Easy steps for growing Thai Basil indoors through winter:

• When growing leafy herbs indoors for winter, it is easiest to think of them as baby greens; that is, rather than growing full-sized individual plants grow many younger plants in dense clusters and start harvesting when they are younger.
• Over winter, Thai Basil grows most productively under full spectrum (6400K) grow lights. Grow lights should be maintained 6 - 12” above plant tops and should be on 16 - 18 hours per day. 
• If not growing under lights, plan for the sunniest south window available, although productivity goes way up under grow lights. 
• Indoors, Thai Basil grows very well in shallow containers with drainage. We often use short 15 cm (6") pots for indoor herbs. Other ideas include recycled clam shells from store-bought greens or recycled flower pots.
• For completely easy baby greens use a composty soil. We use an organic potting mix blended with Sea Soil compost at a 60 / 40 ratio. By building in high-quality compost you can avoid any need for additional fertilizing.
• Basil takes 3 - 7 days to germinate. The ideal temperature for germination is 21ºC; bottom heat will speed up germination and encourage faster seedling development. 
• Wet your soil medium before sowing then sprinkle seeds onto soil surface at approximately 40 seeds per 15 cm (6") pot. The seeds are tiny, so handle with care! Press seeds gently into soil surface and spritz (or carefully water) to fully moisten.
• Check on seeds every few days to notice when they start to germinate. Maintain soil moisture without allowing the mix to be soggy.
• Thai Basil will grow as a baby green for approximately ten weeks before a new crop will need to take over. Sow new pots every six to seven weeks to keep a constant supply.

Sowing for Spring/ Outdoor Growing:

• Germination: 3 - 7 days at 21 ºC
• When to Sow: 4 - 6 weeks before average last frost date indoors, or direct seed outdoors once all chance of frost has passed and soil is warm
• Starter Pots: 7.5 cm (3”) starter pots
• Soil: Well draining seed starting mix with worm castings
• Number of Seeds Per Pot: 5 - 8 seeds per starter pot, pressed lightly into moistened soil
• Where to Start: Place pots in the brightest window, or under full spectrum grow lights
• Watering: Water deeply, then allow soil to dry to the touch between waterings
• Transplanting: Transplant to outdoors in early June, once all chance of frost has passed and the ground has warmed up

Additional Tips for Indoor Growing:

• Great air circulation around your indoor garden makes everything better! If you are growing lots of plants indoors consider adding a small fan to your set-up.
• If using humidity domes over your trays: be sure to leave these off for at least one hour per day to allow for air circulation.
• Pests rarely occur on baby greens but it is a good idea to clean pots/trays with warm soapy water (or 10% bleach solution) between crops and generally keep your growing area tidy.
• Crops that are grown to larger than baby green size will likely require fertilizing for best productivity; we recommend Evolve Organic All-Purpose Fertilizer for our indoor gardens.

Harvesting Through Winter:

• Start harvesting when plants are several inches tall, typically around 35 - 45 days from germination for leafy herbs.
• Use sharp scissors to cut your greens - this helps plants regrow more quickly after harvest.
• The beauty of growing your own baby greens is that you can harvest just what you need when you need it!