Basil
Type: Annual
Description: An oval shaped leaf. Green and aromatic. It is used a lot in cooking, especially in italian food. It is delicious with fresh tomatoes and it used to calm the stomach as well.
When to plant: Preferably in the fall or spring (inside) and spring (outside in a container)
Level of difficulty: 1
How to plant: If you live in a hot climate, it is safe to start basil outside. If you don’t, you must start basil inside to avoid frost damage.
Tips/Facts/Uses:
Description: An oval shaped leaf. Green and aromatic. It is used a lot in cooking, especially in italian food. It is delicious with fresh tomatoes and it used to calm the stomach as well.
When to plant: Preferably in the fall or spring (inside) and spring (outside in a container)
Level of difficulty: 1
How to plant: If you live in a hot climate, it is safe to start basil outside. If you don’t, you must start basil inside to avoid frost damage.
- Prepare seed pots with potting soil (seed starting version) or have an equal mixture of perlite, vermiculite, and peat. Press the mixture to eliminate air pockets and dampen with water to prepare the germination of the basil.
- Drop two seeds in the container and cover with a little bit more soil. Cover in kitchen plastic wrap and put it in a sunny window. Each day remove the wrap and sprinkle water. Do this twice a day.
- Once they sprout, remove the plastic and water twice a day and never let the soil dry out! When the leaves grow two sprouts you can transfer them to a bigger and permanent container.
- When the plant matures, only water once a day in the morning so that the water has time to evaporate. Basil does well in well-drained soil. Make sure to make it damp and not flood the plant.
- If you see the plant begin to flower, pinch off the flower and the two leaves below it. The flowers take away the flavor from the leaves themselves.
- Once the plant reaches a favorable height, pinch off the top two pairs of leaves. At the base of each leaf, there are two more little leaves that will grow if the stem between them in severed. Cut close to these leaves but do not damage them. This will encourage the plant to use it’s energy and flourish and grow bushy! But only pinch from the middle towards the top. If you pinch from the bottom the plants will grow up reedy. If you want a bushy plant always remember to pinch from the mid to the top!
Tips/Facts/Uses:
- Stings and bites: Chewing a basil leaf and applying it to a sting or bite will relieve the pain and draw out venom.
- Coughing: Chew on basil leaves to help alleviate coughs and colds or make a tea out of dry basil leaves.
- Calming the stomach: Adding ½ teaspoon of chopped fresh or dry basil leaves to water and drinking it may soothe your stomach.