Basil

Basil ©Janet AllenOur "regular" basil

Basil is our favorite herb. We make LOTS of pesto and freeze it so we can have it all year long. One of our favorite ways to use pesto is slathered over steamed green beans.

Unfortunately, basil is very frost-sensitive, so the season is pretty short here in CNY.

Basil flowering ©Janet AllenWe should try to pinch out the tops of the stems before they flower

Basil is really easy to grow, but it's a good idea to keep it from flowering. This photo shows that we don't always keep up with this chore.

This photo also shows that there are many kinds of basil. In the background is a purple basil, but I can't remember the name of it.

You can also see from the photo that herb flowers attract pollinators to your garden, so they help all your other fruits and vegetables be more productive.

Harvest record

YR LB Notes
15
14 7
13 3 We mistakenly planted them crowded among the tomatoes
12 6
11 4
10 5