Basil: Genovese
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KEY
Annual | 5-10 days | FEB-MAY | 25 days
ABOUT
The Genovese variety of Basil has a sweet flavour with a hint of spice and gets its name from the Italian town Genoa, from which it originates. The plant produces bright green leaves which have a slight crinkle to them and can grow to around 3 inches long. It is a staple in Italian cooking and is widely used to make pesto!
SOWING & PLANTING
🌱 Soil Type: Basil grows best in either loamy or sandy soil
☀️ Sunlight: Basil plants require at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun exposure per day
🌱 Let sow for 5 to 10 days before moving to a bigger pot or outdoors.
Indoors:
Basil grows best when started off indoors and transported outdoors. The optimum period to begin planting your basil seeds is from spring through to early summer. Fill a pot with soil and sow the seeds less than 1cm deep - around 0.5cm is perfect.
Once seedlings are big enough, transfer them into individual pots and place outside in the early months of summer. Ensure there are no remnants of frost. Place in a sheltered area, allowing the seedlings to acclimatize to outdoor weather.
Outdoors:
If planting outdoors, sow the seeds in mid spring to ensure the seedlings have sufficient sun exposure. It is recommended to plant and sow the seeds in a pot despite it being outdoors.
GROWING & CARE
Indoors:
Basil enjoys loamy soil and full sun exposure, however, harsh temperatures will damage the plant and cause the leaves to wilt. The best place to grow basil is on a windowsill as it provides adequate warmth but also allows for restpite as the sun moves throughout the day. Keep the soil moist but be sure not to overwater.
As the basil grows flowers may begin to develop. To keep your plant productive, remove as soon as they bud.
💚 Care Tip: It is best to water your plants during the morning as the basil roots do not like to be sitting in water overnight.
Outdoors:
If growing outdoors ensure that the plant has some form of shelter. This will protect it from windy weather and harsh sun. The same soil and level of moisture as indoor growing should be provided. Be careful of slugs as they will leave holes in the leaves of your Genovese, affecting the quality of the harvest. The best way to prevent them is to mulch the area with grit or use organic slug pellets.
COMPANION VARIETIES
Sweet Pepper
Eggplant
Tomato
Radish
HARVESTING
When harvesting basil, pick off the leaves individually rather than cutting off whole branches. Pull and twist to pick them off, being careful to not be too harsh. This will preserve the plant allowing new leaves to grow and ensuring that it stays productive.
PRESERVING
Only wash the leaves when you are going to use them otherwise they may turn slimy. Basil can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days after harvest. It can also be frozen, made into pesto and stored in oil.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Basil is a great source of Vitamin A, C and K as well as being high in calcium and magnesium. It can also be made into an essential oil and used to treat skin conditions.
