Sweet Basil
(Ocimum basilicum)
The Basics:
Basil comes in many varieties, including sweet basil, purple basil, Thai basil, and Lemon basil. Sweet basil is the most common varietal and the one most frequently used in Western cooking. Sweet basil has large, green, tender leaves; it sprouts tiny white blossoms in late summer; and it tastes of anise and cloves.
Planting Instructions:
Because a cold snap can easily kill off young plants, basil seeds do best when sown at the end of spring or the beginning of summer. Basil needs light soil that is basic, as opposed to acidic, and well draining. Once basil seedlings reach 3 inches in height, they should be replanted 12 inches apart. Basil should be watered frequently so that the soil remains moist. Central tufts of leaves should be plucked in order to encourage new leaf growth.
Purple Basil
Fun Facts:
New Mexican folklore has many tales about basil. One folktale suggests that carrying basil in your pockets attracts money into them. Another states that a wife wishing to cure her husband’s wandering eye should sprinkle dried basil powder over her heart.
Nutritional Properties:
Basil has long been believed to heal all kinds of ailments, including kidney and liver problems, headaches, colds, even infertility. These days, basil is valued because it is high in Vitamin K, an important nutrient for a healthy vascular system. Basil is also a good source of antioxidants.
How to Use:
Basil is an extremely popular herb that plays a role in cuisines from all around the globe. In the Mediterranean, fresh basil leaves are blended with olive oil, garlic, pine nuts or walnuts, and parmesan cheese to make pesto, a vibrant, slightly spicy topping for pasta, bruschetta, and pizza. In France, fresh basil is combined with olive oil, and garlic to create pistou, a rich sauce that is drizzled over vegetable and seafood soups. Used as a garnish, freshly chopped basil leaves are an easy way to spruce up salads and pastas, soups and even casseroles. For more quick tips on using fresh basil, visit our “30 Seconds to Taste” page.
5 Comments
I have a live basil plant. The leaves are beginning to turn lighter green and some are yellow. What should I do?
Hi Lisa – sorry to hear the plant isn’t doing so great. Basil loves lots of sun, and should be placed in a dish and watered from from the bottom by filling the dish. Make certain to gently remove the sleeve by tearing it at the perforation. There should be holes at the bottom of the sleeve which will allow the water to reach the soil and soak to the roots. Please let us know how you make out! Thanks!
Great articles & Nice a site….
Hi, I just bought a live Basil plant and a Cilantro one two days ago. I live in very sunny very hot Florida and although your instructions recommend to put the plants on a sunny location I was wondering if I should put the plants outside where the sun is on the most of the time or inside in a place where they have a little sun. I noticed that my Cilantro is facing down now and i wanted to know if maybe the heat caused that. Thank you for your help.
Great question! If you are able to keep your herbs watered 1-2 days, they should be okay in the sun. The biggest concern is that they will dry out. If you keep them inside, they should be in a location that allows them the most sun per day. In regards to the Cilantro, be sure it has enough water and if possible, move to a location that is partly sunny.