Stages in Growth of Basil

Cultivars of Basil

• There are several different cultivars of basil, each with its own distinctive taste and aroma. Types of basil that you can grow at home include sweet, lemon, cinnamon, anise, licorice and purple-foliage basils. You can begin any of these basil cultivars in the same way. Plant the seed in a pot with potting mix, moisten the soil and cover the pot with plastic wrap or a piece of glass to maintain a consistent level of moisture and warmth. If growing basil outdoors, water the basil daily to keep the soil around it moist and let the sun do the warming.

Early Basil

• If the soil is kept moist and warm, basil will sprout within two weeks of planting. Once green appears above the soil in a pot, take the plastic or glass off of the pot so that the covering doesn't impede the plant's growth. Move the planted basil to a windowsill where it gets direct sunlight. During the first few weeks, a newly formed basil plant may produce only a few leaves, but once those leaves are exposed to the sun, the plant grows more quickly.

The Growth Stage

• As basil develops, it requires soil that is constantly moist, like most garden plants, and can benefit from some fertilization. According to Purdue University, you can fertilize basil with a fertilizer that is equal parts nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, using the amount recommended on the packaging. After fertilizing, mulch around the base of basil plants to help the soil retain moisture and keep the leaves of the basil plant out of the dirt.

Harvest

• Once basil reaches certain levels of growth, it can be harvested for different purposes. Harvest for dry herbs when the buds of the flowers on a basil plant begin to open. If you want to make oil from the basil, wait until the flowers have fully blossomed to harvest the leaves. The first round of the harvest can generally take place around 45 to 50 days after the basil is planted. If you would like to harvest from the plant more than once in a season, leave 5 inches of aboveground growth with each harvest.