“Cilant ro and
coriander are
the same plant—cilantro refers to
the flat, fan-shaped leaves, while
coriander refers to the seeds that
are ground and used as a spice.”
Many hydroponic growers use a general-purpose lettuce/
herb or vegetative nutrient formulation for basil. While this
is suitable for young plants, mature basil often has a different nutrient uptake ratio. The amounts of potassium (K)
and calcium (Ca) are relatively high in the edible portion
of the basil plant. For this reason, the ratio of K:Ca in the
nutrient solution needs to be kept at a reasonably high
level—close to 1:1. While potassium and calcium are directly
related to the oil levels and flavor in the foliage, nitrogen
(N) is essential for leaf yields and needs to maintained at all
times, while magnesium (Mg) should be at levels of at least
50 ppm as there is a direct relationship between Mg content,
yield and composition of the essential oils that make up
much of the characteristic basil flavor and aroma.
Basil grown in an indoor garden may be harvested
in a similar fashion to plants grown commercially in a
greenhouse—as a cut and re-grow crop with only one-third
to two-thirds of the upper foliage taken as stems, leaving
the plant to regenerate for a further two to three cuts
before replacing the plants. As an alternative, the lower
mature leaves can be individually plucked as required and
the growing tips removed as soon as the plants reach a
reasonable height to promote the development of more
stems and to help keep plants compact.
Large-leaved basil varieties produce the foliage volume
required to make pesto.
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