The cultivation of basil by sowing seeds on the windowsill gives the tropical herbal plant an advantageous growth advantage. Proper sowing sets the course for a magnificent basil and a rich harvest. The following guide shows how it works.
Choose the sowing date carefully
With the brighter light conditions from the beginning of April, nature enters the ideal phase for sowing basil seeds. In the weeks before, there is a lack of light on the windowsill, and vital photosynthesis is blocked. The result is long, weak shoots that the plants use to desperately search for sunlight.
Another argument in favor of choosing this time is that the small plants are strong enough to move to the bed or balcony by mid-May.
Read Also
Sowing basil correctly – explained step-by-step
If you want your basil seeds to work hard right from the start, they are soaked in chamomile tea for a few hours.
Follow these steps to start sowing:
- fill small growing pots or a bowl with seed soil or an alternative, nutrient-poor substrate
- Moisten this soil with water from the spray bottle, but do not soak
- sow the prepared seeds
- as a light germinator, only press and do not over-sieve
- place in a heated greenhouse, cover with foil or glass
- a warm, humid microclimate promotes germination
At a constant temperature of 20-25 degrees (59-77 F) on the partially shaded windowsill, you can look forward to the first seedlings after 5-14 days. Any cover has now done its job. While the first true basil leaves are developing, ideally water the seeds from below. To do this, place the vessels in a larger bowl with a water level 2-3 cm high.
Direct sowing is not recommended
In contrast to a large number of other useful plants, sowing basil seeds directly into the bed has considerable disadvantages. Even in mild wine-growing regions, the earliest possible date is early June. If you want to face this challenge, proceed as follows:
- deeply loosen the nutrient-rich soil in a sunny, warm location
- Pulling weeds, removing stones and roots to level the soil with the rake
- sow the seeds 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) apart
- the row spacing is 30-40 cm ( 12-15 inches)
- Press down the seed with a small board and do not cover it
Water the bed with a fine shower so that the tender seeds don’t swim away again. A close-meshed net protects the seed from pecking birds and voracious pests.
