Sweet Basil A Culinary Herb

Sweet Basil is one of the most popular herbs for cooking. The clove like flavor of basil is used in Italian cooking for pizza, sauces,pasta dishes , and  salads. It is also the main ingredient in pesto. Sweet basil works well with tomatoes and garlic.

Thai Basil is a red color and has an aniseed flavor as well as hint of citrus or mint it is used a lot in Thai cooking.. Basil is also very important in Mediterranean dishes as well.

Growing Sweet Basil

Location

Basil will need a sunny location with 6 to 8 hours of bright sunlight a day. Care should be taken not to expose it to the mid day sun as direct sun ill scorch the leaves. The soil should be moist but as with most herbs well drained.

Propagation

The seeds can be sown directly in soil or pots in a warm location after danger of frost has passed. Sow thinly then cover with a 1/4 inch of soil. Keep moist and germination should occur within 5 to 7 days. Once the seedlings develop they should be thinned to stand 6″ to 12″ apart. Seeds may also be sown inside 6 to 8 weeks before planting out doors. Do not over water the seedlings.

Growing

Plants should be water well at least once a week . Depending if it is grown in containers then it may need watering more often as containers dry out faster. If you are growing in containers make sure to provide a lot of drainage so soil will not be soggy. Water the plants mid day whenever possible. Fertilize sparingly most herbs do not like a lot of fertilizer. Be sure to keep pinching off the leaves throughout the growing season to prevent the plant from flowering once it flowers the stems get twiggy and production is greatly reduced.

Harvesting

Pick leaves when they are young . Early in the morning is the best time. If pieces of stems are cut be sure to cut just above two leaves this will encourage branching. Regular harvesting will encourage new growth remember if the plants go to flower they will turn woody. Use fresh leaves within a few hours. he basil may be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for a couple of days. The leaves may also be frozen in airtight bags after you wash and dry them and should last up to two moths. Dried leaves will retain their flavor for up to 6 months if stored in a cool dark place.