Basil
Overview
Fragrant, tender herb. Genovese Basil, in particular, has large shiny green leaves and is the best basil for Italian-style and tomato-based cooking. It thrives in summer conditions, and because there is no need to wait for fruit to ripen, you can plant it basically any time of year that doesn’t have frost.
Water
Water Basil regularly. It likes moist soil, but doesn’t like soggy feet so don’t overdo it. Don’t let it wilt often as this can invite disease. You also want to make sure to avoid getting water on the leaves. This can also cause disease, and you don’t want fugal spores in your pesto.
Light
Basil likes full sun, so make sure to plant it in a spot in your garden that receives at least 6 hours of light. Even better if it can get 8 hours!
Soil
Like most veggies and herbs, Basil prefers rich, loamy, well-drained soil. It also prefers soil temperatures higher than 50°C. Basil does particularly well in raised beds for better drainage. It prefers a pH range between 6.0 and 6.5, and therefore can share a bed with most other summer veggies, especially tomatoes.
