Review of the vegetable variety of purple basil “Ararat”
Purple basil varieties have a strong aroma and rich flavor. Ararat stands out among them. It is preferred by many gardeners. Let's consider the properties of vegetable Ararat basil, its advantages, differences from other varieties and the technology of growing from seeds.
Features of the variety
Ararat was created in central Russia in Agrofirm Poisk LLC, Moscow region, and was included in the State Register in 2004. It is recommended to grow it in all regions of the country.
Purple Ararat basil has a rich, tart flavor and a rich, complex aroma.
It has become widespread due to its advantages:
- easy to grow;
- easy to care for;
- universal in use;
- has a sharp, rich taste due to the high content of essential oils, its own unique aroma with notes of cloves, allspice and anise;
- used in landscape design due to the high decorative properties of the bush;
- good for drying (the rich aroma is preserved);
- has high productivity.
In the photo - Basil Ararat.
Characteristics and description
Basil Ararat forms an erect, semi-spreading bush up to 60 cm high. The leaves are ovoid with teeth along the edges, green-violet, medium in size, flowers are lilac in color.
The plant blooms 71 days after germination. At the beginning of flowering, basil is ready for cutting. By this time he is accumulating sufficient amount of nutrients and essential oils. The variety is considered mid-season.
The harvest from 1 m² is 2-2.2 kg of greens.
Chemical composition
The plant is rich in vitamins, minerals and complex organic compounds.
100 g of leaves contains:
- vitamin A – 264 mcg;
- C – 18 mg;
- B – 0.542 mg
- K – 414.8 µg;
- PP – 0.902 mg;
- E – 0.8 mg;
- carotene – 3.142 mg;
- mono- and polysaccharides – 0.3 g;
- saturated fatty acids – 0.04 g;
- choline – 11.4 mg;
- iron – 3.17 mg;
- copper – 0.04 mg;
- zinc – 0.81 mg;
- manganese – 1.148 mg;
- magnesium – 64 mg;
- calcium – 177 mg;
- potassium – 295 mg;
- selenium – 0.3 mcg;
- sodium – 4 mg;
- phosphorus – 56 mg;
- vegetable fibers – 1.65 g.
Basil contains essential oils:
- camphor;
- saponin;
- ocimene;
- methylchavicol.
The combination of these oils determines the aroma of the plant.
The calorie content of Ararat basil is 25 kcal per 100 g of product.
Plant resistance
Despite its heat-loving nature, Ararat basil is more resistant to unfavorable conditions compared to other varieties.
Basil loves the sun to shine on it all day long and does not tolerate stagnant water. The soil under the bushes should always be slightly moist.
This is a heat-loving plant. The optimal temperature for growth and development is +18…+27°C. At lower rates, basil stops growing. The culture does not tolerate frost and dies immediately.
Basil of the Ararat variety is resistant to disease, but under unfavorable weather conditions it can be susceptible to fungal infections: gray rot, blackleg and fusarium.
Scope of application of the Ararat variety
The purple leaves of the plant contain an increased amount of essential oils compared to green leaves. Thanks to this, it has a rich taste and aroma of allspice, cloves and anise.
The Ararat variety is used:
- when preparing dishes from meat, fish, legumes, tomatoes;
- when canning vegetables;
- when cooking jam, soups, sauces;
- as an additive to tea, compote.
Basil greens are dried, frozen, and salted for future use in the winter.
Thanks to its rich chemical composition, basil has long been used not only for culinary but also for medicinal purposes. It is used:
- in aromatherapy as an aphrodisiac (calms the nervous system, relieves headaches);
- in the treatment of wounds;
- in cosmetology (improves the condition of the skin and nails).
Purple basil protects against the effects of radiation. Oil prepared from Ararat is an excellent relaxant if you add it to bathing water.
Attention! Before using basil for medicinal purposes, consult your doctor.
Growing technology
Basil is grown in a greenhouse, on a windowsill, or in open ground.
Important to remember! You cannot plant basil in one place for more than 3 years, otherwise there is a risk of Fusarium infecting all nearby plants.
Tomatoes, sweet peppers, potatoes, and legumes are considered good neighbors for basil.
Optimal conditions
Basil is planted in a sunny place, protected from drafts. For Ararat's leaves to be a bright purple color, the plant requires a lot of sun.
The air temperature for normal growth is above +18°C.
Basil loves moist, humus-rich soils without stagnant water.
Terms and rules of sowing
Boxes with seedlings should be in a warm, sunny place. Seeds for seedlings are sown 2 months before transferring to open ground. Place 3-4 seeds in each hole.
Seedlings at the age of 25 days they are transplanted into open ground. This is done after the end of spring frosts, in the evening, in calm weather. The ground in front landing treated with a solution of potassium permanganate to protect against fungal infections.
Prepare holes 10 cm deep at a distance of 20 cm from each other, water generously with warm water, place the seedlings there along with a lump of earth, sprinkle with earth, lightly tamping, and water again. 2 weeks after planting, complex nitrogen fertilizers are added.
Reference. Fertilizing is one of the important conditions for obtaining a rich harvest.
Further care
Caring for basil should be regular to ensure optimal conditions for growth and development. Timely feeding, watering, loosening is the key to a good harvest of spicy herbs.
Purple Ararat requires regular watering. To avoid stagnant water, the soil must be well drained. Overwatering is fraught with fungal infections, and lack of moisture makes the leaves small and affects the taste.
Water the plant at the root in the morning with warm, settled water. The soil should always be slightly moist.
Loosen the ground under the basil bushes and remove weeds once a week after watering.
The first feeding is needed 2 weeks after planting. Then this is done once a month until flowering begins. Use nitrogen fertilizers.
To make the bush voluminous, with many side shoots, basil is pinched. The first time is at the stage of 6-8 leaves.
Under unfavorable conditions, Basil Ararat is affected by:
- Gray rot. It develops at high air humidity, so plants in greenhouses and greenhouses are more often infected. Gray spots and mold appear on the leaves. The plant dies.
- Blackleg. The fungus attacks the root collar and stem. Excessive watering and acidic soil lead to the disease.
- Fusarium. The fungus infects the entire plant, which dries out, starting from the top. The infection is in the soil, so basil should not be planted in one place.
Fungicides are used to treat fungi.
Attention! Treatment with fungicides and herbicides is carried out no later than 20 days before harvest.
Among the pests, attacks by aphids and garden mites are possible. In this case, use folk remedies (a solution of onion peels with laundry soap) or drugs from the store.
Features of growing seeds/seedlings
The difference is in the method of growing from seeds or seedlings, in a greenhouse or open ground, is that the green harvest is obtained at different times.
In the open ground
In central Russia, due to the unpredictability and instability of temperature conditions, it is better to grow purple Ararat basil in open ground using seedlings, then the harvest will be earlier.
Seeds are sown in the ground after the end of spring frosts, when the soil warms up - in early June. Due to this, the harvest will ripen much later.
In the southern regions, basil is sown in the ground and the seeds are sown in the beds during the summer. This is how another generation of plants grows.
In the greenhouse
Basil is grown in a greenhouse all year round at a temperature of +20...+25°C. An important condition is antifungal treatment of the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides.
The seeds are prepared by pre-heating them in a bag on a radiator for a week, then soaking them in a solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours.
Seeds are sown in pots with prepared soil to a depth of 0.5-1 cm; there should be a layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot. In order for the seeds to germinate better, they are covered with film, creating a microclimate. At the stage of 2 true leaves, the seedlings are planted, left in pots or planted in the greenhouse soil.
At home
A layer of drainage and organic-rich soil are poured into the pot and watered well. Place the seeds at a depth of 0.5-1 cm and cover with film. They dive when 2 true leaves appear.
If the pot is large, several seedlings are placed in it. Place in a sunny place without drafts, water regularly. If the air in the house is dry, place a bowl of water next to the plant. The plant is fed, loosened and pinched.
At home you can grow basil dug from the garden in August. He will delight you all winter.
Reviews from summer residents about the purple basil variety Ararat
Reviews about the Ararat variety are always positive. Summer residents note the ease of cultivation and high yield.
Svetlana, Izhevsk: “I don’t go a single year without Ararat basil. I sow it in a greenhouse, then transfer it to open ground. Tolerates transplantation well. I always dry it for the winter. Meat without it is not meat.”
Tatiana, Moscow: “When dried, the aroma does not change, like other varieties. Germination is excellent. Grows well in greenhouses and open ground."
Natalya, Pskov: “I always buy Ararat purple. Feels great in the garden and on the windowsill. I add basil to strawberry jam, to tea, and I cook many dishes with it. It’s a miracle how good!”
Conclusion
The purple basil variety Ararat is distinguished by high seed germination, productivity, and disease resistance with proper care. Thanks to the high content of vitamins, microelements and essential oils it is widely used in cooking and cosmetology.
If you provide the plant with optimal temperature and light conditions and do not allow water to stagnate, you can grow an aromatic spice not only in the garden or greenhouse, but also on the windowsill.