Lemon basil is another of the beautiful and aromatic varieties of basil with notes of citrus. It does not like the cold and is not frost hardy.
If you do not have a greenhouse basil will grow happily on a sunny windowsill and even outside in a sunny, sheltered spot.
How to grow:
Basil is an annual herb. Sow seed from March to July in pots or seed trays at 22 -24°C. Prick out tray sown seedlings into individual 8cm pots when they are about 6cm tall. For windowsill herbs pot on once more into a 12cm pot otherwise transplant into the growing site. Direct sowings can also be made in June.
Succession sow throughout the season to ensure a supply of fresh leaves. Harvest individual leaves and then stems from June onwards. The white flowers are produced on spikes during the summer but pinch them out to encourage leaf production.
Pests and diseases:
Basil can suffer from aphids, use a biological control if this is a problem. Do not over water to help prevent fungal diseases.
How to use:
Lemon basil is great in the types of dishes where you would normally combine the flavours of basil and lemons. So you can use it to delicately flavour pasta or rice. Add it to vinaigrette to make a lemony salad dressing. It makes a refreshing tea and Lemon basil can also be used in Indonesian and Thai dishes. Basil does not dry particularly well but you can chop it, add a little water and freeze in ice-cube trays.
ocimum basilicum
Approx. 680 seeds per gram
Approx. 600 seeds per packet
