Basil, also scientifically known as Ocimum basilicum, is a versatile herb that is found in many kitchens because of its benefits and uses. It allows you to enhance the flavor of various dishes. The best part is that you can easily grow it at home.
This plant is mainly called hydroponic basil because of its cultivation method. So you may want to know if you can grow it in soil. If so, here is all the information you require to grow hydroponic basil in soil.
You might be wondering how long the basil plant lives, including optimal growing conditions for basil plants check out this article.
Overview Of Basil Plant Characteristics
Basil is a warm-season plant that will grow optimally in areas where daytime temperatures are consistently above 21°C ( about 70°F), and nighttime temperatures stay above ten °C (50°F) (Source: PlantVillage)
Basil is typically very sensitive to frost and needs protection if a late cold is suspected to fall below its normal level.
Generally, basil plants will grow best in fertile, moist soil with a pH between 6 and 7. In addition, basil requires around 6 to 8 hours of sun every day and thrives with some shade in the afternoon.
The key to successfully growing basil hydroponically is to replicate its ideal growing conditions.
Can You Plant Hydroponic Basil In Soil?
You can plant hydroponic basil in soil, but that is not preferable when growing the plant from seed. This is because of the nutrient requirements of basil. The preferable thing to do is to grow the plant in a hydroponic system and replant it in soil.
The hydroponic system will enable you to grow the plant in a medium other than soil. This will help you maintain the correct nutrient, pH, temperature, and light requirements. So your plant can enjoy the best growth and thrive easily in the soil after replanting.
See also: Top 6 Fertilizers For Your Hydroponics System.
How To Plant Hydroponic Basil In Soil?
Here is what you must know about planting hydroponic basil in soil:
1- Find The Right Plant
You must find the correct basil in the supermarket if you want to grow this plant in soil. Basils that have been grown in hydroponic systems mainly have roots. So you can easily identify them at the store or local farmer’s market.
The best option for you is to buy the plant with clean roots because it means the basil has grown well. So you can easily replant it in soil and enjoy plucking the leaves whenever you want to. You may also use plants from your own hydroponics system if you have them at home.
This will let you save money because you will not have to buy basil plants from the store.
2- Prepare The Pots
Many pots for gardening are available on the market, but you cannot fit your basil plant in all of them. The correct size matters to prevent the roots from bending and suffering damage. You must ensure you have a few pots at home to plant the item easily.
The right potting soil should also be present at your home. You can easily find this item in different stores and meet the nutrient requirements of basil. Your pot should also have a width of four to six inches for the best growth.
3- Prune The Plant
If you buy basil from a store, you must also determine whether or not to cut the plant. You should prune the plant if it’s relatively large to ensure it will fit in your pots. The green growth of your basil must not be more than six to eight inches.
Stems and leaves are included in the green growth and affect the basil’s lifespan significantly. This is because plants with smaller growth areas can take up water and nutrients more easily. So it will be easier for you to grow the basil in soil.
4- Place It In The Pot
The placement of your plant also matters because it affects the growth direction. You must ensure a good place to help the basil leaves thrive in different weather conditions. Firstly, you have to take the pot and make a hole for the root placement.
After that, cover the roots of the plant using the essential potting soil and pat it gently. You must not skip any instruction, especially at this step, to prevent the plant from lacking any nutrients. Some conditions can also be met easily if the basil leaves are placed correctly.
You must ensure five to six inches of spacing between every hydroponic basil in the soil. However, this figure can also rise to nine to twelve inches.
5- Meet The Condition Requirements
After replanting, you must maintain the different conditions hydroponic basil requires for growing. For instance, keep the plant near a sunny window inside your home for at least a week. This will enable hardening off to help you grow the plant outdoors easily.
You can decide after hardening whether to continue growing basil leaves inside your house or outside. It is also advisable to change the watering pattern of the plant to help it adjust to the new medium. So you should water the basil leaves every day for the next five to seven days.
This is because plants are transferred from a hydroponic system. So basil leaves need high moisture for the best growth. After one week, you can decrease the watering turns by giving the liquid only when the top one inch of your potting soil is dry.
Hydroponic Basil Nutrient Requirements
The nutrient requirements, along with some other conditions, must also be met for the hydroponic basil to thrive. This plant does not require high fertilization, so you must grow it in soil with 100 to 155 ppm of nitrogen.
You should also ensure a nutrient mix of calcium and potassium to supply essential nutrients. Nitrogen also plays a role in the cultivation of the leaves. Besides that, you must also understand the optimal pH for growing basil.
The nutrient solution should also have 1//4 strength for optimal growth. You must also ensure that you apply the solution every few days in the first week of growing hydroponic in soil. Typically, you should combine it with watering to achieve the best growth.
If your water has a pH of 5.8 to 6.2, you can safely use it for planting crops. Adding hardwood clay pebbles to the soil medium will also help you improve the support for your basil leaves. You should also use LED lights if you’re cultivating the plant indoors.
Hydroponic basil in soil requires at least 14 to 16 hours of light daily. Your nutrient mix should have one part of calcium and one part of potassium for a well-balanced product. This means you should add equal amounts of the two ingredients.
How Long Does Basil Actually Take To Grow Hydroponically?
In most cases, basil will take about three to four weeks to grow hydroponically under optimal conditions in hydroponic systems. Because of its low maintenance requirements, high value, and quick crop time, basil plants have become popular among gardeners.
In addition, ensure your hydroponic basil receives at least 16 hours of light per day for healthy growth.
Even though basil thrives in full sun, it grows reasonably well in part sun, about six hours of sun per day.
- Keep the pH level between 6.0 and 6.5
- Ensure you provide your basil with the necessary calcium and magnesium it requires to bloom.
- It takes 5 to 10 days at 70 ºF for basil seeds to germinate. (Source: Clemson University)
- Avoid over-fertilizing basil plants because their foliage’s flavor will be reduced during rapid plant growth.
Best Basil To Grow Hydroponically
Basil is an excellent plant to grow hydroponically because it requires minimum maintenance. When you provide the right growth conditions, basil plants will be ready for harvest within four weeks.
For optimal growth, it is essential to select the best basil to grow hydroponically.
Fast-Growing Basil Plants To Add Your Hydroponic Garden
| Bast-Growing Basil Plants | Growth Characteristics |
| Rutgers Devotion DMR | Rutgers Devotion DMR has downy mildew resistance, including productive plants with large, ruffled leaves. |
| Newton | Newton is a fast-growing variety of basil plants with a traditional Italian flavor. In addition, it is Fusarium resistant, has large leaves, and has high productivity. |
| Aroma 2 | Basil Aroma 2 is one of the most popular basil grown hydroponically because of its rapid growth rate. |
| Prospera | Prospera is known as a uniform and fast-growing basil variety. It is resistant to downy mildew and Fusarium. |
| Nufar | Nufar is a popular basil plant among hydroponic gardeners because of its quick and uniform growth. |
| Genovese | Genovese is a classic type of basil grown hydroponically. It has large leaves. |
| Italian Large Leaf | Italian large leaf is known to have sweeter than Genovese, with leaves having a flatter shape. |
Best Slow-Growing Basil Plants To Try
| Best Slow-Growing Basil Plants | Growth Characteristics |
| Rutgers Obsession DMR | – Even though Rutgers Obsession DMR has a slow-growing rate, it offers high yields and consistent growth. – It is resistant to downy mildew and Fusarium and has a spicier flavor than the classic Genovese types. |
| Genovese Compact Improved | Genovese compact improved has large cupped leaves. |
| Elidia | Elidia is compact basil plant with large leaves and uniform growth. |
| Everleaf | Everleaf is among the highly-dense varieties of basil plants and has medium-large cupped leaves. However, it has a slow growth rate. |
| Prospera Compact | Prospera Compact has a classic basil aroma and flavor and comes with large, glossy, and cupped leaves. |
Most hydroponic gardeners generally prefer the fast-growing types of basil primarily because of their quick, high yields.
The slow-growing and specialty varieties are worth it if you are a patient gardener and want to try different basil plants.
See also: What Growing Medium Should You Use For Your Hydroponics System?
How To Clean Roots Of Hydroponic Basil?
Buying basil with clean roots can be difficult to find in some stores. So you may get a plant with a dirty system and decide to clean it yourself. Of course, following the correct method is essential to avoiding damage.
You must shake the roots of the plant to get rid of dirt when removing the item from the purchased pot. After that, you should dip the system in clean water to wash away excess dirt. You must also avoid rubbing the plant vigorously during cleaning.
Finally, your roots will be completely free of all contaminants and other living bodies. So you can place the plant in the pot with soil. Combining the mix with another medium will increase the support you can offer to your hydroponic basil.
Wrapping Up
This is all the information you require about can you plant hydroponic basil in soil. You can easily do this by using the replanting method. This means that the basil must be taken from a hydroponic system.
You can place the new plant in a pot with high space and encourage more growth. Besides that, you must also meet the nutrient requirements. For instance, you must maintain a 5.8 to 6 pH at home for excellent growth.
