Basil loves the sunshine. In fact, it needs at least 6 hours of being exposed to the sun during the day, in order to produce healthy leaves and branches. Therefore, it is best to plant your basil during late springtime, when there is more sunshine and the soil is well drained and a bit moist.
With basil in the garden, you can easily turn an ordinary dish into a restaurant quality dish. It is a herb that gives a unique 
To grow basil does not require a lot of skills and know-how. But following a few guidelines will surely help you achieve healthy basil plants that you can keep for a long time.
Choosing The Type Of Basil Plant
In case you do not know, there are lots of different kinds of basil that you can grow in your garden. Each of them provides different flavors, so you might want to choose the ones that will appeal your taste. For instance, if you want a citrusy type of basil, there is what they call the Lemon Basil. If you want something that can be used for cooking as well as for aromatherapy, you can plant Purple Basil or Cinnamon Basil, because these variants of basil has a very distinct aroma that comes from its flowers.
If you are planting multiple variants in your garden, then you might want to label them, so you know what you are picking for the dish that you are cooking, or perhaps make your visitors know that there are different types of basil that they can use and also grown in their own homes.
Preparing The Seeds
You have to prepare the seeds of your basil by planting them indoors in separate pots. Doing this indoors is safer, because the temperature can be managed easily. Allow the seeds to germinate by mixing perlite, peat, and vermiculite (equal parts). Damp it with a little water. The seeds of your basil goes on top of the mixture, and cover it with plastic. Place the pot indoors but make sure that sunlight touches it. Water it twice a day, to make sure that moisture is maintained.
In just a few weeks, you will already notice sprouts. Once they are a bit taller already, transfer them in a different soil bed. Plant them at least with 6 inches space in between sprouts.
Nurturing
At this point, you should have a growing basil plant already. Make sure to give it enough sunlight and water. Never overwater your basil plant, watering it once a day is already good enough for it to grow healthy and steadily.
Remove the flowers that you see growing. This is because flowers can take a huge chunk on the nourishment of your plant, which can decrease the actual flavor of the leaves. So snip it and remove it when you start seeing them.
These are the different ways that you should do, when you want to grow basil at home.
image courtesy of amandabhslater/flickr
