Gardening 101: Basil

Written by Kristin on 15 May 2012

Article by Gene B. Bussell

from Southernhomeliving.com

The classic herb of
summer, basil brings fragrance, beauty, and flavor to any garden. Used fresh,
it makes delicious pestos and is an ideal partner for homegrown tomatoes. Plus,
it thrives in the South with little care, so it’s great for new gardeners.

Cindy and George
Martin, owners of The Tasteful Garden in Heflin, Alabama, are pros at growing
herbs, heirloom tomatoes, and peppers. They’re passionate about basil, a
cornerstone of their mail-order business.

Cindy has three
favorites—‘Lime,’ ‘Mammoth,’ and ‘Purple Ruffles’—because they enhance the
flavors of her best recipes. She especially likes using ‘Purple Ruffles’ and ‘Red
Rubin’ to infuse vinegars with flavor and beautiful color. “The ‘Mammoth’ basil
offers just that much more of the wonderful scent, because the leaves are as
big as your hand,” Cindy says. “It gives you the ability to use large
quantities.”

Grow It Yourself

Growing this versatile
herb is as much fun as cooking with it. You can buy plants from your local
nursery or start your own from seed. Try ‘Genovese.’

Basil likes warm soil,
but it needs a little protection from hot Southern summers. Eventually, all basils
will bolt (send up flowers), and then the leaves will toughen and lose flavor.
This will happen sooner if plants get too much sun. So plant them in a spot
that has sunshine till midday and shade in the afternoon.

Basil will grow in the
ground or containers, but it can get large, so if you prefer pots, they need to
be at least 18 inches in diameter with only one plant per container.

Basil likes
well-drained soil with some organic matter (such as com-posted manure) added as
you plant. Mulch with pine straw to keep roots cool and the soil slightly
moist. “Basil doesn’t like soggy feet,” says Cindy.

Clip regularly to
force new leaves to grow and prevent flowering. Cut about one-third of the stem
at a time, making each cut at a leaf node.

You can plant basil
now. George and Cindy suggest planting a second crop in July so you’ll have
plenty for pesto till fall. George’s best advice? “Don’t worry over it too
much. Gardening is supposed to be relaxing, not stressful. And remember,
basil’s supposed to be used, to be eaten, to be cooked with, and to be
enjoyed.”

Basil Sources

Check your local
nursery for basil plants and seeds. You can also order basil plants from The
Tasteful Garden, tastefulgarden.com.
Order seeds from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, johnnyseeds.com.

Gene B. Bussell|From the May 2010 Magazine
Issue

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