Basil is quick to germinate and easy to grow from seed. Start basil seed indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost or direct seed it in the garden after the last spring frost. Do not plant basil outside until the last chance of frost passes in your area. Japanese beetles are basil's primary—and most destructive—pest. Non-chemical methods should be used to control these insects on food crops such as basil.
Hand-pick Japanese beetles off basil plants in early evening and toss them into a container of soapy water where they will perish.
Protect single or small basil plants by covering them with cheesecloth. The loosely woven fabric will allow light and water to pass through while stopping beetles from reaching the plants. Start snipping as soon as plants unfurl at least four sets of leaves.
Pick only as many individual leaves as you'll use. To store fresh basil for up to five days, clip sprigs and treat them like fresh cut flowers: place them in water at room temperature.
Basil turns brown if stored in the refrigerator. When frost threatens, cut plants and plunge stems into a few inches of water in a clean bucket. To store leaves, dry, freeze, or hot pack in sterilized bottles with vinegar and olive oil. Or preserve basil flavor in pesto, which stores in the refrigerator up to one month and can be frozen for up to two years.
Related: Harvesting Herbs from Your Garden. The young leaves have a purplish-blue cast but turn green when mature. Its flowers are pink, making it an attractive ornamental plant. It has a camphor scent and less desirable flavor than most culinary basils, but it can still be used in cooking. This variety of Ocimum basilicum forms a neat, compact mound of tightly packed leaves that reaches up to a foot tall.
Start harvesting the fine leaves when the plant reaches 6 inches in height. It is especially suited to growing in containers. Try growing this Ocimum basilicum in pots and window boxes. This Ocimum basilicum also has attractive burgundy stems on plants that reach inches tall. Harvest and use the green leaves as you would other culinary basils. This type of Ocimum x citriodorum is a summer treat; there's nothing as refreshing a sprig of lemon basil.
This easy-to-grow herb produces leaves with a light lemony fragrance and flavor. It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
This large-leaf Italian basil yields plentiful foliage packed with aromatic oils, ideal for true Neapolitan-style cooking. Ocimum 'Genovese' grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Ocimum basilicum 'Cinnamon' is grown specifically for its tasty, cinnamon-flavor leaves.
It grows 18 inches tall and wide and thrives in hot, sunny locations. Basil is quickly started from seed, and grows as high as 2 feet tall. It has large, oval-shaped, shiny leaves and small white flowers that bloom in clusters.
The leaves are typically light green and soft textured with square stems and opposite leaves. Basil may also have either green or purple-red, soft-textured leaves, and spikes of small whitish or lavender flowers. Flowers in general are small, white and appear in spikes.
Once established, pick the tops off often, as this will make the plant branch out and produce more leaves and slow down flower production. Continuous harvest benefits this herb because pruning encourages new growth.
Unless the plant is pinched back, it becomes tall and leggy. Snip leaves frequently to flavor anything with tomatoes or use with fish and cheese dishes. Pick the basil as you need it by cutting a few inches off the top. This will encourage the plant to become bushy instead of going to flower.
Store the crushed dry leaves in an airtight container in a dark place. You can also freeze the leaves. Studies advise against storing basil in the refrigerator, for it lasts longer when kept in a glass of water at room temperature. You can preserve larger quantities of basil by making pesto.
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By The Editors. When to Plant Basil To get a jump on the season, start the seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last spring frost. See local frost dates. Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site Basil will grow best in a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of full sun daily, though it can perform well in partial sun, too. Soil should be moist but well-drained.
Basil works great in containers or raised beds, as these allow for better drainage. They should grow to about 12 to 24 inches in height.
For larger varieties, plant farther apart about 16 to 24 inches. Tomatoes make great neighbors for basil plants in the garden—and on the plate! How to Grow Basil Make sure that the soil is moist.
Basil plants like moisture. If you live in a hot area, use mulch around the plants the mulch will help hold in moisture and suppress weeds. During the dry periods in summer, water the plants freely. After the seedlings have produced their first six leaves, prune to above the second set.
This encourages the plants to start branching, resulting in more leaves for harvest. Every time a branch has six to eight leaves, repeat pruning the branches back to their first set of leaves. After about 6 weeks, pinch off the center shoot to prevent early flowering. If flowers do grow, just cut them off. If the weather is going to be cold or if a sudden frost is imminent, be sure to harvest your basil beforehand, as the cold temperatures will destroy your plants.
Aphids Powdery mildew Variety of bacterial and fungal leaf, stem, and root diseases. How to Harvest Basil Start picking the leaves of basil as soon as the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall. Harvest in the early morning, when leaves are at their juiciest. Make sure to pick the leaves regularly to encourage growth throughout the summer.
Store them for later use! If you pick regularly, twelve basil plants can produce 4 to 6 cups of leaves per week. How to Store Basil The best method for storing basil is freezing. Freezing will prevent the plant from losing a good portion of its flavor. To quick-freeze basil, package whole or chopped leaves in airtight, resealable plastic bags, then place in the freezer.
Another storage method is drying the basil although some of the flavor will be lost. Pinch off the leaves at the stem and place them in a well-ventilated and shady area. After 3 to 4 days, if the plants are not completely dry, place them in the oven on the lowest heat setting with the door slightly open.
Remember to turn the leaves for equal drying and check them frequently. See more about drying basil, tomatoes, and paprika. Cinnamon basil , to add a hint of cinnamon to a dish Purple basil , to add some nice color to your garden when steeped in white vinegar, it creates a beautiful color Thai basil , to add a sweet licorice flavor to a dish. Basil has a lovely fragrance. Pick from the stems and put in water for a few days as you would with cut flowers! For other greens to use in your cuisine, see our Leafy Greens: Health Benefits page.
Where salt is good, so is basil. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next? Basil Varieties for the Garden. How to Make Pesto Basic Basil How to Freeze and Dry Herbs. Companion Planting With Herbs. Vegetable Garden Plans. Thereafter, feed the plants every two weeks with diluted liquid fertilizer. You can start harvesting basil leaves when the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall.
Even if you are not using the leaves in cooking or drying or freezing them, picking leaves regularly will improve the plant's vitality. Basil leaves can be dried or frozen for use after harvest. Dried basil is convenient but at the cost of some flavor. Frozen basil has a stronger basil flavor than dried but at the cost of texture. Use frozen basil in cooked dishes. If you like to cook with basil and olive oil, blend fresh basil with your favorite olive oil and portion it into an ice tray for freezing.
Store the frozen cubes in an airtight container. Aphids are the biggest basil pest, especially with plants grown indoors. Beetles and slugs also can be a nuisance outdoors, creating holes in the leaves. Cover your entire plant with a soap solution of 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid to a full gallon of water to eradicate these pests.
Basil is susceptible to powdery mildew, which can be controlled by providing plenty of space between plants to improve air circulation, and avoiding overhead watering, which can splash fungal spores onto the plants. Severely affected leaves should be picked off and discarded.
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