it shortly before use time, as this is a cold-sensitive herb. Nonetheless, you can store it in a glass of water at room temperature or, better yet, freeze it for prolonged storage.
Basil is versatile and can be used in pesto, vinegar, pizza, chicken, puree soups, salads, and tomato sauce. Additionally, Basil is ideal for ice cream topping and garnishing avocado toast.
Benefits of Basil
Basil is a herb whose parts growing above the ground are used in making medicine. It is the to-go for herb when experiencing appetite loss, kidney conditions, worm infections, fluid retention, intestinal gas, to name a few.
Basil herb also comes in handy in treating snake and insect bites. It’s also believed to aid in curing acne and improving mental health.
Holy Basil, a type of basil plant, has phytochemicals that help protect against lung, liver, oral, and skin cancer. Eugenol, linalool, and citronellol oils found in Basil play a significant role in fighting inflammation in the body.
You cannot afford to keep wasting money treating everyday lifestyle diseases when you can live a healthy life and have medicines at your doorstep by planting this easy-to-grow herb in your compound. Why don’t you go ahead and grow your own Basil other than acquiring the expensive and not-so-fresh herbs at the store?
