Growing basil (Ocimum basilicum) is easy and there are over 150 varieties to choose from. Genovese is a sweet basil, which is a favorite for making herb butters, pestos, and Italian dishes. There are purple varieties (Red Rubin, Purple Ruffles, Dark Opal), which are delicious in oils, vinegars, and jellies. Siam Queen has a licorice flavor that is tasty in Thai dishes and Cinnamon basil is perfect for desserts. Lemon and Lime Basils have a citrus scent.
Basil is a source of iron, calcium, Vitamin C, and contains minerals.
Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep directly in the garden in the spring. The soil does not have to be fertile but does need to be well-drained. Plant in full sun.
Basil can grow to three feet high and will produce an abundance of edible flowers that are as tasty as it’s leaves. Pinch the flowers back to keep plants bushy and productive. Leave a few flowers to attract bees to your garden and to harvest a few seeds. Basil will repel flies & mosquitoes.
Pull your plants just before the first frost.
Tip: Variegated basil is a non-flowering variety with continual leaf production.
Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep directly in the garden in the spring. The soil does not have to be fertile but does need to be well-drained. Plant in full sun.
Basil can grow to three feet high and will produce an abundance of edible flowers that are as tasty as it’s leaves. Pinch the flowers back to keep plants bushy and productive. Leave a few flowers to attract bees to your garden and to harvest a few seeds. Basil will repel flies & mosquitoes.
Pull your plants just before the first frost.
Tip: Variegated basil is a non-flowering variety with continual leaf production.
By Miss Lady Bug
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