Purple Ruffles Basil

Purple Ruffles Basil is a 1987 All American Selections Winner and has become extremely popular in gardens everywhere. The large frilled purple leaves pull double duty as not only a flavorful herb but also as an ornamental feature that is very easy to grow from seed. This Genovese herb will continue to produce and make a large, bushy plant throughout the season when pruned properly. You should never harvest more than 1/3 of a basil plant so that it can continue producing. Purple Ruffles Basil is relatively heat-tolerant and can grow up to 2' high in the right conditions.

Basil may be direct-seeded or transplanted, although we recommend transplanting. If direct seeding, use a walk-behind seeder and plant densely along the row. We suggest using a modified #1 or #2 plate for direct seeding basil. As always, seed plate holes should be modified to fit the size of the seed being used. For large, full-sized plants, thin to one plant every 4″ along the row. Transplanting is our preferred method of planting basil. We recommend starting transplants 3-4 weeks before the desired outdoor planting date. Basil transplants grow great in our heavy-duty seed starting trays, where they develop a solid root ball with roots that are trained to grow downward. Plants are ready to go in the ground when they can be easily pulled from the cells in the seed starting tray.

Purple Ruffles Basil Planting Information

Planting Method: direct seed or transplant

When to Plant: early spring and fall

Planting Depth: 1/4″

Seed Spacing: 12″

Row Spacing: 18″

Days to Maturity: 85

Disease Resistance: None