Seed & Plant Products
Marseille Basil
Marseille Basil
Compact & Incredibly Fragrant
If you've ever strolled through a big patch of Basil on a summer afternoon, you know that mouth-watering, delectable aroma. Well, you can get that every day -- and from just one plant! -- of Marseille.
A dwarf plant, Marseille is perfect for Living Walls and container gardening. The leaves are larger than most other varieties, and the plant is nicely branched, so you get a big harvest in very little space. Expect Marseille to reach 10 inches high and about 8 inches wide at maturity, bursting with delectable spice in every inch!
Grow Marseille in a rich, well-drained soil in full sun. Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushier plants. Pkt is 100 seeds.
Genus - Ocimum
Species - basilicum
Variety - Marseille
Plant Height - 18 in - 2 ft 6 in
Plant Width - 12 in - 18 in-
Light Requirements - Full Sun
How to Sow Basil:
Best sown indoors, 6-8 weeks before last frost, at a temperature of 68-70°
Sow at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds and expect germination in 7-10 days
Seeds can also be sown outdoors after all danger of frost is past and when the ground is warm
When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed
How to Grow Basil:
Transplanting: If sown indoors, transplant outdoors when there are at least two sets of true leaves
Spacing: Plant seedlings 10-12 inches apart
Lighting: Site in full sun
Soil: Site in a dry, light, medium to rich, well-drained soil
Additional Care: Pinch out the growing tips to promote compactness and to delay flowering; pinch off the flower spikes when they appear. Basil can also be grown indoors on a sunny windowsill, however, do not let the soil temperature fall below 50°
Appearance and Use:
This culinary herb is grown in ground in the garden, but also transitions well to container culture. The purple-leaved types are highly ornamental. Plants grow 15-24 inches tall and wide and produce ornamentally unimportant, white or purplish flowers in the summer. It is grown for the broad, dark green or dark purple, aromatic foliage. Depending on the variety, the foliage will be redolent of clove, anise, cinnamon, lemon, rose, or orange. Harvest the leaves at any time for fresh use. To dry them for storage, harvest the leaves as the flowers begin to open.
