When to plant thai basil in Cairns
- Sow in trays: mid Feb to early OctCairns area, tropical savanna
- Move seedlings out: late Mar to mid NovCairns area, tropical savanna
- Sow in the ground: late Mar to mid NovCairns area, tropical savanna
- Plant seedlings: late Mar to mid NovCairns area, tropical savanna
Worked out from 30 years of climate records for Cairns. Microclimates vary: frost hollows and hills run later.
A basil with purple stems and an aniseed flavour for Thai and Vietnamese cooking. It handles heat and humidity better than sweet basil and is slower to bolt. Grow it year round in the tropics and through the warm months in the subtropics and the south. Frost kills it.