Sweet Basil

If you’re a food fanatic then there’s no excuse not to have a basil plant in your garden. This versatile herb is an essential ingredient in pesto, pastas, pizzas, salads and Thai stir fries and curries. With all these culinary uses, it’s good to know that the more leaves you pick, the more it grows.

Planting Tips:

• Sweet basil is a fast-growing annual herb that quickly grows to a height of 40-60cm.
• Like most other herbs, it prefers well-draining soil in a sunny position.
• Space basil seedlings about 30cm apart when planting and pinch out the growing tips to ensure bushy, full growth.

How to use them :

• Rub kitchen counters and window sills with fresh basil leaves and flowers. The strong scent will chase flies and mosquitoes away.
• Add fresh basil flowers to your bath water for an invigorating soak.
• Remember to always add basil leaves to food at the very end of the cooking process. Too much heat will destroy the fragrant flavour.