One of the best ways to brighten up and bring delicious flavor to your kitchen all winter long is to grow fresh basil as a houseplant – and you won’t believe how easy this tasty herb is to grow indoors!
Growing basil is a breeze in the summer months. Not only does it grow well outdoors in the garden, but it also performs like a champ in pots and containers as well. But once the cold temperatures of winter arrive – all of that fresh flavor disappears in an instant.
Although you can freeze basil from your summer harvest for winter use, there is just something about using it fresh that makes it all the more delicious. And unfortunately, buying it “fresh” in the supermarket in the winter is rarely a viable option.
By the time basil makes it to your local supermarket, let’s face it, the flavor is long gone. But that is exactly where growing basil indoors in the winter as a houseplant comes to the rescue. And as you will see below, with just a little bit of effort, keeping a plant or two alive through the winter is a snap!
How To Grow Fresh Basil Indoors All Winter – As A Houseplant
When it comes to successfully growing basil indoors, it all starts with proper lighting. Basil needs at least six to eight hours of good light to survive and thrive. Without it, seeds have trouble establishing, and the plants struggle to leaf out and take off.
If you are fortunate enough to have a sunny, southern facing window, you can usually have good success. A south facing window is at least able to follow the sun’s arc through the sky to provide a fair amount of winter sunlight.
But if you aren’t so fortunate to have a sun-drenched window space – don’t despair. It’s actually quite easy to use a basic grow light to give them the supplemental light they need to keep growing strong and healthy.
In fact, many gardeners who have a sunny window still opt to put their basil plants under a basic grow light for a few hours a day or all the time. That extra light helps this tasty herb quickly grow to its full potential. And here’s the best part – small grow lights are incredibly inexpensive to both purchase and operate!
Using Grow Lights – How To Grow Fresh Basil Indoors All Winter!
Much like when starting annual vegetable and flower seeds indoors, an ordinary fluorescent or LED shop bulb will provide more than enough light to grow basil. There is simply no need for expensive grow lights or trays when growing basil.
LED and fluorescent bulbs & fixtures are easy to find in sizes that fit almost any need or space. They also happen to be quite inexpensive to purchase and operate. That is especially true for LED lights, which can run for mere pennies a day. See: The Best Lights To Use For Growing Indoors – Simple, Easy & Inexpensive!
There are all kinds of options that work well for basil. One of the best are simple LED adjustable clamp lights. You can easily bend them to put light right where you need it most. Not only will they move to fit any plant, many have timers as well for worry free operation. Product link : Tri-Head Plant Lights with Flexible Gooseneck & Timer
Giving Basil The Light It Needs – How To Grow Fresh Basil Indoors All Winter
Remember that basil will thrive with basic care as long as it gets eight hours of total light. That can come partially from a sunny window and supplemental light, or completely from supplemental light if you want. The only real key to success is making sure your plants get around a total of eight hours of light each day.
When it comes to using artificial light for growing basil, the lights don’t need to be on all day. In fact, they don’t even have to be on for a full 8 hours if you are using in conjunction with window lighting.
When using artificial lighting from LED or fluorescent bulbs, all you need to do is keep the lights within a few inches of the plants. For hanging lights, this means dropping the lights down near the top canopy of leaves. For side lights, keep them close to the foliage. Also make sure to occasionally turn the plants if a portion is not well lit.
Growing Basil From Seed – How To Grow Fresh Basil Indoors All Winter
Growing from seed is inexpensive and very easy. All you need are seeds, a small 4 to 6 inch container with drainage holes, and a standard potting mix that can be used for vegetables or flowers. Basil does not need a tremendous amount of nutrients to grow well. Affiliate Link: Sow Right Seeds – Genovese Sweet Basil Seed for Planting.
Start by filling the container with soil, then sprinkle 3 to four seeds evenly and cover lightly. Mist the surface and keep the soil moist (but not soggy). The seeds will usually germinate anywhere from 7 to10 days. Once up a few inches, thin to one plant per container.
Basil will suffer more from overwatering than underwatering. Check the soil first by sticking your finger about an inch deep, watering only if the soil is completely dry to that point. When watering, water so that it drains from the bottom of the pot, ensuring the roots are well-hydrated.
Be careful not to overwater or water when the soil hasn’t dried out. Basil prefers slightly moist soil, not soggy conditions. Soggy soil can quickly lead to root rot. One thing you can do a few times a week is mist your basil leaves with water. This helps hydrate them without changing the soil moisture levels.
As for feeding your basil plants, as long as you have used good potting soil, there is simply no need to use additional fertilizers. They are an extremely low nutrient need plant.
Harvesting – How To Grow Fresh Basil Indoors All Winter
In about four weeks, your basil plants should be large enough to begin harvesting. You can harvest the leaves at any size you prefer or you can take entire stems. As basil grows, its flavor will change slightly, getting stronger as it ages.
Once basil begins to flower, the leaves can start to become quite bitter. Many gardeners like to start seeds in different pots a few weeks apart so they will always have fresh, tender basil coming on. Here is to growing your own fresh basil indoors – and enjoying better tasting dishes all winter long!
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