Red Basil Seeds F1 (10 Seeds) Imported

Red Basil F1 is a vigorous imported hybrid prized for its dramatic deep purple-red leaves and warm, slightly clove-scented aroma. The glossy, richly coloured foliage holds its colour well, making this variety a favourite both in the kitchen — where it lends a bold tint to salads, herb vinegars and oils — and in the ornamental border, where it stands out against green-leaved herbs. It keeps the familiar sweet-basil flavour while adding a more spicy, fragrant depth.

Planting

This is a warm-season annual that is sensitive to frost. Start seed indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost, or sow and transplant outdoors only once all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed, waiting until nighttime temperatures stay reliably above 10 C. Sow the seed roughly 0.6 cm deep. Germination usually takes about 5 to 10 days, and is best at a soil temperature of around 18 to 21 C (it germinates well at about 20 C). Once seedlings have formed 2 to 3 pairs of true leaves, thin or transplant them to their final spacing — about 15 to 30 cm apart for full-size plants, or a closer 10 to 20 cm for cut-leaf production, with direct-sown rows about 45 cm apart. Choose a warm, sheltered, sunny spot in full sun, with at least 6 to 8 hours of bright light a day. In Egypt the main concern is cold nights below about 10 C rather than summer heat: start seed under protection or in a seedbed in late January to February, then transplant out in March to April once nights are reliably above 10 C for a long spring-to-autumn cutting season (June to October). In warmer Upper Egypt the frost-free window is wider, so transplanting can begin a few weeks earlier and a second autumn crop is feasible. Avoid open-field sowing in cold mid-winter (December to January) in either region.

Fertilizing

Apply a low-nitrogen starter fertilizer before planting, such as 5-10-5 or 5-10-10. If growth slows about two months after planting, side-dress with calcium nitrate as a nitrogen feed (roughly 0.1 to 0.2 kg per row section). Basil grown in good ground soil often needs no added fertilizer. Plants in containers benefit from a diluted, balanced organic-based liquid feed every 3 to 6 weeks; avoid high-potassium feeds.

Care

Basil is not drought tolerant and needs a fairly constant supply of soil moisture, so keep the soil evenly moist — water deeply about every 7 to 10 days, and more often for container plants. Water at the base in the morning and avoid wetting the foliage, which helps reduce disease. Pinch the terminal shoot tips regularly, at least weekly, to encourage bushy growth, and pinch out flower buds as they appear — plants tend to begin flowering in mid to late summer, which turns them woody and makes the leaves more bitter with reduced yield. Begin harvesting young leaves as needed, ideally just before flowering and in the cool early morning; for a full cut, take the plant back to about 10 to 15 cm above the ground to promote regrowth. Watch for common diseases such as downy mildew (fluffy growth on leaf undersides), Fusarium wilt, gray mold, bacterial leaf spot, and damping-off, as well as pests including aphids, slugs and snails, spider mites, whiteflies, Japanese beetles and leafhoppers; watering at the base rather than wetting the leaves helps limit downy mildew.