Growing Basil - Benefits and Instructions

 

Benefits of Growing Basil

  • Beneficial Pollinator - Basil is a great plant to keep honey bees happy and attract other beneficial insects to your garden.

  • Medicinal- Basil has been used as a traditional medicine by many people around the world. Some benefits include boosting the immune system, preventing diabetes, fever reducer, pain reliever, anti inflammatory,  and reducing pain.

  • Nutritional Profile - Vitamin A,K, manganese, iron, zinc.

  • Use in: Pesto, fresh salads, pizza, pasta.

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Growing Instructions

Culture:

Sun Exposure: Choose a full sun location. 

Soil: Rich, well-drained, moist soil. It's a good idea to amend your soil with compost or other nutrient-rich mulch.

Moisture: Water regularly, being careful not to over water. Allow soil to go completely dry between watering, then soak thoroughly.

Planting:  Plant after danger of frost, be prepared to protect or replace it if it gets below 2 degrees C. Basil works in almost any type of pot or container,

Spacing:   Plant 4 basil plant per square foot of growing space using Square Foot Gardening Method.  In rows use 12-15" spacing.

Sow seeds:  1/4" deep

Harvesting:   

You can start harvesting basil leaves when the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall. Even if you are not using the leaves in cooking, picking leaves regularly will improve the plant's vitality.

Storage/Preparation:.

The best way to store fresh basil is to place bunches in a container of water like you would cut flowers. Store the container on your counter top, replacing the water every other day.  Make sure to keep the container out of direct sunlight and in the coolest location possible.  Large amount of basil can be processed into pesto and frozen in containers for later use. 

Large amounts of fresh basil can also be frozen. Our preferred method is to blanch the leaves for a few seconds in boiling water and then immediately shocking them in very cold water.  Take a handful of basil and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, forming small balls or puck shapes. Freeze the basil balls/pucks on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and then transfer into freezer safe container for storage. 

Companions:

Tomato, borage, asparagus, chamomile, peppers, oregano, marigolds, carrots, parsnips, beets.

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