Last updated on September 23rd, 2022 at 12:25 pm
When planting Basil, there are some factors to take into consideration. One of these factors is the population of individuals who will consume the basil leaves and how the person will finish it.
In addition, some meals need more basil leaves than others to make the desired plate of food, tea, or pesto.
How many basil plants per person?
Three to Four basil plants per person will be enough. The basil garden should be at least 200 square feet to produce enough leaves.
If you are considering going into basil cultivation for personal or family use, this is the right article.
Sit back and learn everything you need about growing Basil for your consumption.
How Much Space Do Basil Plants Need?
Growing Basil plants seem easy. When we see it in our neighbors’ gardens, we think, “oh yeah, that’s something I can do.” However, everything changes when you buy the seeds and want to plant them on your own.
How exactly do you go about it? One of the most common questions new gardeners ask is the space needed for each basil head.
Under the factors that determine how much Basil you will harvest per season, we mentioned space. Not just basil plants; every plant needs good room to grow and produce an admirable yield.
If you have a family and want to plant Basil, you might want to get a garden of at least 4000 square feet, but you can use a 200 square feet garden if it’s only you.
If you consider potted Basil, then a 300 square feet piece of land will be enough to place just the right pots to produce the right amount of basil leaves you need while the plants get all the space they need.
So, how many Basil plants per person should you plant in your garden? It is excellent for basil plants to give them about 2-26 inches of space away from each other when you are growing potted Basil.
When growing basil plants in a regular garden, you should plant the seeds about 16 inches away from each other to allow the plant’s roots to spread correctly.
In terms of height, you should keep your basil plants in well-ventilated open areas because basil leaves at maturity can be up to 12-24 inches high.
How Much Does A Basil Plant Yield?
If you pick your basil leaves frequently, 12 basil plant studs produce around four to six cups of leaves weekly.
Always remember that your basil plant tends to yield higher and better during summer.
One basil plant can produce enough leaves to make a decent cup of pesto, at least for one dish, if it is well-taken care of.
How Many Basil Plants Do You Need To Make Pesto?
Pesto is a sauce made from crushed basil leaves, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and pine nuts. They are mainly used for serving spaghetti.
Regarding making pesto, Basil is the chief ingredient, meaning (Basil) is required/ used in larger quantities than other ingredients.
The most used variety of Basil for making pesto is the Italian Large Leaf Basil. It is the most preferred because of its intense flavors.
One or two basil plants will produce enough basil leaves required to make pesto that will serve a decent meal.
Still, if you use a variety of Basil with fewer broader leaves, you might need to pick leaves from about four basil plants to get an excellent and credible pesto.
How To Plant Basil?
If you’re new to the world of gardening and you want to start with a basil garden, then you must be wondering how you can plant Basil for it to produce a good yield.
| You have no reason to worry. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to go about it. |
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| 1. Get dry basil seeds of the same variety. |
| 2. Apply organic manure on the soil first and let it be for about three days. This action will help the soil get more nutrients to supply to the coming plant. |
| 3. After the three days, bury the seeding about ¼inch deep in the soil and give the seedlings a space of about 12 to 16 inches away from each other. |
| 4. If you are planting a wider variety of Basil, then give a space of about 16 to 24 inches between seedlings. |
| 5. If you need any side plants to go with the Basil, then tomato is a great choice not just on the farm but also on the plate. |
How To Harvest Basil Leaves?
Many basil gardens have failed to produce the number of yields expected by the farmer/gardener, and most of the time, this is because of how you harvested the plant’s first leaves.
Yes! You might know this, but how you pick the matured leaves from the plant stub can affect the growth and development of the growing ones.
Let’s look at the right and easiest method of harvesting grown basil leaves from the stub.
| When harvesting basil leaves that have attained maturity from the stub, |
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| 1. Ensure that you harvest leaves from top to bottom. |
| 2. Cut one-third the basil plant’s height. |
| 3. Make sure to pick or cut slightly above a leaf stud. |
| 4. Ensure you do not leave a stub as it will not do the plant a lot of good. |
Remember that basil leaves will produce less aromatic and flavorful oils when it has flowered, and the later picked basils might taste bitter.
If you want your basil plant to still produce leaves after the first harvest/pruning, then cut from the top as this encourages side shoots and a little more bottom growth on the basil plant.
Conclusion
Having basil leaves has excellent effects on the health of individuals. As such, you should add it to the yearly garden seeds you purchased.
It is easier and cheaper to plant your own Basil than to buy processed and dried ones from the shops.
Fortunately, we have provided essential things you need to consider when handling this plant.