Basil
Picking the Right Basil
Basil is more than just a kitchen staple—it’s a versatile herb that can enhance both your garden and your recipes. From compact, space-saving varieties perfect for small vegetable beds to bold-flavored types that elevate your favorite dishes, there’s a basil to match every gardener’s needs and every chef’s taste.
But basil isn’t just for the vegetable garden! Its vibrant leaves, fragrant aroma, and striking forms make it a natural choice for patio pots or as a stunning addition to flower beds. Whether you use it as a centerpiece in a container garden or blend it among colorful blooms, basil adds beauty and function to any outdoor space.
In Colorado, growing basil can be rewarding with the right approach. Basil loves warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine, making it perfect for Colorado’s sunny days, but it’s sensitive to cold nights. Plant it after the last frost date or grow it in pots that can be brought indoors if temperatures dip. Regular watering and well-draining soil will keep your basil thriving. With proper care, you’ll enjoy an abundant harvest throughout the growing season.
No matter your garden size, climate, or culinary preferences, there’s a basil variety perfect for you. Try growing a mix to enjoy their diverse flavors and stunning beauty throughout the season!
Basil Varieties to Consider
Amazel Basil®: - A standout in the world of basil, this Proven Winners variety is the first Italian sweet basil resistant to downy mildew, a disease that often plagues basil. Since it’s sterile, it produces a higher yield of aromatic leaves for continuous harvesting. This heat-tolerant basil grows 20–36 inches tall and 12–24 inches wide, making it a perfect choice for containers, raised beds, and herb gardens.
Dolce Fresca: - This compact basil grows 10–14 inches tall and 10–12 inches wide, forming a mounding shape with stems that resist stretching. Reluctant to flower, it produces abundant foliage for continuous harvests until late in the season.
Everleaf Emerald Towers - A columnar basil with deep green, glossy leaves, this variety grows 24–36 inches tall and 8–12 inches wide. Its compact habit and short internodes make it ideal for containers or small garden spaces.
Purple Ruffles - Fragrant and decorative, this variety features ruffled, deep purple leaves and grows 18 inches tall and wide. Its unique color and aroma make it a striking addition to herb gardens or mixed flower beds.
Siam Queen- Reaching 24 inches tall and 10 inches wide, this basil stands out with its large licorice-flavored leaves and deep purple flowers. It’s perfect for adding bold, spicy flavor and fragrance to your summer garden.
Simplyherbs Try Basil- A colorful mix of Genovese, dark red, and serrated basils, this blend grows 24 inches tall and 12 inches wide. It’s perfect for herb gardens or container plantings, offering variety in both appearance and flavor.
Italian Large Leaf Basil -This Genovese-type basil grows 18–24 inches tall and 12–15 inches wide. Its dark green, shiny leaves can reach up to 3 inches long, and its slow-to-bolt habit ensures a steady harvest of flavorful leaves.
Pesto Perpetual- Featuring green-white variegated leaves, this basil grows 8–12 inches tall. With no flowers to manage, it offers plentiful harvests all summer long, delivering classic basil flavor with a hint of lemon
