Learning how to sow properly is one of the most important things to learn when it comes to gardening for beginners. I'm sowing basil here, two different varieties ready to be transplanted.

When you're in the process of starting a garden, a big part of the journey is deciding on which vegetables and herbs you want to grow. I want to write a bit about basil today. This is a great leafy green/herb to grow as a beginner! This part of my guide on gardening for beginners is about getting it right from the very start. That is, how to succeed when sowing basil.

I have plenty of other content about basil on the blog and YouTube. Everything from recipes to growing techniques. Check out some of them below!

How to grow basil in a plug tray

Planting basil cuttings

Grow basil from cuttings

Time to start sowing basil! The seed packet usually contains plenty of these tiny, black seeds.

How to sow basil

You can direct-sow basil in a larger pot, or start by sowing basil seeds in smaller pots or plug trays and transplant them later. Here are a few things that you need to remember before getting started:

• water the soil before sowing
• sow the seeds in little clusters of 5-10 seeds in each pot
• basil seeds are light-germinating, don't cover them with soil
• put the pot in a warm spot
• cover the sowing with a plastic lid or similar until the seeds germinate

So, remember not to sow the seeds individually. You get much better plants if you sow several seeds in each container.

Look at these lovely little plants! I would absolutely recommend using a plug tray when starting a garden at home. This plug tray has previously been used for growing spruce, but I think it works great for sowing basil too.

Fresh basil is a must, especially in summer! I always try to sow a few extra seeds, since basil is one of those vegetables I often use to fill out any empty spots in my polytunnel. So, I generally keep a few extra plants going just in case. Especially since you can sow basil all summer, of course. I keep sowing basil in fall and winter too, but then I use my hydroponic system Harvy or just add a grow light to my regular pots. I hope this article about gardening for beginners gave you some insight into the best methods of sowing basil. Good luck!
/Sara Bäckmo