Growing Basil Indoors

Of the many amazing herbs that you can grow inside, basil has to be at least in the top three. It’s such a ubiquitous, delightful herb that can be added to almost anything. I would call it the garlic of leafy herbs, but since it’s actually possible to use a tad too much basil I can’t go that far. After all, as I’ve already said, it’s physically impossible to have too much garlic.

During this time of year, people often find themselves wishing that they had just a little extra time to grow one or two more things. Gardens are all but gone now throughout much of the United States, and anything that hasn’t been pulled up yet is not long for this world. In these days of faltering outdoor vegetable gains, there is still respite to be found in growing plants indoors. As you’ll see here, growing basil indoors is one of the easiest– and most rewarding– things that you can do to keep your season going into the winter months

You need to keep a few things in mind when you’re planting basil indoors. For example, you need to make sure that you have a proper allotment of space for the breed of basil you plan on growing. There are some extremely bushy breeds of basil out there that will really become huge if you don’t pinch them off, so keep that in mind. Generally, if you remember to pinch your basil plants periodically then they shouldn’t get too big to handle. Just plant the seed about a quarter inch or so down, and pat down the dirt gently over the top of it. It’s one of the simplest “DIY” projects you could ever do.

One of the major benefits of growing basil is that it doesn’t really require a whole lot of work other than the periodic pruning I mentioned (pinching). As long as you don’t keep it too close to a really cold window, it shouldn’t really require much more than regular watering and a decent bit of sunlight. It’s important that you don’t keep it too close to a window, especially in a kitchen. Even if you have decent windows, the warm air generated by all those great things you do in the kitchen can cause copious amounts of condensation on the windows. This condensation can start causing issues with rot if your basil plant is in contact with it for a long time. Keep in mind that basil likes it hot, and is fairly tolerant of drier soils, so don’t go crazy with the water.

It shouldn’t take long for you to start getting some usable leaves from your basil, and you may be able to see something usable within a few weeks (1.5 to 2 mos, though I’ve heard of it happening sooner). When there are about three different sets of leaves, it is a good time to start pinching your plant. Pinching is a process by which you simply cut off the top leaves coming out of the top of your plant. By clipping right above the second set of leaves, you can ensure a fairly steady growth and harvest cycle for your plant without harming it. By some estimates, you can get about 20 cups of basil out of one plant if you do this correctly every time. Since basil goes well in just about anything, it’s a great herb to grow close to the kitchen. Nothing quite beats pulling some basil straight off the plant and throwing it into whatever you’re cooking, and one plant can handle just about anything you’ll need for quite some time.

Most people that grow basil indoors are only doing it to give a fresh kick to their meals, but some people grow basil to dry it out for future use. No matter what you use it for, there’s no doubt that how you handle it during and after the harvest will have a huge impact on its future quality. If you plan on drying basil or freezing basil, keep a couple things in the back of your head.

First, take as much of the plant as you can. Honestly, if you’re growing basil to dry it, then you should let it get some decent heft before pulling it. If you do let it grow out for a while, then drying basil is pretty simple. Just hang it upside-down somewhere that is out of the way and let gravity do the work for you. Basil has a somewhat waxy cuticle, but nothing crazy so it shouldn’t take as long to dry as something like rosemary. I don’t really recommend freezing basil, but most people I know that do freeze it will blend it into a paste to freeze it. It could just be personal taste, but I don’t like frozen basil.

Growing basil is a great way to keep the fresh flavors of the summer going on in your kitchen all year. These are super-easy plants to maintain, and they require only the most basic levels of care to flourish. Just use a little common sense when you’re growing them, and basil plants will reward you with way more food than you deserve for the paltry amount of work you put in. Really, that’s how all gardening should be.