Variety Info.:
Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum
Family: Laminaceae
Native: Probably Africa, but in cultivation for so long that it cannot be verified.
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Plant Dimensions: 24″ tall, 18″–24″ wide
Variety Information: Large, dark reddish-purple glossy leaves with a mild, sweet flavor. Small lavender-blue flower spikes appear in late summer.
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Attributes: Good for Containers
Sowing Info.:
When to Sow Outside: 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 60°F, ideally 65°–85°F. Successive Sowings: We recommend 3 or 4 successive sowings every 3 weeks after initial sowing.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting outside. Transplant when your nighttime temperatures are above 50°F.
Days to Emerge: 5 – 10 Days
Seed Depth: ¼”
Seed Spacing: A group of 2 seeds every 12″
Row Spacing: 12″
Thinning: When 2″ tall, thin to 1 every 12″
Growing Info.:
Harvesting: Basil flavor is best before the plant flowers. Harvest up to 1/3 of the plant at a time, leaving enough for the plant to be healthy and keep producing. Harvest prior to a frost; basil is very frost sensitive.
