Sweet Basil, Ocimum basilicum is an herbaceous member of the mint family. It is the basil most commonly grown. It is a delicate herb with a bold aroma and flavour, containing about 1% essential oil which has an intense, spicy-sweet, aroma and a slight anise-like undertone.

Often associated with Italian cuisine, basil is native to the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Popular as a seasoning and easy to grow, basil is cultivated and used throughout the world. Basil will flourish in your garden or in a pot on a sunny windowsill as long as it gets lots of warmth, water and sun.

Basil should be grown in a position that receives sunlight for around 6-8 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.

Sow at any time if the plant is to be kept indoors. If sowing inside and planting outside, you can sow in late February. It is vital that Basil is not exposed to the last spring frosts so if sowing outside be patient and sow in late March.

Prepare the site:
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 the seed thinly and if growing in pots sow enough for a few plants in each pot. Cover with ½cm of compost and firm gently. Basil seeds germinate in under a week. Once the seedlings have developed 2 pairs of true leaves, thin out the weakest seedlings, leaving each pots strongest.

Tending.
If growing indoors in pots then weeds shouldn't be a problem. If growing outdoors then you can add an 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.

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 fall frosts if you want to extend the plants growing season.

Storing:
Basil can be used in fresh or dried form. Cut the stems at soil level and hang bunches up to air dry in a warm room for about a week, then remove them from the stems Store them in a dry airtight container for up to 12 months. Basil can also be frozen for later use.

Companion Plants:
When interplanted, basil is said to improve the taste of tomatoes and peppers, as well as repelling tomato hornworms and aphids. Basil is also the one herb reputed to repel mosquitoes around its growing place.

If you're looking for a lot of basil recipes, I recommend picking up "The Basil Book" by Marilyn Hampstead (ISBN 0-671-50685-4). Marilyn runs an annual basil festival at her herb farm. It has the largest collection of pesto recipes that I've seen!