Basil Growing Tip

Basil is a wonderfully aromatic and flavorful herb that can be used in a variety of recipes and dishes.  Unlike many other herbs, however, it is not cold-hardy, so it has to be replanted every year.  Luckily, basil grows very fast and thrives in warmer climates such as ours.  It is also very easy to grow, and, if it is maintained properly, can continue to yield great-tasting, fresh basil leaves into October and even November in our area.  The trick to growing basil is to keep it from flowering.  This can be achieved quite easily by pinching off the top growth of the basil plant every few days.

Look at the photo below.  This photo was taken looking directly down at the top of one of our basil plants.  You can tell that it is attempting to flower by the cross-like pattern of leaves forming at the top.   To keep it from flowering, simply pinch the top growth off down to the stem, right above the first set of leaves.

By pinching the basil in this manner, you disrupt its flowering phase and the plant begins vegetating again.   Keeping your basil in the vegetative state will produce a wider, bushier plant.   Just look at the two plants above!

If you do nothing to maintain your basil plants, it will not take long for them to start flowering, especially considering the heat here in Central Texas.  When they start flowering, they will no longer produce abundant leaves for harvesting.  Instead, all of the plant’s energy will be used to produce flowers and then seed.  Also during this time, the plant will stop producing the oils which gives basil leaves their flavor.  Plants that have begun flowering simply do not taste as good.  Keep them pinched back and you’ll be awarded with an abundant basil harvest this year!

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Did you know …

Basil originated in Iran.  It has been cultivated there for over 5,000 years.

The Greek word for basil, basileus, translates as “king”.   Basil is often called the “king of herbs” for this reason.

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Tips:

Basil quickly loses its flavor when cooked.  For strongest flavor, add at the end of cooking and serve.

Basil leaves taste great whole in a mixed salad.

Basil leaves can be stored in the freezer for months when prepared in pesto.

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Basic Pesto Recipe:

2 cups chopped, fresh basil

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 T. sliced almonds, lightly crushed

1/3 cup grated parmesean cheese

1 T. garlic

Dash of salt

Optional: red pepper flakes

Directions: Put chopped basil in food processor and add a tablespoon of oil.  Chop well until it turns into a paste.  Slowly add the additional ingredients with a little oil each time and continue to process until all items have been added and the mixture is thick, but smooth. If you want a little more texture, add the nuts last and don’t chop as much.  Try this on some toasted bruschetta,  or slather it on chicken breasts before baking.

How to Harvest Sage

Sage plant #1 before trimming

Sage is another easy addition to the herb garden and an excellent choice for Texans who experience hot, dry summers because it is drought tolerant.   It doesn’t mind moisture either, provided the soil is sandy and fast-draining.  I’ve had success growing mine alongside basil, which requires more frequent watering, and it doesn’t appear to suffer at all.   It also seems to benefit from full sun exposure during the morning and early afternoon hours, while being shaded from the more intense afternoon sun.

Sage plant #2 before trimming

Sage is a wonderful herb that pairs well with many other herbs and is a main ingredient in store-bought poultry seasoning mix.  We use it several times a week to season everything from mashed potatoes to chicken, and roast to vegetarian stew.   Sage is a member of the mint family and has a very strong flavor that does not diminish with cooking; therefore, use it sparingly at the beginnings stages of cooking to allow the rich flavor to permeate the dish and meld with the other flavors.

Snaking sage branch.

Growing sage is easy and requires no special soil or fertilizer.   It is also a fast grower, so much so that I harvest it every time I harvest the basil – about every two weeks.   Like basil, sage appreciates regular grooming, which allows it to grow bushier.  Sage is frost tolerant and can be grown as a perennial here in Texas.  As such, the rule of thumb to follow is:  trim only 1/3 of the plant at any one time.   I usually cut less than that and I have more than I can use.

One tip I learned is to spray the plant down with water the afternoon or evening before trimming to wash any debris away and give the herbs time to dry off before trimming and dehydrating. At first, I tried washing my herbs after picking them and they were difficult to dry that way. This method works much better. Another tip: harvesting the sage first thing in the morning ensures the highest concentration of oils in the leaves as the oils withdraw into the stems and branches throughout the warmth of the day.

With the scissors slightly open, follow the main shaft of the branch you want to cut down to right above a pair of adjacent leaves and cut.

Sage plant #1, after trimming

Sage plant #2 after trimming

And the harvest of sage leaves ...

Now that the leaves are trimmed, I’ll bunch the leaves up stem to stem and tie them together with hemp cord and hang until dry – or about a week.  Sage holds its flavor well when dried, although I would suggest leaving the leaves whole and crumbling before use.