Whether you are growing a holy basil plant for commercial or for personal uses the procedure of planting has to be done in the same way. First, the right planting season has to be selected. Normally holy basil grows in warm temperatures therefore the best time for it to be sown is in the spring when the temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold. Finding the right location to grow the holy basil is the next thing that should be done. A holy basil plant grows with a wide spread of up to 12 inches therefore the choice of land for planting it should be adequate.
The top soil on a chosen site of planting should be raked so that large foliage can be removed. Digging of the soil must be done so that it can be mixed properly and so that large chunks of soil can be broken down. The soil should be watered adequately but not too much such the seeds can rot thus leading to failed germination. A good way to confirm that just enough water has been poured on the soil is to sink a finger in it. Soil that is watered adequately should feel spongy, dry soil should feel hard and it should look cracked while soil that is watered too much will feel too soft. To ensure that germination does occur successfully and that a holy basil plant develops to full maturity, manure or fertiliser should be added to the soil.
A holy basil plant will grow best when its seeds are watered adequately. On the first days when the seeds are planted they should be watered at least once a day. Watering should be done using a sprinkler or a watering can as opposed to using direct transfer of water to the soil since high pressure of water can end up flooding the soil and washing the planted seeds away. Watering should be done in the morning and late in the evening when the heat is low. This should be done daily for two weeks and then after that watering of the plant can be done only when the soil starts showing signs of drying.
holy basil herb
For proper growth of the holy basil plants there needs to be adequate exposure to light. The original species of this plant grows in India where warm temperatures are experienced all year round. Spring and summer seasons are good for growing this plant, when a location is chosen to plant it should face the side that receives the most amount of sunlight. When the plant is grown indoors or in a greenhouse it should receive up to 10 hours of artificial light each day. On the outdoors the holy basil plant should be grown in a location where it can receive no less than 6 hours of sunlight.
The soil in which holy basil plants grow should be monitored on a regular basis so that is pH levels can be maintained at adequate levels. The maximum pH that this plant should grow in is 7.0 but the recommended number is 6.0. Soil is prone to various changes and as such it should be maintained at correct pH levels by using compost or fertilizer. At least every four weeks there should be a fresh supply of compost or fertilizer added to the soil. Not more than 6 weeks should pass before fresh fertilizer is added to the soil.
When a fully matured holy basil plant has grown its leaves can be harvested and used. The best time to harvest the leaves is when up to 4 sets have grown and only a few of the leaves should be harvested.
Holy basil is also known as tulsi, especially when it’s used in tea.
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