Red Rubin Basil or Red Basil, is a compact basil plant with beautiful reddish-purple foliage and a delightful aroma. Grow this herb to add beauty and interest to your garden! Plant red basil in containers or tuck a few in a bed along with other annuals. The plant is ornamental and the leaves can be used for cooking or to make flavored vinegars. This variety is a bit more pungent than other types of basil. Red Rubin basil is easy to grow from seed after all danger of frost has passed in spring, or plant seeds indoors six to eight weeks ahead of time. This annual herb requires rich, well-drained soil and at least six hours of bright sunlight. Maintain a temperature of around 70 degrees F and expect to see little sprouts in 5 to 10 days! Then, when the seedlings are about 6 inches high, pinch away the central stem. This will help side-shoots grow, and keep the plant from flowering too quickly. Red Rubin is the easiest Basil to grow from seed. Its germination rate is much higher than that of other varieties, so you can count on a few extra plants from every packet of seed!