Basil plants are so fragrant! Just rub a leaf through your hands and give it a sniff :) I bought this little gem from the grocery store for $4. It has as much basil as one would get from the little packs you'd order from the same grocery store yet, it stays fresher naturally, and tastes better. Plus if you plant it correctly you'll have basil for a few months at least. Basil can be sweet or peppery. It's used in both Italian dishes as well as in a lot of other dishes across the world. When I think of basil I go to a sweet licorice-y flavor that I love, with tomatoes and mozzarella, drizzled in a deep extra virgin olive oil, and lightly salted. Or think of your favorite pesto, it's earthly, sweet, salty, and extremely fresh. Basil highlights quite a few of my favorite food items. Dried basil is good, but remember dried herbs will always be more potent in flavor. I believe fresh is best. Basil however, does not only make a great herb, it is also really good for you. It has both antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Certain types of basil are known to be adaptogens. Adaptogens are simply extra defense or support for our bodies to deal with stress and anxiety. Who doesn't want that?
Here are some Growing tips:
If you're starting from a plant bought at a store, like you see above, it's pretty easy to care for.
- First off, a plant like this one needs more room. It's pretty crowded in the little pot and actually has about 4 different plants in the one.
- Once you have a bigger pot, mix in some regular potting soil and plant your basil. Make sure all the roots are covered and you don't have to pack the dirt too tight.
- When choosing a spot to place it: look for one that gets a good 4-6 hours of sunlight. The thing with basil is that it doesn't like high direct FL summer sun. It's leaves can get scorched. My favorite basil spot gets half a days worth of sun in the morning and then shade in the middle to late afternoon.
- Keep it evenly watered. Whether it's in the ground or a pot, it'll need drainage. Pot's with holes in the bottom are best. Water about every other day making sure the soil is soaked through, but doesn't puddle for long. I wouldn't go longer than a few days without watering or you can dry it out and sort of shock the plant again by the inconsistent watering.
- You can use an organic compost or a simple veggie fertilizer every 3 months, beginning in the spring, to keep your plants fed and happily producing. It's an herb so in my opinion it doesn't need that much, but I try to fertilize at least 2 x a year.
- Fighting pests: Potted plants will have less pests, but if they're in FL they will still get them. I like to sprinkle egg shells around the bottom of the soil because slugs don't like to crawl across the shells (think of stepping on Legos barefoot). *Just make sure the broken egg shells are washed before putting with plants. You can also pick off pests manually or use a little diatomacious earth around the plant as long as it's not flowering. We don't want to kill butterflies or bees that will land on flowers.
- Don't let the plant flower. When Basil flowers it's a sign of the end of the plants cycle because it will produce seeds for more future plants. By pinching off the seed looking pods before they flower you will be elongating the life of your basil plant. The flowers can also change the flavor of your basil.
- Lastly, don't let it freeze. Even temps under 50 degrees can harm the delicate leaves. Just google what types of basil grow best in your area. I'll wrap mine in a thin towel or sheet when it is a cool night or bring it inside if it's in a pot.
*When you're picking leaves off of the plant to use, just pinch between the Y of the stems. You aren't touching the other bottom leaves. I demonstrated in the pic below.
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