Park Seed Large Leaf Italian Organic Basil Seeds, Pack of 100 Seeds

Park Seed Large Leaf Italian Organic Basil Seeds, Pack of 100 Seeds

• Days to Maturity: 75 from direct sow. Basils are loaded with volatile oils, responsible for the heady aroma and strong flavor so essential to cooking. Large Leaf Italian basil is regarded as the essential variety for true Neapolitan cuisine, especially pesto. And in the garden, basil works to repel aphids, mites, and hornworms.
• Expect this Genovese-type basil to grow 18 to 24 inches high and 12 to 15 inches wide. The dark green, shiny leaves grow up to 3 inches long on a tall, erect plant that is slow to bolt. Small terminal bunches of pink flowers will bud out in summer; pinch the new buds away if you want to harvest more of the leaves!
• Begin seeds either indoors in late winter or direct-sow in spring. To start indoors, sow about 6 to 8 weeks before last frost. The seeds will germinate in 5 to 10 days. Transplant when they have 2 sets of true leaves, spacing plants 12 to 15 inch apart in garden, or in your best containers. If you are direct-sowing, wait until soil has thoroughly warmed up in spring. Then cover the seeds with about ¼-inch of soil, and thin the young plants to 12 to 15 inch apart when they are about 2 inch tall
• As your basil plants grow, pinch off the central stem when they are about 6 weeks old, and prune back each stem when it has more than 8 sets of leaves. (Cut it back to the first or second set of leaves, harvesting the rest.) If you keep your plants well pinched and pruned, you should be able to harvest half a cup of fresh leaves every week during the growing season!
• Basil loves hot weather and plenty of sunshine, but it needs consistently moist, rich soil. Mulch the plants to retain moisture, and water heavily during dry spells. Harvest the plant before the cold weather sets in, as this will affect the leaves, texture, and flavor. Freeze entire stems, with the leaves still attached, for best flavor retention, or dry the leaves for seasoning. You will always be assured of a big harvest from Large Leaf Italian!