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I have grown several different varieties down through the years, and it still remains one of the most temperamental of all herbs. The exasperating thing with this annual plant is it’s willingness to germinate quite easily from seed but once potted on it becomes troublesome. The seed can be sown anytime from mid April to June. Sow a little every fortnight to ensure a regular supply. When the second set of leaves (true leaves) has developed, pot on seedlings into potting compost in groups of three to five.
For the first week cover them by night with fleece or newspaper as they are prone to shock if temperatures drop! I have found that over watering is detrimental especially at this initial stage. Basil is one of the few herbs I water from the bottom by placing pots in a tray of water. Avoid wetting the foliage and never water in late evening. The amount of water will increase as the plant matures and absorbs more.
Basil thrives best on a sunny windowsill or heat trap. If the summer is consistently hot you can try placing a pot outside but extra care will be needed in case slugs visit to munch! I am not sure how fond they are of basil because I keep mine well out of their reach! Leaves may be harvested lightly when the plant is a few inches high. Cut or pluck the top succulent leaves: this encourages bushiness and helps to prevent aphid (green or whitefly) infestation. Careful cutting is important; always allow some foliage to continue growing.
Ocimum basilicum aka sweet basil is the most common and has large heavily scented leaves; I have found the cultivar ‘Genovese’ and the red leaved ‘Rubra’ to be among the best. Last year was my most successful in many years due to the long, hot summer and at the request of a customer I also grew Ocmium minimum (bush basil). This cute variety has tiny leaves with a milder flavour. It forms a 10” compact plant making it ideal for pot culture.
I have also been tempted to grow O. sanctum which is holy basil - out of curiosity more than anything else. This plant known as Tulsi in India is used in many religious ceremonies and is revered for its medicinal properties. It does not resemble its Italian cousins in appearance as its leaves lack shine and are a duller shade of green. It does however omit a strong aroma of clove and pepper creating a definite eastern ambience. The least successful variety I have tried is Thai basil.
Herb plants now on sale at Foxy John’s Dingle, Keanes, Lispole, O Donnells, Annascaul, Miltown Organic Store.
Herb nursery in Annascaul can be visited by appointment only.
Phone Greta 086-3169716 www.gretasherbs.com email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
