These beauties produce spicy, heavily scented and flavoured leaves perfect for fresh pesto sauces. Dark green large leaves on tall plants that are slow to flower assisting in long harvest and excellent production. Hint: Use room temperature water rather than tap water for better production. Water seedlings far from stems(bottom watering highly recommended)especially when young. Like most herbs is also deer resistant. Planting in pots allows you to move your basil during inclement weather.

Start seeds indoors. Sow 1 cm deep and water seedlings far from stems(bottom watering highly recommended)especially when young. Keep soil temperatures warm. Lightly prune to encourage bushing for optimum future growth.

Basil prefers rich moist soil with plenty of Sun. It is advised to start your basil in a hotbed in April and relocate it to a warm border in May planting about 10 inches to 1 foot apart. Basil dies down every year in Canada so it is considered an annual that must be sown every year.

Native to India and Persia but is now common throughout the world in herb gardens. It was once used as a sacred herb in ancient times. Its purpose was to provide protection from evil in the afterlife and was laid upon the chests of their dead.

Basil has a history of being used for mild nervous disorders and in the form of snuff to alleviate nervous headaches. Sweet basil in particular, when leaves are boiled is known for arresting vomiting and alleviating nausea. Alongside its healing quality, basil is great for flavouring soups and stews.