“I’ve found basil to be one of the easiest herbs to grow in the garden. One of my daughters convinced me to try it several years back and now I can’t imagine my summer garden without it and the wonderful flavor it brings to my kitchen table.”

I wrote that quote several years ago. I still grow basil ever year and love it, but this year the first line hasn’t been true at all!

I’ve planted basil three times and only have a couple of plants growing. After the first seed didn’t come up I tried a brand new packet, it didn’t come up either. Just not the year for basil at my house.  

Basil is a warm weather plant, meaning it doesn’t like the chilly temps of early spring or fall mornings here in Western North Carolina. However, the plant is very easy to grow from seed (most of the time) and does exceedingly well in the heat of July and August. 

Once the soil has warmed in May sprinkle your basil seed in a well tilled bed and cover lightly with soil.

Make sure to harvest basil plants on a regular basis to encourage new growth. When the plants begin to bloom, the flowers can also be removed to spur new plant growth. 

Basil can be used for all sorts of culinary delights, from Italian dishes to spicing up a bowl full of fresh sliced tomatoes. 

Here’s several recipe ideas for using fresh Basil:

• Cut leaves in slivers and sprinkle on pizza
• Use in lasagna and other pasta recipes
• Sprinkle basil leaves into your salad or add a leaf to your favorite sandwich
• Make fresh pesto
• Infuse vinegar to make your own basil vinegar
• Basil leaves are so pretty they can easily be used as a garnish
• Mix cut basil leaves with butter to make basil butter
• Basil tea

Along with being easy to grow, it is also a super easy plant to preserve for future use. 

Simply pull basil leaves from the plant, lay them on a baking sheet, and pop them in the freezer until they are frozen. Place frozen basil leaves in a zip-lock bag and store in the freezer for future use. Whenever you need basil, simply take out as many leaves as you need. Basil leaves may also be dried either in a dehydrator or by air drying. Store dried leaves in an air tight container and use as you would any dried herb.

A simple way to prolong your fresh basil is to bring some of it inside before the cold north wind starts to blow. 

If you have ample space and good sun exposure you can dig up an entire basil plant and bring it in doors where it will continue to grow. If you’re like me and don’t have the room nor much winter sunshine, try cutting several sprigs of basil and place them in a jar of water and sit on a sunny windowsill. Change the water every week or so and you’ll be amazed at how long the basil continues to grow in the water leaving you to enjoy fresh basil during the cold months of winter. An added benefit of growing basil indoors in a glass of water is the bright spot of color it brings to the room. 

Last night’s video: Canning Our First Runs of Green Beans.

Tipper

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