Holy basil, also called Tulsi or Sacred Basil has highly aromatic, narrow oval leaves and pink flowers with a perfumed fragrance. This reddish-purple tinted plant exudes a delicious, sweet, clove-like aroma. The hotter the summer, the deeper the purple.

This ornamental and useful basil is an herb native to India, where it is sacred in the Hindu religious tradition and is regarded as one of the most important plants used in Ayurvedic medicine.
It is frequently grown in courtyards and temples and is believed to protect from misfortune and sanctifies and guides to heaven all who cultivate it.
In the Christian tradition it is said that Tulsi grew around the place of Crucifixion. Tulsi is also mentioned in Shiite writings.
Of the many varieties, Dark or “Krishna tulsi” and light or “Rama tulsi” are the two main varieties of Holy basil. Krishna tulsi is most commonly used for worship and possesses greater medicinal value.

Position:
Basil should be grown in a position that receives sunlight for around six to eight hours a day. It can be grown indoors on a sunny windowsill or outdoors in containers or soil. Position the Basil in a sheltered spot that avoids cold winds.
If growing outdoors: Basil likes a fertile soil that has been well dug to allow good soil air circulation. Introducing well rotted organic compost or manure into the soil a month or so before sowing will help this.
Before sowing ensure that the compost or soil is weed free and moist.
If growing in pots then a general purpose compost is a suitable soil solution. Ensure that adequate drainage is allowed from the base of the pot.

Sowing:
Sow at any time if the plant is to be kept indoors. If sowing inside and planting outside, you can sow in late February onwards. It is vital that Basil is not exposed to the last spring frosts so if sowing outside be patient and sow in late May.
Sow the seed thinly and if growing in pots sow enough for a few plants in each pot. Cover with 6mm (½cm) of compost and firm gently. Holy Basil seeds take longer to germinate than other varieties, around 16 days. Once the seedlings have developed two pairs of true leaves, thin out the weakest seedlings, leaving the strongest in each pot strongest.

Tending:
If growing indoors in pots then weeds shouldn't be a problem. If growing outdoors then you can add organic mulch around the plants to help aid soil moisture retention and prevent weed establishment. Add a small amount of fertiliser every month or so to any pot plants. Water at the base of the plant avoiding showering the leaves and stems. Be sure to pinch out any flowers that appear. This will help preserve the plants flavour and also channel the plants energies into more leaf growth.

Harvesting:
Basil is a pick and come again crop. Pick a few leaves off a number of plants, harvest the top most leaves first. Basil will grow all year round indoors but outdoor plants should be dug up and brought indoors before the first autumn frosts if you want to extend the plants growing season. Never harvest more than one third of any herb plant so that it can recover from the pruning.

Medicinal Uses:
Tulsi is an important constituent of many Ayurvedic medicines, including cough syrups and expectorants.
Chewing tulsi leaves relieves cold and flu. Oil of tulsi has been used as a potent anti-malarial drug.
It also has mosquito repellent properties

Religious Uses:
Tulsi is a venerated plant and an important symbol in the Hindu religious tradition. The name 'tulsi' connotes "the incomparable one". If you go to India, you will see holy basil growing in profusion around Hindu temples.
Followers of Hindu traditions often keep a Tulsi plant in front of their house, often planted in a specially built structure, which has images of deities on each of the four sides, and an alcove for a small earthen oil lamp.
Some households can even have up to a dozen tulsi plants on the veranda or in the garden forming a "tulsi-van" or "tulsivrindavan" - a miniature basil forest.