Genovese Basil is perhaps the most famous sweet basil variety in the world. Known for its use in pesto, the best Genovese Basil is said to be grown in western Genoa, Italy. So, why is Genovese Basil so special? Its round leaves are dark green and appear more matte than those of its shinier cousin, Common Basil. The taste is also more ‘matte’, if that makes sense – the basil flavour is more concentrated and is somehow less sweet. What is certain is that Genoese people take their beloved baxaicò (as they call it) and their pesto very seriously; Genovese Basil has even gained DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) status from the Italian Government.

QUANTITY
120 seeds

PLANT SIZE
Height 40 cm
Width 20 cm

CONTAINER SIZE
Height 20 cm
Width 20 cm

SOWING
Indoor Feb-Mar
Outdoor Apr-June

TIMING
Germination 5-10 days
Harvesting 40-60 days

SPACING
When sowing 1-3 cm; Depth 0,3 cm
When thinning 3-5 cm

GROWING
Sunlight Full sun to partial shade
Soil Well-drained, light and moist soil
Watering Regular watering, not overdone
Feeding Light feeder

CARING
Expert tip To promote a nice bushy plant with lots of scented leaves, prune this basil early and often by pinching off the upper set of leaves. Cut the flowers off to prevent the leaves from becoming bitter.

SUPPORTING
Pollinators
Attracts bees and butterflies.
Pests
Repels aphids and mosquitoes. Improves the health of other plants (and people!).

About Piccolo

Seed for contemporary gardens. Good things come in small packages.

Piccolo, as the name implies, specialises in researching and selecting dwarf vegetables that have compact habits, suitable for growing in pots on a balcony or terrace in an urban vegetable garden, specially designed for terrace gardens and small space.

Along with vegetables, Piccolo thinks a balcony garden should also be beautiful so they also offer fruits, edibles flowers and herbs. Their selected seeds are packed with sustainable and completely recyclable materials.

All the varieties are open-pollinated, non-hybrid and non-GMO.