Basil Seeds - Batik

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Basil Batik is a fragrant Thai basil with stunning burgundy flower spikes.

This attractive plant yields an extended harvest of aromatic leaves ready to flavour soups, salads, curries and even ice cream. With significant cold tolerance
‘Batik’ flowers late in the season, but the autumn show is worth the wait.

Whether gracing a kitchen windowsill or brightening up a garden bed, Basil Batik is an enchanting and functional herb that elevates both the palate and the aesthetics of any green space it inhabits. Like other basil varieties, Basil Batik requires warm conditions and thrives in well-draining soil. Providing ample sunlight is crucial to encourage robust growth and enhance the coloration of its leaves. When grown, the plant forms a compact and bushy appearance, making it a perfect choice for both garden beds and containers.

Fresh basil is far superior to dried basil, and can be harvested all through the summer months. Its wonderful scent makes it a great addition to the vegetable garden or the kitchen windowsill.

Average Packet Contents: 250 Seeds

How to Grow Basil Seeds.

Seed sowing

Sow the seeds indoors during March and April for planting out from the end of May onwards, or when all danger of frost has passed. Sow lightly into trays or pots of damp compost and lightly cover with fine sifted compost. Place on a warm windowsill or greenhouse bench ensuring the compost does not dry out. The seeds will germinate in around 7-10 days. Seeds can be sown directly outdoors from June onwards.

Growing in pots

Basil plants need warmth and plenty of sunlight so the advantage of growing in pots means you can move the plants to suitable positions throughout the day. Ensure the plants do not dry out and keep them sheltered from drying winds. Apply a liquid feed every 2-3 weeks to keep the plants growing freely.  

Growing in beds

If growing in outdoor beds or a designated herb garden, ensure the soil is free draining. Plant out the seedlings 30cm apart and keep well watered. The addition of a mulch applied to the base of growing pants will help to keep the soil from drying out. A liquid feed fertiliser can be applied every 2-3 weeks to keep the plants strong and healthy.

General aftercare

When watering basil plants take care not to splash the delicate leaves. Remove any weeds from around the base as soon as they appear. Don’t use insecticides or fungicides as these will taint the leaves and make them unusable.

Pests and diseases

Slugs can be a problem, especially during the late spring and early summer. It is advisable to use natural slug control remedies such as beer traps and crushed egg shells as opposed to slug pellets. Aphids can also be a problem so best be vigilant and remove them with a jet of water or introduce a biological control method, such as ladybird larvae.

Harvesting and storage

Basil will keep growing throughout the summer if kept watered and if the leaves are harvested regularly. Remove any flower buds as they appear to encourage more leaf growth. Fresh leaves can be frozen for later use. It is very difficult to grow basil during the winter so you might want to dry some leaves at the end of summer and store for later use. Do this by cutting the whole plants at the base of the stem and hanging them upside down in a dry warm place. When the leaves have fully dried, simply crumble them and store in a dry, airtight jar.