Basil Seeds Sowing instructions:

Basil is one of the most popular plants to grow at home. This compact herb can grow from seed to harvest on a windowsill indoors, making it ideal for any urban GIYer. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t love some fresh basil to add to a summer tomato dish or some homemade pesto – the smell alone can brighten up any kitchen.

Sow

• Sow seeds anytime from April to June.
• Sow one seed in a module tray or small pot.
• Basil likes a Mediterranean climate, so either grow it indoors in a pot, in a glasshouse or a polytunnel, or on a sunny windowsill.
• Basil will germinate in about two weeks.

Grow

• Transplant into a larger pot or the ground when it is about 7–10cm high.
• If planting in the garden, allow 30cm between plants.
• If growing indoors, fertilise compost once a month with a liquid feed.
• Basil plants can be killed by frost, so don’t put outside until June.
• Make sure to water often in hot weather.

Harvest

• Start picking the leaves of basil as soon as the plants are around 25cm high.
• Cut off the growing tip of the plant with a scissors. This encourages the plant to get bushy rather than tall and straggly.
• Keep harvesting by cutting off the tips above a node (where the leaves join the stem), so new shoots will grow out of the node.
• For best results harvest in the early morning, when leaves are at their juiciest.

Visit the GIY Veg directory for more growing details and tips.