| Don't you love basil? Having an Italian dish without basil | | | | vinegars and in your Greek dinners. |
| just is not worth it. This great smelling plant is one of | | | | - Thai Basil: This variety, which is native to Thailand (of |
| my favorite ones to start with because it is so not a | | | | course), has long, thin leaves. It also has a slight licorice |
| problem to grow and harvest. | | | | flavor that adds extra flavor to Thai and Indian dinners. |
| Even though this little plant is native to the tropical | | | | Starting with seeds is a nice way to get going with |
| Pacific islands, you can't look at a French, Greek or | | | | basil, but you can also purchase your herb from the |
| Italian menu without seeing basil several times over. I | | | | nursery, greenhouse or home improvement store. |
| don't know what twist of chance brought it to Europe, | | | | Either way, with full sun and well-drained dirt, your plant |
| but what a nice twist it was. One of my favorite meals | | | | should grow to about 20 inches high. |
| is pesto, which is a trouble-free green sauce made by | | | | I snip off the white blossoms that will start showing up |
| chopping a whole bunch of basil and mixing it with olive | | | | during the summer. I do this because I am not in it for |
| oil. Fantastic! | | | | the blooms; I want those lovely 1-2 inch leaves. Pinching |
| There are many kinds of basil to choose from, such | | | | your plant back makes the herb grow bushier (more |
| as: | | | | leaves). |
| - Sweet Basil: This variety is the most popular one for | | | | Harvesting your basil is as easy as one, two, three: |
| meals. The leaves are glossy in appearance and they | | | | simply cut the stem just before the flowers, pick off |
| have a full basil taste. | | | | the leaves and dry them. After they're dry you can put |
| - Lettuce-Leaf Basil: This kind of basil has wide leaves | | | | them in a freezer bag to store them. You can also |
| and a milder flavor. Green Ruffles, Napoletano and | | | | skip the drying part and put them straight away into |
| Mammoth are only a few of the numerous types of | | | | the freezer. You can even put them in a container and |
| this type of leaf. | | | | cover them with olive oil, which will release all their |
| - Bush Basil: This shorter kind of basil makes for good | | | | taste. They'll last like that for several months. |
| edging and also comes in a few different kinds, such | | | | You may raise basil indoors, but I can't suggest it. I |
| as Spicy Globe, Bush, Tiny Leaf Purple, Green Bouquet | | | | attempted to over-winter my basil a few years ago |
| and Piccolo Fine Verde. | | | | with no success. Basil just cannot grow and survive |
| - Lemon Basil: This lemon scented type has short, | | | | unless it gets moist dirt and gets around five hours of |
| small leaves. You can use the leaves in vinegar, fruit | | | | direct sun a day. Unfortunately, my kitchen does not |
| salad, fish and poultry meals and herbal tea. | | | | get a lot light. |
| - Purple Basil: It is no surprise that purple basil has wide | | | | Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me |
| purple leaves and delicate pink flowers. Use it in your | | | | know how your herb garden grows. |