Table of contents
- variety
- pot | transplant
- substrate
- Location
- Fertilize
- Pour
- Cut
Although basil plants are not hardy, they can be overwintered with a little skill. We'll give you 7 valuable tips to help you get the popular herbal plant safely through the winter.
variety
The choice of the basil variety has a decisive influence on the chances of successful overwintering, because some varieties are better suited for this than others. Overwintering annual varieties and plants from the supermarket is not very promising. It is therefore worthwhile only overwintering more robust specimens. These include the following types of basil:
- Green-leaved African B 'African Green'
- garden b
- Red-Blue African B 'African Blue'
- African tree basil
pot | transplant
If you want to overwinter basil plants, you have to bring them into the protected indoor area. Because basil is not hardy and would not survive the winter months outdoors. It is therefore advisable to take the little plant out of the vegetable patch and place it in a pot. There are also a few things to consider here:
- pot size min. 20cm in diameter
- create drainage
- Expanded clay or gravel (grain size 8 -16 mm)
- Cut garden fleece and place over drainage
substrate
There are also a few things to consider when choosing the right substrate: Ordinary herb soil is not recommended because it is too lean. Potting soil or potting soil is more suitable. Because it has the optimal properties to get through the winter months in the best possible way. These include the following features:
- Nutritious
- humor
- Fresh
- Moist
- Well drained
- pH: 6.5-7.5
Location
In order for the basil to feel comfortable in winter, it should be placed in the brightest possible location. A south-facing window sill is particularly suitable for this. However, it is important to ensure that the location is draught-free. Leaks should therefore be repaired in good time using suitable measures. Alternatively, the herbal plant can also spend the cold season in the conservatory. In any case, the winter quarters should have the following properties:
- sunny and bright
- provide artificial light if necessary
- Temperature between 15 - 20 degrees
- both during the day and at night
Although it is possible to hibernate basil at temperatures between 10 and 12 degrees, the plant will stop growing. If that doesn't bother you, you can look forward to less maintenance. In this case, it does not need to be watered or fertilized.
Fertilize
The supply of nutrients in the pot is much more limited than in the vegetable patch, which is why the herb plant should be fertilized regularly. An organic long-term fertilizer, such as herbal fertilizer or nettle manure, is best suited for this. The plant should be fertilized every four to six weeks over the winter.
Pour
The basil should be watered as regularly as possible, so that the soil is best always moist. However, waterlogging should be avoided in any case. There are also a few things to consider when casting:
- just pour it on the ground
- or pour over the trivet
- or dip root ball in bucket of water
A notice:
If the plant lets its leaves hang limp, it has too little water and should definitely be watered!
Cut
Cutting during the winter period is not required. But if you want, you can also harvest the herbs in winter. It is advisable to cut off the shoots about 5 centimeters, as this stimulates growth.
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