Grow basil from seed outdoors and edamame stink bug prevention (Basil and edamame growing guide)
How to grow basil plant and edamame beans in outdoor cultivation. This time, I’ll explain about planting basil seeds and protecting edamame beans from stink bugs, but before that, let’s take a look at the tomato.
We put a insect netting over the tomato for crow protection, but it seems it hindered airflow because it covers the outside, which isn’t very good for the tomato. So, we removed it. (Also, we noticed discoloration of tomato leaves and slowed growth.)
https://www.vege-try.net/en/keep-crows-out-of-tomatoes-enInstead, we put up bird-proof strings (fishline). This should keep the crows out.
Planting basil seeds (Growing basil from seed)
We sow basil seeds at the base of the tomato plant. (Growing basil outdoors.)
Why do we plant basil seeds near tomato? That’s because basil is a companion plant for tomatoes.
Companion plants are combinations of vegetables or plants that are said to get along well together. (Companion plants are also called symbiotic plants.)
Planting basil near tomatoes helps absorb excess water from the tomatoes. (Tomatoes, originating from South America and favoring dry environments, pair well with basil, which is native to tropical Asia and enjoys water.) Basil, being a strongly scented herb, also acts as a natural insect repellent. (Keeps bugs away from tomatoes.)
We plant basil seeds about 20cm (8 inches) away from the tomato. (Cutting the plastic with a mulch cutter.)
We plant four seeds in each hole. The depth is about 1cm (0.4 inches). Make a small hole with your fingertip and sow the basil seeds there. Since basil seeds are small, it’s easier to sow them by placing them on folded paper and using a toothpick.
Cover the planted basil seeds with soil and press down with your hand.
Be careful not to wash away the seeds along with the soil when watering. (It’s recommended to water gently with a spray bottle or similar.)
Stink bug prevention for edamame bean plants
The edamame pods are getting quite big.
In late May, we thinned and hilled the edamame bean plants.
We need to watch out for stink bugs when the edamame pods start to swell.
Stink bugs suck the nutrients from the beans and ruin the edamame, so we’ll use this spray as a countermeasure.
The liquid inside the spray is a mixture of vinegar, sugar, and Japanese shochu (distilled liquor). Not being a pesticide, it’s a harmless liquid for both the human body and vegetables. It seems to be a standard liquid in pesticide-free vegetable cultivation and is commonly used for disease prevention and pest repellent in vegetables.
Spraying the edamame pods is said to be effective for stink bug prevention.
Following is the video for how-to. English subtitles are available.