Basil ‘Genovese’ Seeds

Basil ‘Genovese’ (Ocimum basilicum), the world-renowned Italian heirloom heirloom variety considered the gold standard for traditional pesto and Mediterranean cooking. Famous for its extra-large, glossy dark green, cup-shaped leaves, Genovese basil infuses garden beds and culinary dishes with an intensely fragrant, sweet clove-and-anise aroma.

Bred for high leaf production and continuous harvests, this fast-growing warm-season annual thrives in sunny kitchen gardens, raised beds, and windowsill pots. Unlike coarser basils, 'Genovese' retains its sweet, non-bitter flavor throughout the warm months, making it an indispensable companion to fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, pasta sauces, and summer salads.

Features:

• Authentic Italian Flavor: Sweet, aromatic leaves with classic clove notes—the ultimate pesto variety.

• Abundant Leaf Production: High-yielding plants produce dense clusters of large, tender cupped leaves.

• Essential Garden Companion: Enhances the growth and flavor of neighboring tomato and pepper plants.

• Pollinator Favorite: Beautiful purple-tinted white flower spikes attract beneficial bees when left to bloom.

• Versatile Sowing Options: Thrives in garden beds, raised planter boxes, and indoor sunny windowsills.

Growing Information (Australia):

• Scientific Name: Ocimum basilicum 'Genovese'

• Plant Type: Warm-season Annual

• Growth Habit: Upright, bushy branching annual (Non-vining/Bushy herbal foliage)

• Sowing Season:

  • Temperate/Cool (e.g., Victoria, Tasmania): Spring to Early Summer (start seeds indoors 4–6 weeks before the last frost, or direct sow after soil warms to 18°C+).

  • Subtropical: Late Winter through Autumn.

  • Tropical: Year-round (grow in well-draining, partially shaded positions during high mid-summer heat).

• Sun Position: Full Sun (requires 6–8 hours of direct warmth daily; appreciates light afternoon shade in extreme inland heat).

• Sowing Depth: 3mm–5mm deep (Cover lightly; seeds need warm, moist soil and light warmth to break dormancy).

• Plant Spacing: 25cm–30cm apart between plants.

• Plant Height: 45cm–60cm tall.

• Germination Temp: 20°C–26°C.

• Germination Time: 7–14 days.

• Seed to Bloom/Harvest Time: 60–75 days to full maturity (harvest individual leaves from 40 days).

• Gardener’s Tip: Pinch out the central growing tip when plants reach 15cm tall to encourage lush, multi-branched bushy growth. Water at the base of the plant in the morning to keep foliage dry and prevent fungal mildew. Pinch off flower spikes as they appear to direct energy into sweet, continuous leaf production throughout the season.

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100 seeds