In this article, we will help determine the dates when to plant basil for seedlings in 2017. We will pay attention not only to the Lunar calendar, but also to the planned dates for planting greenery in open or closed ground.
Immediately I want to discuss the moment that it is recommended to plant basil on land plots where last year potatoes, tomatoes or cucumbers grew. As a rule, in our latitudes, basil is always grown through seedlings. Although, in the southern regions of the country, you can immediately plant seeds in open ground.
About growing quality seedlings
Already at the end of March, you can think about when to plant basil for seedlings in 2017 for a greenhouse or open ground. For planting, a nutrient mixture is prepared with the addition of peat, humus and a small amount of sand. It is recommended to steam the mixture for disinfection for an hour. If you ignore this preparation of the land, then with the cultivation of seedlings in the future there may be problems.
To plant basil seeds, it is best to use containers up to 7 cm deep. They are filled with earth, sprinkle seeds on the surface and gently press the soil. Pour warm water immediately, then put glass on top or attach polyethylene. Put the container in a warm place until the first sunrises.
Advice! If several types of basil are sown at once, then already at the stage of planting seeds, it is important to establish markers with the name of the variety. This will help not to get confused in the future.
In two weeks, the first sunrises should appear. After that, you can remove the shelter and transfer the basil to a place with a temperature within 16-20 degrees of heat. This is important to do so that the seedlings do not stretch. Basil does not like to be watered often. So, the water in the pan should not remain. What this plant loves is light. Therefore, if it is decided to plant seedlings during the period when the daylight is still short, you can’t do without additional illumination (especially in the first month of growth). What is planting cucumbers in 5 liter bottles as a way to grow crops.
When a pair of real leaves appears on each growth, you can do a picking of seedlings. To do this, improve the composition of the earth, introduce mineral fertilizers into it. After transplanting, carefully seedlings and check that they do not bend down. Further watering is carried out exclusively using warm water.
Two weeks before the transplanting of seedlings into indoor or outdoor soil is planned, you need to start the basil hardening procedure. To do this, lower the air temperature. After 40-50 days, as the first sunrises appeared, basil seedlings can be transplanted into the open ground. Tentatively it will be somewhere around the end of May.
Advice! It turns out that choosing for yourself when to plant basil for seedlings in 2017, you need to understand that from the moment the seed is planted in the ground, a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 50 days must pass before transplanting into open or closed ground.
Outdoor landing
Plant basil in an open area should be in a place that is protected from drafts. Also, the soil should be preliminarily loosened, fertilized. If the earth is clay, then add sand and peat to it.
Shallow holes up to 10 cm deep are made for planting young plants. The distance between the rows should be tried to keep within 30-40 cm.The central part of the plant during transplantation should not be ruined, otherwise, the crop will be spoiled. It is necessary to water basil, to feed with ammonium nitrate only during the growing season.
It is clear that when growing basil for food purposes, it is the lush green mass that is important to the gardener. To get it, all flower buds should be removed on time, and the top shoot of each bush must be nipped. To combat diseases and pests, you can use chemicals, then diseased plants are best removed immediately: to protect the entire crop.
Advice! When the shoots reach a length of 12 cm, they can begin to be cut. If basil is used for drying, then the shoots can be cut already at 10 cm. You need to dry it under a canopy on a clear and sunny day.
When to plant basil for seedlings in 2017 according to the Lunar calendar:
- January: 13-19, 21-23;
- February: 9-15, 18 and 19;
- March: 10-13, 16 and 17, 20-21;
- April: 8-9, 12-13, 17-18.
Key aspects of care
Watering the seedlings and the plants themselves is necessary only after the top layer dries completely. This plant does not like excessive moisture. Top dressing is carried out once a month, nitrogen fertilizers are used, which positively affect the growth of green mass. The first feeding is carried out a week after the basil grows in the open ground.
The soil should be loosened often; special attention should be paid to this process during the growing season. Several times during the season to remove flowers and pinch the top.
Now it’s easier to decide when to plant basil for seedlings in 2017. This greenery requires a sufficiently long growth time at home before it is planted on the site. This factor must be taken into account when choosing a landing date.
Basil on the windowsill and its cultivation from seed from scratch
Basil: growing from seeds in the open ground