»Basil Propagation- Definitive Guide To Growing Ultimate«
As an important crop vegetable, basil yielding ability and early maturing is highly determined by mode of propagation.
During the growing of basil crop, temperatures are kept above 10 and 32 degrees centigrade for optimal growth. Basil is grown in rich weel drained moist organic potting mix with a pH of 6-7 giving it maximum light.
Crop growing
As air circulation is good for basil, avoid excessive wind to the plant and use organic potting mix for seed germination, however use small pots for a few plants and pot trays for many plants. Before seeding, soak soil first and then plant 2-3 seeds per cell at 1/2 inch depth.
Similarly, keeping temperatures of 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit, cover with plastic as seeds sprout in a week and true leaves come after another week. Basil grows best as a bushy plant with 2-3 main stalks however, at 3-4 sets of true leaves, transplant them and prune when seedlings are 4-6 inches tall.
Furthermore, 4 days later, basil branches out with 2 more nodes and basil is eaten best before flowering stage hence a need to delay flowering by harvesting the top to promote branching . Growing of basil from cuttings require a glass, water, clean pair of scissors and basil plant which has not flowered yet.
Because basil becomes harder to root and bitter once they flower/ bolt, ct stem section along 4-6 inches long with at least 2-3 leaf nodes and take off all leaves except the top leaf and submerge bottom 1-2 nodes in regular tap water at 32 degrees centigrade temperature with lot of light. Root nodes develop in a week and actual roots appear after another week and one rooted, plant cutting per pot in standard poly mix. Additionally, pre soak soil and fertilize after every harvest.
Finally, basil cutting is twice faster than from seed.
