Genovese
Italian Genovese Basil brings the authentic taste of Liguria's finest pesto to your garden. This classic annual herb reaches 12 to 18 inches tall with the large, tender leaves that made Genoa famous for its emerald green sauce. Growing best in full sun and thriving in warm temperatures above 60°F, this frost-tender beauty transforms any sunny garden spot into an aromatic Italian herb garden that will perfume your summer evenings.
Full Sun
High
10-11
18in H x ?in W
Annual
High
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The gold standard for pesto making, Italian Genovese Basil produces exceptionally large, tender leaves with the sweet, peppery flavor that defines authentic Ligurian cuisine. Plants stay compact at 12 to 18 inches while producing abundant harvests when you pinch stems just above lateral branches to encourage bushier growth. Space plants 8 to 12 inches apart depending on your garden layout, and watch as regular harvesting keeps these aromatic annuals producing fresh leaves all season long.
Italian Genovese Basil serves as the cornerstone of authentic pesto Genovese, where its large, tender leaves create the silky texture and sweet-peppery flavor that defines this classic Ligurian sauce. Beyond pesto, these aromatic leaves elevate caprese salads, tomato-based pasta sauces, and pizza toppings with their distinctive Mediterranean essence.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last expected frost, sowing 1 inch apart in seed starting mix at 1/4 inch depth. Maintain warm conditions around 60°F and provide consistent moisture with good lighting until seedlings are large enough to handle.
Transplant outdoors only when nighttime temperatures remain above 50°F, spacing plants 8 to 12 inches apart. Gradually acclimate seedlings to outdoor conditions before transplanting to prevent shock.
Direct sow 1 to 2 weeks after the average last frost date when soil temperature reaches at least 60°F, ideally between 65°F and 85°F. Make successive sowings every 3 weeks for continuous harvest.
Harvest by cutting stems just above two new sprouting lateral branches to encourage lush regrowth. This technique allows the plant to continue producing fresh leaves throughout the season while giving you the tender stem tips perfect for cooking.
Pinch off growing tips when plants reach 6 to 8 inches tall to encourage branching and bushier growth. Remove flower buds consistently as they form to maintain leaf production and prevent the plant from going to seed.
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