The herb garden on the balcony is only complete when basil in the pot joins in. In order for the aromatic herb plant to develop its full potential, the focus is on professional planting. You can find out which specifications need to be taken into account here.
How do I plant basil on the balcony?
To plant basil on the balcony, you need a herb pot with a diameter of at least 15 cm, drainage material, fleece, potting soil, sand and horn shavings. Plant basil after the ice saints and acclimate it to a partially shaded location before exposing it to full sun.
Material list and preparatory work
Basil plants from the supermarket usually have the disadvantage that they die within a week. Instead, as part of cultivation by sowing, knowledgeable hobby gardeners create strong, vital young plants on the windowsill. The seedlings thrive behind glass until the planting season begins in mid-May. In addition, the following materials are required:
- a herb pot with a diameter of at least 15 cm and an opening in the bottom
- inorganic material for drainage, such as pebbles, grit, expanded clay or pottery shards
- an air and water permeable fleece
- Compost-based potting soil
- fine-grained sand and horn shavings
To prevent the potting soil from compacting, add a handful of sand and some horn shavings as additional nutrients. This mixture is placed in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius for disinfection in a fireproof container for 30 minutes.
Instructions for proper planting
Since basil cannot tolerate temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius, planting should only be considered after the Ice Saints. Place the still potted young plant with the root ball in water until no more air bubbles appear. In the meantime, tackle the further work like this:
- spread the drainage over the bottom opening in the pot
- spread the fleece over it so that the coarse material doesn't get clogged
- fill in a handful of the substrate
- plant the potted royal herb in the middle
- fill in the remaining substrate, press lightly and pour in
Do not immediately expose freshly planted basil to the blazing sun. The warm rays of sunshine are only welcome after an acclimatization phase of 3-4 days in partial shade. Afterwards, make sure that the soil does not dry out. After 4-6 weeks, the nutrients in the substrate are used up, so fertilization is carried out for the first time.
A courageous deadheading of young basil plants promotes further branching. If you repeatedly pinch back the shoot tips, the plant will grow even bushier. At the same time, the flowering is prevented, which regularly makes the taste of kingweed bitter.
Tips & Tricks
It's not just geranium plants that look wonderful on the balcony railing. Basil can also be easily cultivated in balcony boxes on the railing. Advantage: You always have the spice within reach to enhance the taste of your lunch
