Important notes
flowering: Once basil flowers it bolts and the leaves turn bitter. Pinch off flower buds regularly to keep the flavour. ↗
Luce
Very bright: 6+ hours of sun or 14–16 h of grow light. Too little light makes plants leggy and low in flavour.
Irrigazione
Keep evenly moist, never bone-dry, but avoid waterlogging. In soil/coco water as the surface dries; in hydro it is fed continuously.
Temperatura
Keep warm: 20–26 °C. Below 12 °C it suffers cold damage (black blotches).
Umidità
50–65 %. Still, humid air encourages downy mildew.
Valori target per metodo e fase
| Fase | pH | EC (mS/cm) | Acqua °C | Aria °C | Umidità % | Luce h | Durata (giorni) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germinazione | 5.8–6.2 | 0.4–0.8 | 22–25 | 22–26 | 65–75 | 16 | 7 |
| Piantina | 5.8–6.2 | 0.8–1.2 | 20–23 | 20–25 | 60–70 | 16 | 14 |
| Vegetativa | 5.6–6.4 | 1.2–1.8 | 20–24 | 20–26 | 50–65 | 16 | 25 |
| Raccolta | 5.6–6.4 | 1.2–1.6 | 20–24 | 20–26 | 50–60 | 14 | 30 |
| Fase | pH | EC (mS/cm) | Acqua °C | Aria °C | Umidità % | Luce h | Durata (giorni) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germinazione | 6.1–6.5 | 0.4–0.8 | — | 22–26 | 65–75 | 16 | 7 |
| Piantina | 6.1–6.5 | 0.8–1.2 | — | 20–25 | 60–70 | 16 | 14 |
| Vegetativa | 5.9–6.7 | 1.2–1.8 | — | 20–26 | 50–65 | 16 | 25 |
| Raccolta | 5.9–6.7 | 1.2–1.6 | — | 20–26 | 50–60 | 14 | 30 |
| Fase | pH | EC (mS/cm) | Acqua °C | Aria °C | Umidità % | Luce h | Durata (giorni) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germinazione | 5.8–6.2 | 0.4–0.8 | 22–25 | 22–26 | 65–75 | 16 | 7 |
| Piantina | 5.8–6.2 | 0.8–1.2 | 20–23 | 20–25 | 60–70 | 16 | 14 |
| Vegetativa | 5.6–6.4 | 1.2–1.8 | 20–24 | 20–26 | 50–65 | 16 | 25 |
| Raccolta | 5.6–6.4 | 1.2–1.6 | 20–24 | 20–26 | 50–60 | 14 | 30 |
Problemi comuni
Downy mildew, grey mould, fungus gnats; black leaves in the cold. Give airflow and water from below.
Space & Size
- Final height
- 40 cm
- Final width
- 25 cm
- Spacing
- 20 cm
- Root depth
- 20 cm
- Min. container (Hydro)
- ≥ 3 L
- Min. container (Terra)
- ≥ 5 L
- Min. container (Cocco)
- ≥ 4 L
Pests & diseases
| Pest / Disease | Symptom | Organic treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Aphids | sticky, curled leaves | rinse off, beneficials, neem |
| Whitefly | white flies under leaves | yellow sticky traps, neem |
| Downy mildew | yellowing on top, grey fuzz beneath | airflow, keep leaves dry, remove affected growth |
| Damping-off | seedlings collapse at base | avoid overwatering, good airflow |
Edible parts
- Leaves · edible from Vegetativa — main harvest, best fresh
- Flowers · edible from Fioritura — edible, mild flavour
Tecniche di resa
Harvest/pinch above a leaf pair so the plant branches. Remove flower spikes early or growth slows.
Propagation & pollination
- Method
- seed
- Germination time
- 7 days
- Germination temp
- 20-25 °C
- Sowing depth
- 0.5 cm
- Pollination
- self
- Hand pollination needed
- no
also roots very easily from cuttings in water
Companion planting
🟢 Good neighbours: Tomato, Coriander (Cilantro), Cherry Tomato
Flavor
sweet and aromatic, with clove and pepper notes
Storage
Do not refrigerate (it turns black)! Keep stems in a glass of water at room temperature.
History
Basil comes from tropical Asia and Africa and has been known for thousands of years – sacred in India and the heart of Mediterranean cooking (pesto) in Italy.
Nutrition
Rich in vitamin K and antioxidants (essential oils such as eugenol). Low in calories.
Techniques
Sources
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