Overview

Holy basil is a flowering herb used for cooking and medicinal purposes. The leaves are notched, but less pointed than Thai and Italian basil. Ayurvedic medicine practitioners consider the herb sacred. Ayurvedic doctors believe that holy basil contains properties that treat respiratory diseases and infections. The herb is prescribed by herbalists to help draw mucus out of the lungs. Holy basil is also used as a anti-malaria treatment. The plant grows outdoors as well as indoors.

Step 1

Plant seeds or seedlings when the weather is mild. In the South, plant during the late winter or early spring. In the North, plant during late spring or early summer. Indoors, plant holy basil in flower pots filled with potting mix at any time of year.

Step 2

Plant outdoor basil along a southern wall or fence, to give the holy basil ample sunlight. Indoors, place holy basil plants in brightly lit windows. A holy basil plant needs at least eight hours of full to filtered light.

Step 3

Fertilize once every two weeks with a liquid organic fertilizer. Follow the dosage directions on your bottle of fertilizer for proper application. Too little fertilizer results in small, weak plants. Too much fertilizer burns the leaves and root systems.

Step 4

Determine if the basil plant needs water by sticking your finger into the potting mix. If the top inch of the potting soil feels dry, it's time to water. Avoid over-watering. Holy basil prefers to live in soil that is on the dry side of moist.