Basil There is nothing like walking outside to pick a bunch of herbs from your own garden, one of the most fragrant of these herbs is Basil. A pot of Basil is an essential in any cook's garden, and its quite easy to grow. Basil originally comes from India, The middle East and some Pacific Islands, however it has been cultivated elsewhere for thousands of years. Basil has been widely used in the mediterranean and has become a core ingredient in Italian cuisine. There are all kinds Basil available which vary in size, colour, flavour and strength.
Care Basil can be grown in a garden bed, or in pots quite easily. If planting in to a garden bed, select a position with full sun and rich, well drained soil. Frost or very cold weather will damage the Basil, turning it black. For this reason, its a good idea to plant Basil in Spring or summer when the threat of cool nights has gone. If planting into a container us a good quality potting mix with some added compost. Containers are great because they can sit on window sills, or brought inside from the cold. Continually pinch the tips out of Basil plants to encourage dense bushy growth. Only fertilise if absolutely necessary and do so sparingly, to much fertiliser will promote rapid growth at the expense of essential oils.
Varieties *Sweet Basil - Broad green leaves, most common in Italian Cooking *Thai Basil - Thinner leaves with a spicy quality *Purple/Opal Basil - Large purple leaves with a strong scent. *Lemon Basil - Yellowish green leaves with a lemon scent and flavour *Bush Basil - Half the size of Sweet Basil, great for pots
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