Basil, sweet Basil

Metus dictum at tempor commodo

There are many types of sweet basil to grow, but I am only highlighting a few here. The header photo shows large leaf Genovese basil, the pot shows a small leaf Italian basil, and the photo below shows a purple variety. I will soon do another post about Thai basil (which has a very distinct smell and flavor).

All of these varieties are perfect for topping on a salad or for making pesto. (My vegan pesto recipe is a hit in my house. Check back for it!) Basil is easy to grow in a pot or a raised bed. It loves the sun. Contrary to one’s instinct to let the plants be and just watch them grow, basil thrives on being picked. You can randomly select leaves around the plant to keep it looking even, or you can cut off small sections of stems and leaves.

What you really must watch out for is the plant flowering. Once the plant flowers, the end of its life is imminent, and the taste of the leaves starts turning bitter. As soon as you see the plant start to flower, you must pluck off the tops of the plant where the flowers are growing. This will prolong the life of your plant.