Name: EVERLEAF EMERALD TOWERS
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5.0 (5 reviews)

Home BASIL Everleaf Emerald Towers Basil Seed

EVERLEAF EMERALD TOWERS

A robust, Genovese basil that’s been bred to flower up to 8 weeks later than standard varieties. Everleaf is a fast-growing, tidy, well-branched columnar plant with delicious, robust flavor. Great for container or in-ground growing, you’ll have continuous harvests of fresh leaves without the worry of the plant blooming and turning the foliage bitter. Resistance to downy mildew and Fusarium mean extra healthy plants all season!

Key Features:

Key Features:

Long-lived, drought tolerant & productive!

I planted this basil in Earthboxes on the south side of our house in April. Even with erratic watering, morning fog, afternoon heat and moderate winds this varietal produced beautiful, glossy, aromatic leaves all summer, all fall, and into winter. It is still producing as I write this on December 26th, despite two frosts and a couple of weeks without water. Highly recommend for maritime Mediterranean climates (Zone 9b / 10a). I'll be planting it as my main crop basil next year.

Very long-lasting with no flowers

I tried growing this basil for the first time this year. I have been growing basil from seed for decades, and always grow 6 to 12 varieties each year. I live in zone 9, San Francisco Bay Area. I was curious to try one that would not need pinching back. I started Emerald Towers with my other basil, in the greenhouse. The germination rate for it was lower than my other basils, but acceptable. It grew at a similar rate as a seedling, and transplanted just fine.

It needed very little pruning to have a good shape and rounded, branching habit. It went into the garden in early June. It is now early October, and it has never blossomed, just keeps producing more leaves. It survived a week of temps over 100F, even as high as 106F, and looked fine. It is a trouper.

The leaves are smaller than something like a normal Genovese basil, and they are more glossy, a bit stiffer and less tender, but fine for cooking with. Their basil flavor is a normal strength, and tends to have a bit more of a clove flavor. It is not my favorite to use in the kitchen, but does the job. This late in the season, it is the basil I am using most because it looks the best and has the most leaves to pick.

It certainly lives up to its billing, and is a vigorous, healthy long-lasting basil that needs little care or attention.

What size of container do they like?

I'm starting about 150 of these and am planning to transplant to grow bags. Does anyone have advice for the best size of bags - 3, 5, 7 ft? Thanks!

If you plan on keeping them awhile and letting the plants get to full size, we recommend at least a 3 gallon container per plant.

The only basil you'll need to grow.

I trialed 10 types of basil in my garden, as of August 19th, they all have flowered except this variety. It makes an excellent pesto and is great fresh in dishes. If you can only grow one, let it be this one.

1 2

More Information

Soil Temp for Germ	70–85°F
Seed Depth	¼"
Days to Emergence	5–14
Soil Temp for Transp	60–80°F
Plant Spacing	12–18"
Row Spacing	24–36"
Fertilizer Needs	Low
Minimum Germination	75%
Seeds per Gram	≈ 750–900
Seed Life	3 years

Ocimum basilicum

Culture
• Basil is a fast-growing annual that requires fertile, well-drained soil
• Apply 1 cup of TSC's Complete fertilizer per 10 row feet, and 1 inch of compost
• For best flavor harvest when plants are young, avoid extreme heat or environmental stress
• Flavor declines after plants bloom

Direct Sowing
• Not recommended until nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50°F
• Germination code: (1)

Transplanting
• Start 3-4 weeks before anticipated transplant date
• Plant well after frost when weather has stabilized
• Fertilize every 10-14 days with Age Old Grow

Insects & Diseases
• Common insects: Aphids, spider mites, thrips, stink bugs, Japanese beetles
• Insect control: Keep plants covered with row cover, spray with Pyrethrin
• Common diseases: Fusarium, powdery mildew, downy mildew, bacterial leaf spot
• Disease prevention: Avoid crowding plants and wetting foliage, treat with Zonix for mildew

Harvest & Storage
• Flowers range from white to shades of pink and purple and begin to appear from late July into August
• Harvest continually and pinch off flowers to encourage leaf growth

Germination Codes
Check the code at the end of the description for specific germination requirements.
(1) Germinates at temperatures between 60-75°F.
(2) Larger seeds need to be covered with soil at least as thick as the seed itself. May be slow and erratic to germinate.
(3) These seeds need a period of cold stratification for successful germination. Best results are obtained when the seeds are kept warm and moist for 2 weeks followed by temperatures of 33-35°F for 4-6 weeks or until germination starts.
(4) No special requirements, but germination may be slow and erratic.

What is a seed disk?
We’ve selected a collection of our favorite herb varieties and put them into handy, easy to plant, biodegradable disks. Each 10 cm disk is sized just right to conveniently plant in a 4 inch pot. For windowsill, patio and even herb garden planting, lay the disk on the surface of the moistened planting medium and cover lightly. Water and watch your herbs grow. These disks are a great gift or a perfect child's gardening project.

MORE LESS

Account Log In

Account Log In