How To Grow Basil Indoors

Growing Store Bought Basil Indoors

What if you could grow basil indoors? Is basil your favorite herb to cook with and do you want to learn how to grow it from a store-bought plant? If so, learn how to grow basil indoors with this guide for beginner gardeners!

Here are the basics for growing a Store-Bought Basil Plant

Herbs like this are great for growing indoors for use all year long!

To start growing basil, you need to get proper soil. This herb thrives in well-drained and nutrient packed soil. It’s a good idea to get this type of soil for your plant so that it doesn’t become water-lodged from soil that holds too much moisture.

Get an appropriately sized pot or container. A small pot should work just fine if you have a small plant. Additionally, find a pot or container that has a drainage hole for any excess water. This allows water to saturate the soil without creating a pool of water in the pot or container you have chosen.

When planting basil, make sure you are planting the individual basil plants in their own pots. It’s not recommended to plant multiple basil plants together. Planting this herb in its own container will allow it to root properly and absorb the nutrients from the soil which helps the plant grow and maintain healthy leaves.  

What is the best environment for basil to thrive in?

This herb needs at least 6 to 8 hours of full sunlight a day and it grows best in warm temperatures of at least 50℉/10℃ and above. For this plant to survive and thrive indoors all year long, you should place it by a window in your kitchen or somewhere in your home that gets full sunlight throughout the day. An alternative to placing your basil plant by a window is using grow lights. Grow lights are just as effective if used properly. Your basil plant should be placed directly under the lights. They need to be about 2 to 4 inches away from the lights to avoid any of the leaves burning from touching the bulbs. It’s preferred that you should get a timer for your lights. This timer is recommended to be placed for about 10 to 12 hours depending on the type of lights you have.

That’s the basics! Now let’s get into the fun part!

green basil in plant pot on tabletop
Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com

The 6 Steps to Growing Your Store-Bought Basil Plant for Beginners

Step One: Get a store-bought basil plant from your local grocery store

Step Two: Gently remove the entire basil plant from its original container 

Step Three: Get your new container or pot and fill it about halfway with the high-quality well-drained soil

Step Four: Place the roots of your herb plant into the pot and gently fill rest of the container with soil 

Step Five: Water your soil (not the plant itself) so that it is well saturated 

Step Six: Move your basil to your window indoors or place them under grow lights 

And there you have it! Once you have finished these steps make sure you continue to water your herb plant when it needs it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Basil Plants

1

How I know when it’s time to water my basil plant?

A sign your basil may need water is if the leaves are droopy, crunchy, or even brown. If the soil is still wet or moist you probably don’t need to water your herb just yet.

2

How do I know if my basil plant has been overwatered?

If the basil leaves start to turn yellow that means it is being over watered.

3

How do I continue to keep my store-bought basil healthy?

Your basil plant will grow more abundantly if the leaves are regularly being trimmed or pinched.  

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How Do You Grow Basil From A Seed Indoors?

Basil is one of the most popular herbs used in cooking. It has a strong, pungent flavor that goes well with many foods. basil is also very easy to grow, even for beginners. With a little time and effort, you can have a healthy basil plant that will provide you with an abundance of fresh basil leaves to use in your cooking.

photo of potted plant
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com