Greek basil

How to grow Greek basil growing condition and care instruction:

How to grow:
Warm weather, rich soil, mulch on the soil especially in the winter, well-drained soil

How to care:
Add more water in hot summer days, fertilizer 2-4 year, put organic matter, prune once a year and consider to prune the bloom stems

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Vegetative Reproduction – cutting (explanation of care bellow) / Seeds (sowing information bellow)

Is it necessary use vegetative reproduction in Greek basil?
No, but possible

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Nothing special

Recommended planting season?
Spring in hardiness zone 5-10 as annual, as perennial spring to summer in hardiness zone 10b, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 11 and hardiness zone 12+ all year.

Pests and diseases:
Aphids

Pruning season:
All the season

How to prune:
Prune in the beginning of the bloom, also for design, in order to create like small dwarf tree (like bonsai), need to trim all the little stem and leaves just few main stems.

Size of the plant?
10-20 cm, 4-8 inches

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Medium growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full sun to half shade, in full sun there is too much flower what that makes the trim of the leaves hard work

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in a pot / planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes, when grow in container, size 5-12 liter (1.5-3 gallon) amount of water that needed, it’s to keep the soil moist and the water go out of the pot, better not to use bottom of pot, when it’s grow as perianal every two years to switch soil in the pot or just part of it, soil need to be well ventilated with good drainage, rich with organic matter, can us in potting mix or peat soil with perlite or vermiculite.

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Summer

General information about the flower
Small white flower that grow on inflorescence

Thinning the bloom:
Should thinning the inflorescence when they start to bloom, all the strength of the plant go to the blossom

Pollination is done by:
Bees and more pollinators

Edible leaves

Leaves harvesting season:
All year in hardiness zone 11+, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 10, end of the spring to autumn as annual

How to harvest the leaves?
Prune the entire branch, take care not to prune too much, except leave few buds and also leaves on the plant

Information about leaves:
Small leaves light to dark green, high density in ovate shape

Uses of Greek basil leaves:
Pesto, salad, spices, eaten raw

Vegetative Reproduction

Vegetative Reproduction Method:
Stems, cutting, bending a branch over and covering it with soil

Preferred time for vegetative reproduction:
Spring. Early summer

Time to grow roots in vegetative reproduction:
1-2 weeks

Treatment for vegetative reproduction:
When use soil: keep moist, better peat soil and better with root growth hormone also possible to put the stem in glass of water and switch the water every few days, cutting result better in warm season with high humidity, shade with light.

How to grow Greek basil from seeds

Sowing requirement:
Moist soil, humidity, sunny location

Saving seeds and care until sowing:
Dry and dark location

Sowing season:
Spring it’s the optimal season but possible spring in hardiness zone 5-10 as annual, as perennial spring to summer in hardiness zone 10b, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 11 and hardiness zone 12+ all year.

How to plant:
Better to switch the soil with some peat soil and vermiculite

Planting spacing:
20*30cm (8-12 inches) possible also 10*20cm (4-8 inches) but will grow less good

Depth of Sowing:
0.5cm (0.25 inch)

Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist soil, sunny location, don’t let it dry

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water to big amount of water

Germination time:
1-3 weeks

Scientific name:

Ocimum basilicum ‘Greek Yevani’