Discover how to grow tulsi and the benefits of this superpower herb (also known as holy basil). Hint: Growing tulsi is really easy!
How to Grow Tulsi: The Superpower Salad Herb
A few years ago, I joined a community garden and planted a 4-foot by 8-foot plot. A friend has a local nursery, so I picked up some plants to get started with and used seeds for the rest. One of the plants I purchased was a goji berry bush.
Getting Everything Planted
To be honest, I am not the best community gardener. I have problems incorporating regular visits to the garden into my weekly schedule.
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A few weeks after I got everything planted, I noticed another plant growing like crazy next to my goji berry bush. I tried to cut it back, so the goji would have room to grow.
The leaves tasted like a spicy mint and the flavor was very pleasant.
The Takeover (a.k.a. Growing Tulsi Is Super Easy!)
As the weeks went by, this crazy plant literally took over and smothered the goji berry bush.
Every time I would go to my plot, I would cut it back. It kept thriving. Then, it started to flower. It had tiny whitish-purple flowers on a long stalk. I brought a few of the flowers home so I could research and identify the plant.
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It turned out to be holy basil or tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum).
When I harvested my garden plot, I decided to bring the tulsi home to see if it would grow. It lasted a while with a lot of flowers. Then it died completely, or so it seemed. The tub was on my front porch, and I left it there throughout the winter.
Annual Revisits
When the weather started to warm again, I saw the green leaves of the tulsi start to sprout out of the soil in the tub.
The Harvest
We have been harvesting tulsi for the last 8 months. It is delicious in our salads. It adds a spicy, minty flavor similar to regular basil.
The Many Benefits of Tulsi
In India, people have been growing tulsi for its medicinal properties for more than 3,000 years. Holy basil is considered a sacred plant in Hinduism.
In traditional medicine, tulsi is used for:
- Stress
- Digestive problems
- Treating colds and fevers
- Treating allergies and infections
- Strengthening the immune system
- Treating hair and skin disorders
- Dental health
- Repelling insects and treating insect bites
Tulsi is very important in Ayurveda and naturopathy, because the plant is loaded with antioxidants, phytonutrients, essential oils, and vitamins A and C, which have been known to help manage diabetes and high blood pressure. If you use a few tulsi leaves regularly, it will help the body function properly in general.
It is known to have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It is considered an adaptogen (a substance that helps the body adapt and function optimally).
Besides adding it to salads, the leaves are easy to make into a tea.
Add It to Your Garden
There are more than 100 varieties of tulsi. If you have a warm, sunny place in your garden or on your porch or windowsill, consider adding a tulsi plant. It is perfect in a container garden with other sun-loving herbs. It is easy to grow and requires very little care.
In the late spring or early summer, when the temperatures in your area are around 70°F, sow seeds outdoors. If you want an early start, sow the seeds indoors in a sunny window.
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Put the tulsi seeds on top of the soil and lightly press down for soil contact. Spray the seeds with water or compost tea. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate in about 1 to 2 weeks.
For a bushier plant, pinch the top of the tulsi plant when there are 4 to 6 pairs of leaves.
Harvest Tulsi
Harvest the tulsi leaves throughout the growing season. As the plant gets bigger, use a pair of scissors to cut the larger leaves or to cut an entire branch.
Use the fresh leaves the same day or they will fade. Or, dry the leaves by collecting the branches and placing them in a dry place away from direct sunlight. Move the stems around about 3 times each day until the leaves are crisp and easily crushed.
What Do You Think?
Do you grow tulsi in your garden? How do you use it? Let us know in the comments below!
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This is an updated version of an article that was originally published on August 2, 2017. The author may not currently be available to respond to comments, however we encourage our Community members to chime in to share their experiences and answer questions!
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Karen the Newbie Homesteader is a novice gardener, homesteader, and permaculturist. She and her husband recently purchased four acres in central Florida to create their homestead and grow their own food. She will be sharing their adventures: successes, failures, and everything in between – here at The Grow Network.
COMMENTS(22)
You never mentioned what you eat! Do you eat both the leaves & flowers or either one?
Connie, we just eat the leaves. The stalks and flowers are too tough to put in salads.
Sorry Karen! I just saw it…leaves of course!
I use tulsi every day.I put 11 leaves in making my morning tea.We in India have it all the year round.Some years when it is extremely cold it dies out.,out but when spring comes the seeds which fall off after flowering,sprout again.The leaves,as well as the seeds are harvested to be used in medicinal preparations.
Nothing works as well as tulsi to take the sting out of any insect bite. Wad up a couple of leaves and rub into bite. A few years back a visiting friend was stung by a huge bee & she shreiked “I’m deathly allergic !!” We had the bite tamed down in a matter of minutes. The people of India believed that tulsi cleared the air in one’s home of bacteria etc. They had large pots they kept on their porches and brought them inside to the bedrooms at night. It’s Texas hardy and reseeds itself generously.
I do have Tulsi in my garden. I thrives, with very little attention. I have found that if you trim the flowers down then the leaves grow larger. I do not trim all of the flowers – leave some for the bees as they seem to enjoy harvesting necter from the flowers.
I use this Basil in preference to the other one not only in salads but in stews, soups, scrambled eggs and also in any tomato dishes.
I keep Tulsa by my front door and pick a couple of leaves as I go out and chew on them for the medicinal qualities and also to sweeten the breath.
Where can I get the seeds for Holy Basil?
You can find organic tulsi seeds to purchase on Amazon. I’m sure there are many distributors for this popular plant’s seeds.
Is there a cold-hardy variety or should it be taken inside for northern winters?
Tulsi really thrives in warmer weather, but if it is growing in a container, you can bring it inside and put it in a window that gets plenty of sun.
Awesome! Its actually awesome piece of writing, I have
got much clear idea on the topic of from this
piece of writing.
Thanks!
Now I know what to expect of Tulsi and how to start it; I think I was covering the seeds and not getting anywhere. Thanks!