Basil seeds do not need much fertilization and are relatively easy to grow. An important factor to remember is drainage, mostly with indoor grows or soil that is routinely saturated. Without proper drainage, harmful fungus such as fusarium oxysporum can form. This type of disease is also known as fusarium wilt which begins at the root of the plant blocking its water intake. Symptoms of this fungus include browning of the stems and wilting of the leaves. This can be avoided by utilizing the Nufar strain of basil as it has shown to be resistant to the fungus. This fungus can still be present in the soil after the plant itself has been removed and affect new disease free seeds.
When selecting the soil, do not use flowing types as flowers will hinder further growth of the basil plant. The plant will grow best in nutrient-rich, slightly acidic soil and incorporate compost, leaf mold, mulch, peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. For best results when solely planting seeds as opposed to transplanting mature plants, utilize a combination of 50 percent peat moss and the other 50 percent vermiculite. The soil’s pH should be approximately 6. Checking the pH levels every four to six weeks should be sufficient for proper maintenance. The ideal temperature is 70 degrees for proper germination and should not dip below fifty degrees. Soil in abundant full sunlight will help in reducing most of these problems.
The soil should be free of weeds. Inspect the area and clear away weeds that may have grown around where you are planning to plant the seeds. Weeds can be persistent as they can survive during colder climates than basil. The causes weeds to be possibly present prior to planting season and after harvest. As the warmer climate sets in, insect that commonly damage the basil plants are aphids, whiteflies, slugs/snails, several types of beetles including Japanese, blister and loopers, spider mites, caterpillars, grasshoppers and thrips.
We offer the finest grade seeds to produce the best basil plant nature has to offer. As seeds are the least expensive but amongst the most important factor in regard to producing successful plants, special care and research should go into each and every distributor. This is why our customers rely on our products on a regular basis. Year after year, our selective buyers come back to us and purchase a variety of our quality seeds. Our seeds are fully certified organic and carefully selected to yield best results possible.