A bounty of fresh basil - herb gardening tips

Flower & Garden Magazine, May, 2001 by Kris Wetherbee

Summertime gardening can be quite pleasurable, especially when you rustle your hands over a patch of basil. The enticing aroma awakens the senses and arouses the appetite. Yet its merits extend far beyond one's own personal pleasure. Besides its well-known reputation as a culinary stand-out, basil is equally impressive in the garden, both for its benefits as a companion plant and for its dramatic and versatile use in the landscape. It's certainly no secret that basil Ocimum basilicum is one of America's favorite herbs, and given its ancestry, it's easy to understand why. Native to Africa, India, Central America and parts of Asia, this herb is accustomed to the warm, humid regions of the world. Basil is grown here in most areas as a bushy and aromatic annual. Other culinary herbs, like sage, rosemary and thyme, are native to Mediterranean regions where the air is rather temperate and dry.

Basil needs warmth, lots of sun, plus a rich, moist soil in which to grow. It will flourish when nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In cold, damp soil, the seeds may rot before they even have a chance to germinate. And when the weather turns cold either by day or night, plants will suffer in growth. It doesn't take a frost to kill basil plants, for if unprotected, they will concede and blacken when temperatures drop into the mid-30s. So it's best to transplant or direct seed after the soil has warmed to 60 degrees and all danger of frost has passed.

Any seedling or plant two to eight inches tall can be successfully transplanted. However, there are two exceptions. Larger plants up to 12 inches will survive destructive nighttime raids from slugs and snails much better than 2-inch seedlings. And forget about transplanting lemon basil at all. It resents having its roots disturbed and performs best when directly seeded.

Unlike most herbs, basil needs a rich soil for quality production and continual harvests. Prepare the ground ahead of time by amending it with plenty of organic matter to help lighten clay soil and increase moisture retention in sandy soil. Work in compost or well-aged manure to provide enough nutrients for plants to grow, and for continual harvests, side-dress plants in midsummer with an organic fertilizer high in nitrogen, such as blood meal, feather meal or fish meal.

Basil also needs plenty of moisture to grow and produce those big, lush leaves. Being a member of the mint family, it's certainly not a drought-tolerant plant; in fact, a period of drought can damage it. Keep the soil moist (not damp) and don't allow it to dry out. During the heat of a dry summer, water established plants about two to three times a week.

Once summer has arrived and the soil has warmed, help keep the moisture level even by applying a layer of good organic mulch-like compost, hay, straw or shredded leaves.

* HARVESTING

You can choose just how much basil you want to harvest by the way you harvest it. When your plants reach six to eight inches tall, begin picking the tip clusters, and be sure to use the tips in the kitchen. For best production, cut every two to three weeks, always cutting the stem above a leaf node. New branches will form where the nodes remain, producing a multi-stemmed plant that becomes very bushy and full of harvestable leaves.

* STORING

One place many gardeners lose their basil is in the kitchen. The big misconception is that basil should be stored in the refrigerator. Remember what happens when growing basil outdoors and the nighttime temperatures dive into the mid-30s? The leaves turn black. Likewise, basil stored in the refrigerator will barely last a couple of days before the leaves also blacken.

The ideal temperature for storing basil is around 60 degrees. The easiest and best way to store it is right on the kitchen counter (away from the stove) in a glass of water. By changing the water daily, you can keep that fresh basil flavor alive for up to 10 days.

* GARDEN TO TABLE

There is a variety of basil to suit just about every purpose. Try one of the ruffled varieties like `Purple Ruffles' or `Lettuce Leaf' to add texture. For striking contrast, plant `Red Rubin' or `Dark Opal' with marigolds. I especially enjoy cinnamon basil with petunias, and lemon basil with nasturtium `Empress of India.'

Dwarf basils (such as `Finissimo Verde' and `Spicy Globe') are great to grow in pots, flower boxes or to use as a border in the landscape. Some of these varieties form a perfect globe shape, almost like someone had pruned it to look that way. And if you can't decide between the red or green leaf varieties, there's even a `Holy' basil with an eye-catching combination of red and green leaves.

Although basils are rich in volatile oils, each variety has a different composition, which can affect its flavor and aroma. Most Mediterranean types, like `Genovese,' `Sweet' and `Italian,' have a sweeter, clove-like basil flavor. `Spicy' basil's flavor, like the wonderful licorice and clove flavor of `Siam Queen,' is ideal for cooking--especially stir-fry. A higher concentration of one oil over another can also create interesting scents, such as cinnamon and lemon. Try the young, tender shoots with any dish, including eggplant, zucchini, salad, rice, potatoes and, of course, tomatoes. Use the main leaves for soups, dressings, sauces and pesto. The leaves, stems and flowers make charming herbal vinegar that is fantastic with salads or as a marinade for meat.