Basil seeds: how to sow them and pair them?

🌿 Basil, a must-have in the vegetable garden (and in the kitchen)

Essential in sauces, salads, infusions, or simply hand-picked in the garden, basil is much more than just an aromatic herb.
It is a precious companion plant, easy to grow, which fits perfectly into a productive and balanced vegetable garden. Ideal for beginners as well as for permaculture enthusiasts.

Let's discover together how to sow it, maintain it, and pair it well.

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🌱 1. Choosing your basil seeds well

Here are several reproducible varieties, all selected for their unique flavors and their ease of cultivation:

• Large Green Basil → The classic essential, mild and very productive.

• Lemon Basil → Fragrant, with a fresh and tangy taste, ideal for infusions, desserts, or salads.

• Purple Basil → Very decorative, with a spicy and strong aroma.

• Thai Basil → Anise-flavored, perfect for Asian cuisine and woks.

• Sacred Tulsi Basil → Ideal for infusions, pairs perfectly with honey and mint.

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📅 2. How to sow basil?

When to sow?

• From March to May → under cover or indoors.

• In open ground → from mid-May, after the last frosts.

How to sow step by step:

1. Use a light, fine, and well-drained potting soil.

2. Sow broadcast or in very shallow rows (maximum 1 cm).

3. Cover lightly, without pressing down.

4. Keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged.

5. Ideal temperature: 20°C to 25°C, in light.

6. Germination in 5 to 10 days.

Container growing:

• Minimum depth: 15 to 20 cm.

• Location: full sun, sheltered from the wind.

• Add a light mulch to preserve moisture.

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🌿 3. Naturally care for your basil

• Water regularly but without excess.

• Pinch the flowers as soon as they appear to stimulate branching.

• Harvest the leaves as you go to extend production.

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🪴 4. The best combinations in the vegetable garden

Basil is not just an herb: it is also a ally for your other crops.

🌟 Basil + tomato: the winning duo
It improves growth, fruit flavor, and repels certain insects.
Plant them together, spaced 20 to 30 cm apart.

Other good associations:

• Peppers & chili peppers → similar needs, good compatibility.

• Eggplants & zucchinis → no root competition, synergy in the garden.

• Marigolds → ideal association to repel nematodes.

To avoid:

• Rue officinale, sage, anise → too strong aromatic competition.

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🎉 Conclusion

Versatile, flavorful, and decorative, basil is an essential plant in the vegetable garden.
By choosing the right varieties and combining them wisely, you enjoy a fragrant, productive, and balanced garden… while adding an incomparable touch of freshness to your dishes.

🌱 SemiSauvage Permaculture — Discover our complete collection of reproducible basil seeds for a garden rich in flavors.