Rocalba Dark Opal Basil

Information

Alchimia Grow Shop presents Rocalba Dark Opal Basil Seeds, a very aromatic variety with an intense pink colour. A perfect plant to cultivate in a pot or in a vegetable garden.

Dark Opal Basil seeds, stimulates tomatoes, peppers and courgettes plants vitality

Purple Basil or Dark Opal Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Labiadas family. It is native to India and is notable for its dark, lobed and fleshy leaves with a particularly intense aroma.

It is ideal to prepare the germination in a seedbed in late winter-early spring. It is also suitable for direct sowing from mid-spring. A planting frame of about 25cm x 25cm is recommended, or placing the basil plants between tomato, cucumber, pepper, aubergine, and courgette plants. This will enhance the quality and quantity of their harvest and help to prevent whitefly, aphids, mosquitoes, oidium and mildew.

In a seedbed we scattered a few seeds with soil and worm humus in a small pot, covering them with about 0.3mm of very loose soil. The seedbed is placed on a site with direct sunlight and a minimum temperature of 15ºC. After about 10-15 days the first sprouts emerge, and within 30 days the young plants can be separated into individual pots. Towards mid-spring, when these plants reach about 25cm, they can be transplanted to the vegetable garden or the final pot.

Rocalba Dark Opal Basil, very aromatic dark leaves

This plant does not tolerate low temperatures or frost well, on the contrary it needs a warm and sunny climate with temperatures of about 20-30ºC. In areas with very hot summers it is advisable to place it in a sunny and shady place to avoid dehydration and drying out.

It needs constant but moderate water, and a loose and well-drained substrate in order to prevent water-logging but not to dry out easily. Installing a drip or an automatic irrigation system will facilitate the task a lot, especially in summer.

The leaves can be harvested in summer and autumn, using a sharp scissors and letting the plant recover so as not to exhaust it, ensuring that it maintains its vitality and vigour. In this way the delicious flavour can be enjoyed in our dishes throughout the season.

Rocalba Dark Opal Basil Seeds info:

• 4g seeds sachet
• Ramified aromatic plant very easy to cultivate
• Up to 0.5m high - bush shape with fleshy and purple leaves
• 25cm x 25cm planting frame
• Germination: Winter - spring
• Harvest: Summer - autumn
• Annual plant - does not tolerate cold or frost
• Undemanding in terms of nutrients and irrigation