Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
One of the best parts of summer gardening is having fresh basil growing steps away from the kitchen and ready for the picking. Because this herb hates the cold, it’s exclusively a summer crop. When it comes to bruschetta, caprese salad, and pesto, fresh basil is the only way to go.
Basil is fairly easy to grow from seed, but will germinate best after the soil temperature reaches above 70°. After that, basil should be ready to harvest in about two months. Do not plant outside until all danger of frost is over; however, even temperatures below 50° can damage the leaves. Since basil is not cold tolerant, you may want to get a jump on the growing season. Start basil indoors six to eight weeks before the last expected frost date in spring. Growing basil from seed will save money and allow you to experiment with different types of basil. Genovese and sweet basil are the most familiar types of basil, but for a change, try Thai basil, cinnamon basil (also known as Mexican basil), or purple basil. Feeling spiritual? Try holy basil (tulsi), originating in India where it’s valued for medicinal reasons and often used to make tulsi tea.
Whether you start basil from seed or buy young plants from your garden nursery, you will want to get the most yield from your plants. Once they either reach six inches tall or have six leaves, start pinching them back. Use sterilized scissors or just snip with your fingernails to clip just above the second set of leaves. This will cause your basil plant to branch out and produce more leaves. Now the best part. You can get bonus basil from all of these pieces that you just snipped off. Of course, you are going to want to eat some of them, because you have been dreaming of basil dishes since last fall. But take the rest and place them in a small container of water. Make sure the leaves are not touching the water. Change the water every few days and, in about one week, you should start to see roots forming on these cuttings. Now you have a whole new basil plant! Give these cuttings a few more days to form more roots and then plant them in a pot or raised bed. Keep well-watered and you will have just multiplied your stock of basil.
Basil needs to be planted in full sun and fertile soil. Keep it well-watered but also well-drained. As your basil grows, and you are using it, continue to cut it off just above the second set of leaves. Alternate which plants you snip, so that you always have a ready supply while the other plants regrow. If your basil starts to form flowers, cut those off as well to encourage more growth. The flowers are also edible and will look pretty in a salad.
At our house, we can never have too much basil. But if you find yourself with an overabundance, or cold temperatures are threatening, you can preserve it. If you are going to use it right away, rinse and dry the leaves very well and then cover them with olive oil and keep in your refrigerator. Keep in mind that the olive oil will solidify, but will be fine once you start cooking with it. For longer preservation, rinse and thoroughly dry the leaves, then add basil leaves, kosher salt, and olive oil to a food processor. Once it’s whizzed up, pour into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once the “pesto starter cubes” are frozen, pop them into a ziplock freezer bag for use in all of your favorite dishes throughout the fall and winter.
Basil and tomato plants are BFFs in the garden as well as the kitchen. They are good companion plants in the garden because they both enjoy the same growing conditions. But also, basil plants are said to repel the dreaded tomato hornworm as well as other harmful insects. Of course, in the kitchen, basil and tomatoes go together better than peanut butter and jelly. Bruschetta, caprese salad, or panzanella just wouldn’t be the same without one or the other.
Although there is much more to write about tomatoes and basil, I have to go because I’ve worked up an appetite for a basil/tomato/mayo sandwich. What is your favorite type of basil and what dishes do you make with it? We would love to hear from our readers. Send your comments, questions, and garden pictures to: shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
