VELVET NIGHT

The Basil 'Velvet Night' variety is a mid-season purple-leaf type that forms well-foliated and strongly bushy plants with a height of 40-45 cm. The leaves of this variety are large with serrated edges, and the flowers have a lilac hue. The mass of one plant reaches 200-230 grams. The leaves and young shoots of basil are widely used in fresh and dried form in home cooking, especially valued before flowering begins, when plants accumulate the maximum amount of essential oil. Growing 'Velvet Night' basil requires adherence to certain agronomic rules. This is a heat-loving culture, most often grown by seedlings. Seeds are sown at the end of March – beginning of April, pre-soaking them in warm water to accelerate germination and treating with a manganese solution or biological preparations for disinfection. Transplanting to open ground is carried out after the end of frosts, at a stable temperature above +15°C during the day and not lower than +10°C at night. For planting, choose a sunny, wind-protected location with fertile soil, pre-fertilized with manure or compost and treated with wood ash for disease prevention. Care for basil includes moderate watering with warm water 2-3 times a week, increasing frequency in hot weather, regular loosening and weeding to ensure access of oxygen to the roots. For stimulation of branching, it is recommended to pinch the tops of plants at a height of 10-15 cm. Feeding is carried out with nitrogen fertilizers 10 days after planting, and then with complex compositions and infusions of ash or compost every two weeks during the active growth period. For protection from diseases such as Fusarium, gray mold, and black leg, fungicides are used at the first signs of infection. Pests, including aphids, spider mites, and slugs, are controlled using soap solutions and biological preparations.