Indoor: Window Sill Basil
Tomato Ready
Unfortunately, growing fruit and vegetables is difficult in the city but getting amazing fruit and veggies at farmer’s markets is not. I grow basil for tomatoes. I have tried everything to grow basil on my fire escape because growing herbs outside is best. It turns out, my friends the squirrels love fresh herbs more than me. The solution here is a window box on the kitchen window sill indoors.
There are several varieties of basil and I’ve gone with 3 options this year:
Sweet Italian is the large green leaf.
Spicy Greek is the small green leaf.
Amethyst is the large purple leaf and has a sweet, peppery flavor.
When it comes to taking care of basil grown indoors, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Sun. At least six hours a day is best for indoor basil.
Drainage. Drainage holes are a must for indoor plants.
Watering. I tend to over water and now I’ve learned to feel the dirt and when it’s dry, I put the window box in the shower and give the plants a light rain-like shower until the dirt is wet and not soaked. There really isn’t a schedule for watering because humidity levels, hot weather, a rainy week, etc. all change the amount of water the plant will need. I leave the plantings in the tub at least an hour for it to drain properly.
Rotate the Pot. It’s important to rotate planters and pots that are window lit. You want to make sure all plants and leaves are getting equal sun time. Think of it as sunbathing.
Pruning Flowering Basil.
In order to keep basil sweet and tender, you have to keep the plant from flowering. This is done by simply snipping off the flowers and buds.
These are flowers and buds that need to be taken off the basil plant. You will need to snip off the entire top. Ideally, you should just pinch off the top flowers, buds and leaves with your fingers but it can sometimes be easier to remove with scissors. You want to remove everything just a smidge (¼ inch) above the next row of leaves. When you prune, there is always a feeling that you’ve cut too much. The small leaves will grow fast; fear not.
Harvesting Basil Leaves. Pruned basil grows fast and the goal is to keep the basil plants wide and full. To do that, you have to remove (aka harvest) large top leaves in order for the small leaves to get sun and grow. I am pinching off large basil leaves daily and that means, basil everyday.
Read about this simple recipe for making bruschetta to use your harvested basil leaves.
Images by the author.
