🌿 CORSICAN BASIL SEEDS
Ocimum basilicum
SALES DESCRIPTION
Add something distinctive to your herb garden with beautiful Corsican Basil. This Mediterranean basil is prized for its aromatic foliage and rich basil flavour, making it an excellent choice for home gardeners and cooks.
Corsican Basil develops attractive foliage and an upright, branching habit. The aromatic leaves are excellent harvested fresh and can be used in salads, pasta dishes, sauces, pesto, tomato dishes and as an attractive garnish.
Regular harvesting encourages the plants to branch and produce more tender leaves. It is also an excellent choice for herb gardens, raised beds and containers.
🌱 Annual culinary herb
☀️ Loves warm, sunny conditions
🌿 Aromatic, flavourful foliage
🍅 Excellent with tomatoes, pasta, salads and sauces
🪴 Suitable for containers and garden beds
✂️ Responds well to regular harvesting
🐝 Flowers attract pollinating insects
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🌱 GROWING INSTRUCTIONS
Sowing season: Spring through summer. Basil is frost-tender, so sow once conditions are reliably warm.
Sowing depth: Sow very shallowly, approximately 2–3 mm deep, or press onto the surface and cover lightly. Basil seed should not be buried deeply.
Germination: Usually approximately 5–14 days under favourable warm conditions. Keep the growing medium consistently moist but never waterlogged.
Temperature: Warm conditions around 18–29°C are suitable for germination, with different seed sources giving slightly different optimum ranges.
Position: Full sun. Aim for at least 6 hours of good sunlight per day. In extremely hot locations, some protection from harsh afternoon heat can be beneficial.
Soil: Fertile, loose and well-drained soil enriched with compost or other organic matter.
Spacing: Thin or transplant seedlings to approximately 20–30 cm apart to provide good airflow and room for branching.
Watering: Water regularly enough to keep the soil evenly moist, particularly during hot weather. Avoid permanently saturated soil.
Transplanting: If started in trays or pots, transplant outdoors once seedlings are well established and conditions are warm. Harden seedlings off gradually before planting into their permanent position.
Feeding: Basil generally performs well in fertile soil. A light application of compost or balanced organic plant food during active growth can encourage healthy leaf production.
✂️ HARVESTING
Begin harvesting once the plant is well established. Pinch or cut the growing tips just above a pair of leaves. Regular harvesting encourages branching and produces a fuller, bushier plant.
For maximum leaf production, pinch off developing flower heads. If you would like to attract pollinators or save seed, allow selected healthy plants to flower and mature naturally.
🌱 SOUTH AFRICAN GROWING TIP
Corsican Basil is best treated as a warm-season annual in South African gardens. Sow during spring once cold conditions have passed and continue sowing through the warmer months where your local climate permits. Protect plants from frost and prolonged cold.
PLANT TODAY. GROW SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
SUPER SPROUT SEEDS
Climatized for South African gardens.
