Basil – Amazel Basil^®

Garden Height

20 - 36

Spacing

12 - 18

Spread

12 - 24

Habit

Upright

Container Role

Thriller

Flower Size

Medium

Light Level

Sun

Edible

Fragrant Foliage

Heat Tolerant

Foliage Interest

Maintenance Notes

Harvest sprays of leaves by cutting stems just above two new sprouting lateral branches to get lush regrowth. One of the most common disease issues in basil is Downy Mildew. This basil is downy mildew resistant and has little to no seed set. If it does happen to produce a few flowers, pinch them off and it will continue to produce leaves to use in your kitchen.

Uses Notes

Best grown in the landscape, although a large container can work as well. Once picked, add lavishly to rice dishes, poultry, fish, potatoes and vegetables, dressings or marinades.

Maintenance Category Easy

Water Category Average

Bloom Time

Flower Form Border Plant, Container, Edible Herb, Landscape

pH C - pH 6.0 - 6.5

EC (2:1 Extraction Method) 0.6 - 0.9

Fertilization 200 - 300

Light Requirements High

Water Requirements Moderate to Moist

Rooting Out Temperature 65 - 72° Fahrenheit

Growing On Temperature 65 - 75° Fahrenheit

Holding Temperature 65 - 72° Fahrenheit

Planting and Timing Information

Spring to Summer finish. Standard PPP.

Finishing Times [weeks]
4-5" and Quart Pot : 3-4
6" and Gallon Pot : 5-6
7-9" Pot : 6-7
10-12" and Two Gallon Pot :

Pinching and Growth Regulators

Pinch immediately above leaf node as needed to shape.

Pest and Disease Management

General pest and disease practices as listed in notes.

Grower Tips

Once established, best maintained at 65F. No Insecticides are registered for herbs. Use insecticidal soaps or biological controls.

Basil is notorious for being quite susceptible to downy mildew. Amazel, however, has excellent resistance to Downy Mildew, which will keep plants growing and producing for home gardeners throughout the entire season. This is an amazing improvement in basil.

Amazel is propagated from cuttings and thus does not go through a juvenile phase in the same way that seed grown version do. Unlike typical seed basil, Amazel is seed sterile and therefore continues to produce leaves and shoots even after flower initiation unlike other basil varieties that focus most or all of their energy into seed production. For best flavor and leaf production harvest and or pinch regularly to promote fresh tender growth. If heavy flowering happens late in the season that will likely affect taste, but when it is actively growing new leaves and shoots it will have its best flavor. A small amount of flowering should not affect taste at all.

To produce the best plants for customers, the liner should be pinched and grown in bright light. This pinch and bright light will encourage later blooming in home gardens. This means early season plants will definitely need to be pinched, with later plantings less in need of pinching.