Environment

This story is about one of St John’s symbols: the basil Plant and how to extend the plants’ life cycle

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Filipa Brito

One should not directly smell basil or it will dry out. This is what folk wisdom says; but, there are plenty other reasons for basil plants to dry out, according to the Environment Department Municipal team, who explains how things go regarding this traditional symbol of St John, in the latest episode of “Biodiversity at Home”. Check it out.

Very low temperatures or very high temperatures, lack of light or very bright light. These are also reasons for the basil plant to fade out, and the fact that it may fade when people smell it directly it is not a fact, it is an old adage. The new episode of “Biodiversity at Home”, by the Environment Department of the Municipality of Porto offers some suggestions on how to extend the basil plant’s life cycle.

Sown at the end of winter, the basil plant reaches its peak during the celebrations of patron saints. Very few make it till fall; still, there are steps that can help the plant keep. The secret lies in knowing what the plant likes and needs.

Here are some tips: basil plants can either live inside or outside, as long as one pays attention to the light and there is not direct exposure to the sun. It is also necessary to consider the environment temperature, which must not be too high nor below 10 degrees Celsius.

Watering this plant also means that there is a special technique, namely watering the potting soil and not the leaves themselves. The potting soil mustn’t be soaked but instead slightly humid. The ideal is to have a vase, with proper drainage, to enable the roots to breath, on top of a container or jug with water.

This way, it will be possible to provide a healthy life cycle for the basil plant and, in the end, harvest the seeds to replant it again.

Happy St John! Bom São João!