basil - organic growing guides for teachers + students

1
Attractive, compact plants. Easy to grow on a sunny windowsill or in a warm, sheltered spot outside. Lots of varieties to choose from, with different leaf size, colour and flavour. You can also buy small plants to grow on for quicker results. Freshly picked basil leaves have a pungent flavour. Raw leaves go well in tomato salads, and are an essential for pesto. Add to many dishes to give a flavour of the Mediterranean. Photography © Ray Spence Suggested pot size: 15cm wide and deep. Basil The One Pot Pledge® concept was devised by Food Up Front, the urban food growing network. Trade Mark registered to Food Up Front. Garden Organic is a registered charity no. 298104 Basil All basil varieties can be grown in pots. Some to try: ‘Lettuce leaved’ - large bright green leaves ‘Red Ruben’ - deep purple / bronze leaves ‘Greek’ - small plants with tiny leaves ‘Lemon’ - lemon scented leaves Growing tips Basil is a tender plant that needs warmth and sunlight to thrive and produce strongly flavoured leaves. It does well on a sunny windowsill. If you are going to leave the pots outdoors to grow, gradually acclimatise plants to the outdoors over a week. Snip off tip of plant when 10- 15cm high to encourage bushy growth. Compost to use: Multipurpose, organic and peat-free. Watering tips: Use water at room temperature. Try not to overwater, and never leave the pot sitting in water. Support: Tie taller plants to a short stick if needed. Protection: Bring inside, or cover with a cloche or fleece, in cooler weather. Feeding: Should not be needed. If necessary, feed with a general organic liquid feed. Photography © Ray Spence Spring Summer Autumn Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Sow indoors Sow outdoors Plant up plants Harvest Protect from the cold Eat 1. Remove bag and snip off all but one seedling. 2. Keep in a warm light spot till 3-4cm tall. 3. Remove plant, and its root ball and soil, from the small pot. 4. Plant into a medium sized container, at the same level. 1. Fill a small pot with moist compost and firm down gently. 2. Sow 2 or 3 seeds. 3. Cover with a layer of compost, less than 0.5 cm deep. 4. Water well. 5. Cover with a plastic bag and keep in a warm place until seeds come up. Pick individual leaves as required. Plant Grow www.gardenorganic.org.uk

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Basil - Organic Growing Guides for Teachers + Students + Schools - One Pot Pledge

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Page 1: Basil - Organic Growing Guides for Teachers + Students

Attractive, compact plants. Easy to grow on a sunny windowsill or in a warm, sheltered spot outside. Lots of varieties to choose from, with different leaf size, colour and flavour. You can also buy small plants to grow on for quicker results.

Freshly picked basil leaves havea pungent flavour. Raw leaves go well in tomato salads, and are an essential for pesto. Add to many dishes to give a flavour of the Mediterranean.

Phot

ogra

phy

© R

ay S

penc

e

Suggested pot size: 15cm wide and deep.

Basil

The One Pot Pledge® concept was devised by Food Up Front, the urban food growing network. Trade Mark registered to Food Up Front. Garden Organic is a registered charity no. 298104

BasilAll basil varieties can be grown in pots. Some to try: ‘Lettuce leaved’ - large bright green leaves‘Red Ruben’ - deep purple / bronze leaves ‘Greek’ - small plants with tiny leaves‘Lemon’ - lemon scented leaves

Growing tipsBasil is a tender plant that needs warmth and sunlight to thrive and produce strongly flavoured leaves. It does well on a sunny windowsill.If you are going to leave the pots outdoors to grow, gradually acclimatise plants to the outdoors over a week. Snip off tip of plant when 10- 15cm high to encourage bushy growth.

Compost to use: Multipurpose, organic and peat-free.

Watering tips: Use water at room temperature. Try not to overwater, and never leave the pot sitting in water.

Support: Tie taller plants to a short stick if needed.

Protection: Bring inside, or cover with a cloche or fleece, in cooler weather.

Feeding: Should not be needed. If necessary, feed with a general organic liquid feed.

Phot

ogra

phy

© R

ay S

penc

e

Spring Summer Autumn

Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov

Sow indoors

Sow outdoors

Plant up plants

Harvest

Protect from the cold

Eat

1. Remove bag and snip off all but one seedling.2. Keep in a warm light spot till 3-4cm tall.3. Remove plant, and its root ball and soil,

from the small pot.4. Plant into a medium sized container,

at the same level.

1. Fill a small pot with moist compost and firm down gently.2. Sow 2 or 3 seeds.3. Cover with a layer of compost, less than 0.5 cm deep.4. Water well.5. Cover with a plastic bag and keep

in a warm place until seeds come up.

Pick individual leaves as required.

Plant

Grow

www.gardenorganic.org.uk