Any more plants than that will become crowded. Have you ever brought a basil plant home and realized that more than one plant is growing in the pot? Some basil varieties grow well when two or even three plants have such close stems that they are touching each other. Those boundaries can be pushed a little, and many plants will do just fine when planted a few inches closer than suggested. Seed packets usually provide a guide on how far apart space plants are. The general recommended spacing of basil is between 8 to 16 inches apart. There are disease-resistant basil varieties. Basil diseases like Fusarium Wilt and Downy Mildew can spread through spores. The downside of planting basil closely is that when one plant gets a pest infestation, it will eventually make its way through nearby basil plants.ĭisease – Like pests, diseases in closely planted basil will make their way to nearby plants. Other pests like nematodes affect basil through the roots by causing damage which affects its uptake of water and nutrients. Pests – While basil plants are often used to deter some garden pests like flies, pests like aphids and beetles think basil is delicious. Pruning and harvesting – Though it encourages growth, regularly pruning and harvesting basil can help shape plants and control their size. Provide them with a spacious pot that is wide and several inches deep. Location- When planting basil closely, choose a location with lots of overhead sunlight for most of the day, so all plants have equal access to the sunlight without competing for it.Ĭontainer or area size – Growing basil together doesn’t mean in a tight space where the roots don’t have room to grow. While they can certainly be planted next to each other, closely planting them isn’t a great idea. Genovese basil does not grow into a bush and has delicate leaves. It would probably grow into the space of a Genovese basil growing next to it. For instance, African Blue Basil grows small leaves, but the overall plant has a large spread and grows into a big round bush. This way, one variety doesn’t take over the other.
Mixing varieties – If mixing varieties, try to plant basil of similar height and growth patterns. Varieties like Greek Columnar have tall, upright, and compact growth patterns. Growth pattern –Basil varieties with large leaves and bushy growth shouldn’t be planted too tightly as large leaves may shade out other plants, and bushy plants push others out of the way. Things to consider when growing basil together
Eventually, the stronger plants will cause the weaker plant to struggle and die off by using up all of their resources. The plant may appear dwarfed and begin looking sickly.Ĭrowded – Many plants growing too close will compete for light, space, and nutrients. One symptom is stunted growth which can cause the plant to slow down growth or stop growing. Stunted growth – While basil plants don’t mind growing together, they can still be affected by being planted too closely. What happens when basil gets planted too closely Doing so sometimes requires a tight border of basil plants around the plants that need protection. Pest resistance – Some gardeners use basil to protect other plants from pests. With just a few seedlings in each clump, it can be repotted, transplanted, and left growing together. While planting the entire group of seedlings together isn’t the solution, you can certainly separate the large clump into smaller clumps. Not everyone has gentle, steady hands that won’t damage tiny seedlings. Separation Anxiety – You’ve started a bunch of seeds together, and now the crowded seedlings need to be separated. Depending on the size of the pot and the variety of basil, you can grow multiple plants in one pot. Growing a single plant per pot may not be practical.
Growing indoors – If you’re growing basil indoors, you’re probably growing them in pots. Due to its ability to grow closer, basil is well suited for growing in containers, in small outdoor spaces, or even tucked under plants as companions such as tomatoes. Even when there is space to spare, you might be trying to maximize every inch. Space – It can be tricky getting a decent harvest out of a small space.
0 kommentar(er)
