Basil is a chef essential herb for your garden. Not only is this a flavorful herb garden favorite, it also has a high degree of versatility in your kitchen as it can be eaten cooked, raw, dried, or fresh. On top of being a powerhouse of flavor and function it’s easy to grow and comes in many varieties that are perfect for different climates and growing locals.
Basil Details
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Growing Season: Early to late spring
- Growing Zones: 3 through 10
- Spacing: 12-18 inches (30-46 cm) apart
- Seed to Harvest time: 50 to 90 day depending on variety
- Indoor Starting: six to eight weeks before the last frost
- Earliest Planting: After last frost when the ground temperature is consistently 60F
- Watering: Water when soil is starting to dry, keeping soil moist, but never wet. Soak to 1 inch weekly at most. Do not over water. Never let the soil for basil completely dry out.
- Sunlight Requirements: Full sun
- Planting: Sow seeds indoors 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) deep in seed tray cells. Transfer starters to garden keeping spacing in mind. Water thoroughly after transfer.
- Weeding: Basil is fairly tolerant of weeds, but beds should be weeded at least weekly to ensure plants are not competing for nutrients.
- Pruning and Growing: Basil grows best when pruned regularly to produce a bushier plant. Pinch off the tops of the plant when they start to flower just below the base of the bud.
- Harvesting: Harvest leaves as needed once fully grown. Pick leaves with roughly 1cm of stem with a clean pinch or snip. Do not pull leaves off or tear from the stem as this can damage the plant.
- Known Pests: Basil is fairly pest resistant, but be sure to pick off bugs or beetles that eat the leaves. Do not use pesticides as leaves are the edible part of the plant. Basil is actually poisonous to most garden pests, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it being chewed up by bugs.
- Additional Problems: Basil varieties must be chosen for your climate. In warmer areas choose basil varieties that are slower to bolt as this will lead to better tasting basil and longer periods of harvest.
More About Basil
While for most gardens basil is considered an annual plant, in warmer climates, greenhouses, and indoor planters, basil can be grown for many seasons. If cared for properly it is possible to keep a single plant going for multiple years harvesting continually, however this is often not worth the hassle as it is so easy to grow new plants.
Basil comes in many varieties, each of which has it’s own peculiarities. Some are bred for specific tasting notes, some are grown for different climates, and some grown for their abundance of leaves. In any case, it should be easy to find a variety of basil that fits your needs in almost any part of the world where gardening is possible.
Basil Tasting and Food Notes
Basil sits squarely between sweet and savory with a fresh almost minty quality. It also has hits of peppery kick that can be tasted in fresh picked leaves which adds to the overall complexity of its flavor.
Basil is often used to make dishes like pesto, caprese salad, a variety of curries, and many many pasta dishes. Most famously basil is paired with tomatoes.
In some cases basil is used in alcoholic beverages on its own or alongside mint to change up the flavor profile of a drink.
It should be noted for use in cooking or drinks, Thai basil is different than sweet basil when it comes to flavor in that sweet basil (the ones with green stems) are more sweet and peppery while Thai basil (the ones with smaller leaves an purple stems) have more a licorice or anise flavor. If you see a recipe call for Thai basil sweet basil can be used, but it will make a profound difference in the flavor of the dish and should not be considered a direct substitution.
Should I Grow Basil?
If you are keeping an herb garden we highly recommend that you grow basil (so long as you like it). It’s easy to grow, highly useful in cooking, and can be grown in great quantities. If you’re looking for an easy addition to your garden and you’ve not considered basil yet, it’s an easy add in that you’re sure to love.