Basil
Basil is an aromatic plant especially valued in Mediterranean cuisine. It is hard not to mention Provençal pistou when talking about basil, although it is also widely used in salads and pasta dishes. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is grown as a culinary herb. There are seven known varieties, but the most common in French gardens are Genovese basil, lemon basil and fine green basil.
Also known as Ocimum basilicum, this plant loves sunlight; it should be sown warm in trays at the beginning of spring, then left for about a month and a half before planting in pots or directly in the ground. It grows best in full sun, ideally sheltered from the wind, in a vegetable garden between tomato plants and in rich soil that retains moisture. Sensitive to heat, it appreciates regular watering.
If basil is grown as an ornamental plant, only light hoeing is needed at the start. If grown for culinary use, it is important to pinch the tips of the stems to prevent flowering and prune the buds to encourage leaf production. The key is to avoid watering the leaves in cold weather and to keep the soil cool. From sowing to harvest, the full cycle takes around 90 days depending on the season.
Basil
- Type : Aromatic plants
- Subtype : Leafy vegetables
- Botanical Family : Lamiaceae (labiate)
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Full Sun
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Sensitive
- Cultivation Difficulty : Easy
- Adult Height : 30 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Recommended
- Sowing Depth : 0.5 cm
- Plant Spacing : 20 cm
- Row Spacing : 20 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Moderate
- Water Requirements : High
Seeds
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Insect-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing