Basil: The King of Herbs

Article by: Gwen Stewart

One of the most popular herbs , The Best Fertilizing Tips For A Green Healthy Lawn is Ocimum basilicum commonly called sweet basil. Often called the 'king of herbs, , Stressed Out? Maybe You Need a Gazebo ' basil can be grown indoors , Marsh Marigold or out. Sweet basil has inch-long, oval-pointed, dark green , Garden Decor -- It Is More Than Just Decorations leaves and a clove-pepperish odour and taste. Sweet basil makes a handsome, bushy small plant, , How to Naturally Dry Hydrangeas growing , Marsh Marigold to a foot or more indoors. , Color in Flowers Arrangements A purple-leafed variety, 'Dark Opal' is decorative, makes a lovely houseplant, , A Smoke Bush Unlike Any Other and is equally useful in cookery. Do not let basil bloom, or it will go to seed. , Tulip Bulbs Instead, pinch out the plant , Daylilies - The Perfect Perennial tops and they will grow , Which of the Hundreds of Tomato Varieties Should I Plant? into compact little bushes.

Basil is an annual , The Basics Of Building Your Own Greenhouse and grows , Are You New To Organic Gardening 12 - 24 inches (30 - 60 cm) as the height varies according to the variety. Cultivation requirements for growing , Garden Decor -- It Is More Than Just Decorations basil: full sun; light, , Planning A Butterfly Garden well-drained, nutrient rich, slightly acidic soil; frequent watering (don't waterlog); will not tolerate cold; pinch off flower , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors stalks for a longer season , How to Plan and Successfully Grow Your Tulip Garden of leaf production.

Basil can be easily started from seed , Yellow Headed Spruce Sawfly or can be brought indoors , Bedding Plants and Plugs (small plants) at the end of the growing season. , Growing in My Garden If you are bringing basil indoors, , Patio Covers choose the most robust plants. , Planning A Butterfly Garden Before the first frost, dig them out of the garden , How to Make a Weed Dabber and pot , How to Plan and Successfully Grow Your Tulip Garden them up in fresh potting soil. , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors Basil can also be grown in pots outdoors , Tulips: Anything But Typical and treated the same way when bringing them in for winter. , Free Concrete/Hypertufa Mixer Plans Check for insects and if there is an infestation, spray with a soap and water , Give your Seeds a Head Start - How to Start Your Seeds Indoor spray. Gradually reverse the hardening off process by keeping the pots , Barefoot at the Cottage out of direct sunlight for about a week. The plants , National Home Gardening Club will become acclimatised to the lower light , Floribunda Rose 'Julia Child' conditions they will experience indoors. , Gardening With Foliage Plants Bring them inside , How to Choose a Perfect Wood Porch Swing and provide the conditions they need to continue growing. , Indoor Gardening With Foliage Plants

Basil requires at least five hours of sunlight a day to stay healthy , Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (Part 6) The Autopot and flavourful. If you are growing , Barefoot at the Cottage basil on the windowsill, turn regularly to ensure every side receives light. , Gardening Tips To Excite Toddlers And Preschoolers Don't let basil leaves touch the cold , How to Grow Organic Cigar Tobacco glass. Basil grows , Hydroponics in Your Garden even better under fluorescent lights , Garden Decor -- It Is More Than Just Decorations in the winter. , Give your Seeds a Head Start - How to Start Your Seeds Indoor Hang the lights , Why are Adirondack Chairs & Adirondack Furniture a Cottage Favorite? 6 inches (15 cm) from plants , Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (Part 6) The Autopot and leave lights , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors on for 14 hours a day.

There are many cultivars of basil. Two that are particularly popular are: O. basilicum 'Dark Opal'- only herb , The Basics Of Building Your Own Greenhouse to win the All American Award of Excellence - can be used the same as sweet basil; O. basilicum 'Citriodorum'- strong lemon scent - nice for tea and with chicken and fish. , Deck Swing Buying and Assembling Tips

In the garden, , Tulips: Anything But Typical basil can be planted with tomatoes , Floribunda Rose 'Julia Child' as it helps to overcome both insects and disease. , Patio Covers Basil also repels flies and mosquitoes. In the kitchen, , Yellow Headed Spruce Sawfly use basil in tomato , Tips On Growing And Caring For Orchids dishes (both raw and cooked), pesto, sauces, salad , The Basics Of Building Your Own Greenhouse dressings, soups, fish , Tulip Bulbs dishes, mushroom dishes, egg and rice dishes, mixed with other herbs, , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors omelettes, pasta dishes, vegetables , Gardening Tips To Excite Toddlers And Preschoolers such as carrots, eggplant, cabbage, squash, and zucchini. Use fresh leaves in salads , Give your Seeds a Head Start - How to Start Your Seeds Indoor and add fresh leaves to vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Basil can be used fresh, frozen, or dried. Use basil with discretion, as it is one of the few herbs , How to Plan and Successfully Grow Your Tulip Garden that increase in flavour when heated.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden , Tulip Bulbs consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place , Are You New To Organic Gardening Of Peace - Gardening , Patio Covers For The Soil, , Gardening Tips To Excite Toddlers And Preschoolers Gardening , Daylilies - The Perfect Perennial For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening , Choosing A Landscaping Firm Products. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden , Hydroponics in Your where you will find lots of free information , Garden Decor -- It Is More Than Just Decorations about gardening , A Smoke Bush Unlike Any Other for the soil , Growing Tomatoes Organically and gardening , Patio Table Covers for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart Â© 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved

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Basil: The King of Herbs

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