Genovese basil is among the slowest growing microgreens in the garden. It takes up to 20 days for it to grow, but even so, you get the advantage of stretching out your crop instead of cutting them all at once. You can spread them out and let them grow naturally, without having to worry about getting rid of the dead leaves on a weekly basis. This is a great way to make sure that you’re growing microgreens that will taste as good as they look.
Most plants come with some kind of growth guide or checklist. Your basil, however, does not. If you want to get the best from your plants, then you need to learn how to properly prepare your soil, before you plant anything. This is especially true when it comes to growing microform. If you fail to do this, then you might be setting yourself up for disappointment.
You have two options for growing microform. The first involves taking cuttings from the parent plant and then growing them in pots. This is because the microform seeds inside the plant have the potential to reproduce rapidly. They’re basically like a virus, so just like a virus, the microform seeds will escape and spread once they find a suitable host. So the best way to control your basil’s potential to spread is to take cuttings, and there are several varieties that you can choose from.
The second method of growing this herb is to remove the entire plant. The leaves and stems are discarded, and the roots are simply wrapped in a piece of tissue paper before being put into a pot. This is an effective solution, but it does not offer much in terms of control, so keep that in mind when growing your microform.
When you’re growing microform, you need to make sure that you are using the proper potting soil. It is extremely important to remember that microform should be kept in its own little world, separate from other plants in your garden. So you can actually place your plant on top of your soil to achieve this. However, this is a great alternative if you want to encourage root growth, which can happen if you are growing other plants in your garden.
Another important factor to remember when caring for your microform is to refrain from cutting off the leaves until you get to the stem. It is best to keep the leaves until the buds are ready for harvesting. It may take a few weeks before the first set of leaves starts to develop, and the timing could vary depending on the time of year. Once you get to the point where the flowers start to swell up, cut the bunch off. This helps keep microform from growing out of control.
You should be careful about over-watering your plant. Remember that microform grows best when it gets around six to eight hours of light per day. If you don’t give it enough, it will stop growing altogether and die. If you’re getting six to eight hours, just lightly water your plant every couple of days to keep it hydrated.
One final tip: If you intend to freeze your plant, try to do it during the coolest part of the season. You can store your blossoms in a plastic bag in the freezer until you’re ready to use them again. Before starting your Genovese basil project, check to make sure that the plant has no frost. It shouldn’t have more than a couple of inches of frost on the leaves.