Hi.
I planted basil seeds in the greenhouse on March 10, but it didn't sprout? I wonder if it's the seeds problem and/or any other issues.
I also need help with fertilizing basil seedlings: is there any natural and/or organic way to fertilize basil, cause it's not growing well? Would appreciate your suggestions.
Thanks in advance!
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magaarakelyan
- Newly Registered
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- Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:11 am
- Location: Armenia
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
All kinds of things could keep your basil seeds from germinating. They need steady soil temperature of 70 - 75 deg F (20 -24 deg C). A little higher is OK. Very much lower and they won't sprout. They need to be covered very lightly. Don't "bury" the seeds; just sprinkle a little bit of your potting mix over them. They need to be in potting mix, not in soil, which is heavy and tends to stay too wet. They need to never dry out, but not be wet, staying just damp/ moist.
Any variance from these conditions (too wet, too dry, buried too deep, etc) can keep them from sprouting.
If your seedlings aren't growing well, you first need to figure out what the problem is. What are they looking like? Posting a picture would help. What is the soil/ potting mix they are in like? There is stuff sold as " seed starting mix" (in this country anyway, no idea about where you are), which is sterile, has no nutrients. If they are in something like that, then yes you need to start fertilizing. If the potting mix has any nutrients in it, then fertility is not the problem at this stage and adding fertilizer is likely to just further stress them.
Any variance from these conditions (too wet, too dry, buried too deep, etc) can keep them from sprouting.
If your seedlings aren't growing well, you first need to figure out what the problem is. What are they looking like? Posting a picture would help. What is the soil/ potting mix they are in like? There is stuff sold as " seed starting mix" (in this country anyway, no idea about where you are), which is sterile, has no nutrients. If they are in something like that, then yes you need to start fertilizing. If the potting mix has any nutrients in it, then fertility is not the problem at this stage and adding fertilizer is likely to just further stress them.
It also helps to make sure your seeds are fresh.
Basil likes a rich moist soil, but like most herbs does not need a ton of fertilizer. For any seed starting mix, it is not necessary to add any fertilizer at all. In fact, if you have too much nitrogen in your seed starting mix, seeds may not germinate at all. Seeds have all the nutrients they need to get through the first couple of weeks of growth.
I do add slow release fertilizer to my soil mix, but only because I use the same mix for the containers. Slow release fertilizer does not cause the same problems as using compost, manure or fast release fertilizer in pots of any size.
I put most of the fertilizer I need for the plants into the containers and the garden where they are to grow out. I add compost and 1/4 of the nitrogen requirement to start. In pots, I generally use potting soil with slow release or citrus food as fertilizer. It works for everything I normally grow. The rest of the nitrogen will be applied over the course of the plant's life cycle.
For my herbs, they probably get the least. I do repot the perennial herbs and divide the invasive ones like mint (or they will choke themselves). Some like lavender, rosemary, and sage don't really like fertilizer so they get a very small amount and infrequently. Mint, thyme, marjoram, parsley, basil, cutting celery, onions get a little bit more but not as much as the garden vegetables like tomatoes and peppers which get fed almost every month.
Basil likes a rich moist soil, but like most herbs does not need a ton of fertilizer. For any seed starting mix, it is not necessary to add any fertilizer at all. In fact, if you have too much nitrogen in your seed starting mix, seeds may not germinate at all. Seeds have all the nutrients they need to get through the first couple of weeks of growth.
I do add slow release fertilizer to my soil mix, but only because I use the same mix for the containers. Slow release fertilizer does not cause the same problems as using compost, manure or fast release fertilizer in pots of any size.
I put most of the fertilizer I need for the plants into the containers and the garden where they are to grow out. I add compost and 1/4 of the nitrogen requirement to start. In pots, I generally use potting soil with slow release or citrus food as fertilizer. It works for everything I normally grow. The rest of the nitrogen will be applied over the course of the plant's life cycle.
For my herbs, they probably get the least. I do repot the perennial herbs and divide the invasive ones like mint (or they will choke themselves). Some like lavender, rosemary, and sage don't really like fertilizer so they get a very small amount and infrequently. Mint, thyme, marjoram, parsley, basil, cutting celery, onions get a little bit more but not as much as the garden vegetables like tomatoes and peppers which get fed almost every month.
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magaarakelyan
- Newly Registered
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- Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:11 am
- Location: Armenia
Thank you all for the replies!
I grow basil in a greenhouse, the temperature is always high, above +25 deg C, and the temperature keeps going high day by day, cause summers are typically hot in Armenia (it's the Caucasus region). My greenhouse is 2,250 high above sea level, and we always have high solar radiation, as well as strong winds.
Since the greenhouse soil doesn't have much nitrogen, I often use organic fertilizers (cow manure, vermicompost). Can you advice me, when I need to use fertilizer, before seeding and once in two weeks (cause I used to do this before)?
I do think that the reason that basil seeds didn't sprout is that I covered it deeply. Besides basil I also have Italian arugula (rucola), sage, oregano and rosemary in the greenhouse.. do you think they are good companions?
I grow basil in a greenhouse, the temperature is always high, above +25 deg C, and the temperature keeps going high day by day, cause summers are typically hot in Armenia (it's the Caucasus region). My greenhouse is 2,250 high above sea level, and we always have high solar radiation, as well as strong winds.
Since the greenhouse soil doesn't have much nitrogen, I often use organic fertilizers (cow manure, vermicompost). Can you advice me, when I need to use fertilizer, before seeding and once in two weeks (cause I used to do this before)?
I do think that the reason that basil seeds didn't sprout is that I covered it deeply. Besides basil I also have Italian arugula (rucola), sage, oregano and rosemary in the greenhouse.. do you think they are good companions?
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ElizabethB
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2105
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:53 am
- Location: Lafayette, LA
Hello Magaarakelyan, Warm welcome to the forum.
Why are you growing basil in a greenhouse instead of outside?
You probably planted too deep.
IDK what kind of soil you have. Hopefully it is soil and not "dirt".
When growing in containers bigger is better.
I plant Basil out side, in the soil 10" - 12" apart.
When I grow Basil, and most other herbs in containers I use large pots, Basil, Dill. Fennel - 16" 24" pots. One plant per pot.
Thyme is planted in a 24" long window box planter. 3 plants. I have a rosemary planted in the soil and another huge plant in an 18" pot. Oregano is planted in the herb bed.
I plant several 12" pots of cilantro in the fall. They are about done. I plant parsley in 12" pots or in window box pots. I have moved them from the patio to under the patio cover.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Why are you growing basil in a greenhouse instead of outside?
You probably planted too deep.
IDK what kind of soil you have. Hopefully it is soil and not "dirt".
When growing in containers bigger is better.
I plant Basil out side, in the soil 10" - 12" apart.
When I grow Basil, and most other herbs in containers I use large pots, Basil, Dill. Fennel - 16" 24" pots. One plant per pot.
Thyme is planted in a 24" long window box planter. 3 plants. I have a rosemary planted in the soil and another huge plant in an 18" pot. Oregano is planted in the herb bed.
I plant several 12" pots of cilantro in the fall. They are about done. I plant parsley in 12" pots or in window box pots. I have moved them from the patio to under the patio cover.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.