In this article, we will shed light, capture expressly and answer the curiosity rallying around how to plant scent leaf.
Scent leaf plant is a common vegetable in some parts of the world. As the name implies, it is christened and identified by its strong fresh scent.
Scent leaves have variety of uses, one of which include: cooking. Scent leaf is widely used as a seasoning agent or spice for lots of meals.
It also have several other functions, medicinal benefits inclusive. It is identified by different common names in many languages.
Botanically, scent leaf is known by its scientific name “Ocimum gratissimum”.
Scent leaf are mostly cultivated within the home garden (indoors). It thrives well in loamy soil or sandy loam.
Steps on How to Plant Scent Leaf
To cultivate scent leaf, below are a few steps to have at your fingertips to ensure impressive result when planting scent leaves. They include:
1. Land Preparation
The first step to consider on how to plant scent leaf is to prepare the land. Land preparation may include: bush clearing, soil tilling and composting where necessary.
Land preparation is best done few weeks to the start of rainy season or before planting.
To compost, use organic manure such as animal dungs, an apply by spraying them on the land and leave to make the compost decay and absorbed by the soil to give more nutrients to it.
Composting is safe for plants including scent leaves because it’s organic and natural.
Planting Scent leaf
To plant scent leaves, dress farm beds or make small holes of about 6 inches with a gap of 1 foot on the prepared land.
Scent leaves are usually planted by its stem. So, Proceed, to getting the stems of scent leaf and peg them to the already made farm bed.
Plant the stems in the holes made, allow some part to stick up on the surface then cover the holes with the soil.
Scent leaf plants needs watering after planting is completed.
Scent Leaf Plant Care Tips
Weeding:
In a week, new scent leaves will begin to shoot and increase in fewer weeks. At this point, weeds may set in and compete with its nutrients.
Weeds can greatly affect scent leaf plants negatively at the early stage, though it does not pose any significant threat to this plant when they are grown and taller.
It is better to watch out and get rid of them nevertheless to ensure that your scent leaves grow unhindered.
Pruning
Though scent leaves does not need to be pruned at its young stage but as it becomes older it becomes a great way to take care of the plant.
Pruning helps to removed dried or dying branches and create room for re-growth of healthy branches.
Mulching:
Mulching your scent leaf plants means to cover the bottom of the plants to both the water, the soil nutrients in the soil and also to limit the amount of weed that might grow around the plants.
To mulch, get bunch of green leaves and cover the root of the plants.
Harvesting Scent leaf Plant
Scent Leaf is a vegetable and as that, it does not have a specific harvest season.
Its harvest is a continuous process as long as the leaves continues to grow. It is most usually harvested till the plant grows very old and dies off.
To harvest scent leaf, all you need is your hand or a small kitchen knife.
Cut or pluck some branches on the plant evenly in a way that each scent leaf plant still have branches left on it stem appropriately.
Do not cut all the branches or concentrate on cutting off from one part over the other.
Even plucking of the leaves will allow for appropriate photosynthesis and re-growth of new branches and leaves.
The harvest of this vegetable is best early in the morning or late evenings. Harvesting in the afternoons, while the sun is hot may cause withering and drying up.
Benefits of Scent leaf Plant
This plant bave several impressive benefits.
- It can be used for meal preparations.
- As a natural cure or herbal remedy for some ailments such as stomach ache, applied on wound surface, reduce blood sugar level etc.
- Its smell is a natural mosquito repellant when burned.
- The leaf contains large number of nutrients like vitamins, sodium, calcium etc.
Conclusion
Scent leaf plant as elaborated on in our article on how to plant scent leaf proves it is easy to cultivate.
It is also simple to care for and harvest. It does not require much special care and can be a good passive income source if a gardener cultivates it in large quantity.