Uncommon Basils

Basil is easy to find in supermarkets, but buying enough for something like pesto gets expensive fast. Basil grown in a hydroponic setup is extremely easy and fast, it takes only around a month to grow huge amounts of basil.

I use my setup to grow varieties that are hard to find in shops, like Thai basil and purple basil.

Using it

I use purple basil just like normal basil, as the flavour is very similar to Genovese basil. Once cooked it’s colour is only slightly darker than normal basil. It produces a pesto that’s closer to army green rather than the bright green you get from a Genovese basil.

Thai basil has a more anise flavour, and as you would expect, is perfect for various Thai dishes, such as Pad Krapow.

Growing notes

I grow basil in hydroponic basins and fertilise using a universal hydroponic fertiliser. When first sowing the seeds, I keep them at around 10cm away from the light to stop them getting too leggy, and then move them lower down to around 25cm to grow to the full height of the space which takes around about a month. Once there, I normally harvest the entire plant to make space for new plants. I do take the occasional cutting whilst it’s growing to help encourage bushy growth.