Basil 'Purple Delight'

Pinch terminal shoots to encourage branching.
Harvest leaves before flowering occurs, or they will be bitter.

Plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Purple Delight is thought of as half hardy, so although it can survive a small mild cold snap, it is wise to ensure that this plant is protected from frost damage. Ideally plant in loamy, sandy and silty soil and try to keep the ph of your soil between the range of 6.0 and 7.5 as Purple Delight likes to be in weakly acidic soil to weakly alkaline soil.

Cover with finely sieved compost.

Sow 0.12 inches (0.3 cm) deep with a guideline distance of 0.5 inches (1.27 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 10°C / 50°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Purple Delight about 20 days before your last frost date.

Plant out when frost risk has passed.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Purple Delight is a half hardy plant.

By our calculations, you should look at planting out Purple Delight about 21 days after your last frost date.

This variety tends to be ready for harvesting by mid summer.

The word basil means “king” in Greek – it is believed to have grown above the spot where St. Constantine and Helen discovered the Holy Cross.

Jewish folklore says that basil adds strength while fasting.