Sowing months
Feb–Mar, Jun–Sep
Sunlight
Four to six hours of direct sun
Water
Every second day; less in winter
Mature size
45–90 cm
First harvest
Leaves from week six
Family
Lamiaceae
Where it grows
balcony, ground, windowsill
Good for
biodiversity, healing
Sow in
monsoon, winter
Care
Pinch the flower spikes off to keep the leaf growing.
The household holy basil — thrives in a pot, keeps pests down and brings pollinators to a balcony.
Growing it
Pinch the flower spikes off to keep the leaf growing.
What it is for
Daily tea, traditional home remedies, a mosquito-discouraging pot by the door.