Lime Basil seeds are easy to grow and produce a compact dome shaped plant that looks very stylish growing in terracotta pots. It has small to medium sized mid-green leaves that have a lovely fresh aroma of limes
Basil Lime Herb Seeds take around 2 months from sowing to cropping to full size plants and to ensure further cropping keep picking leaves regularly to encourage fresh new young growth with this productive cut & come' again variety.
Lime Basil seedlings can also be picked early when 3-4 weeks old and used as flavoursome, pungent micro-leaves or left to grow a little larger for baby leaf production. However once the small growing tip is pinched out these baby seedlings will not re-grow but a good idea if you have some unused seed.
Lime Basil is a versatile little herb adding flavour to both savoury and sweet dishes and is great added to drinks like g&t. It also makes a refreshing herbal tea and gives a citrus flavour to leafy salads and fruit salads.
Lime Basil is great to add to Oriental stir-fries especially Thai types and can be used as a substitute for lemongrass or kaffir limes. Lime Basil adds zest to fish or chicken dishes too! Lime Basil is an herb well worth growing for its versatility in the kitchen, flavour and lovely aroma.
Basil Lime Organic Herb Seed Information
Seed Quantity:
Approx 300 seeds per pack.
Site:
Sunny, sheltered but well drained soil. Does not like too much of the mid day sun. Also indoors on a windowsill or a greenhouse.
When to Sow:
February to June.
How to Sow:
Sow seed indoors in trays of seed compost, 6mm deep and cover with finely sieved compost or vermiculite. Cover & keep at a temperature of between 18-20C. Keep watered and germination will take place in about 5-10 days. When the seeds have germinated, water sparingly to prevent 'damping off.' Carefully transplant each seedling to a small pot and grow on for 4 weeks. Either transplant into larger pot (about 15cm) or into garden, spacing plants every 25cm apart, in rows 25cm apart. Only plant in garden when all threat of frost has passed - late May to early June.Alternatively sow direct in soil when night time temperatures are above 13C around June, but the greenhouse method is more successful.
Care:
Don't overwater basil but keep moist and don't water foliage. Water in the morning as evening watering can lead to 'damping off'. Pinch out growing tip 2 weeks after final transplant to encourage bushy basil plants.
Harvest:
Six to eight weeks from sowing - May to October. Successional planting will produce good basil through most of the year, and each basil plant can sustain about 8 cuttings a season. Cut before flowering as this takes away from the taste.