Basil
Basil is the ultimate summer ‘King of Herbs’ and can be sown now. It is a wonderfully aromatic and tender annual and most commonly associated with tomatoes and a vital ingredient in Caprese Salad. It should germinate and grow quickly now as the weather warms up. In Ireland basil is best grown indoors, in a pot on your sunniest windowsill, or in a glasshouse or polytunnel. When you are growing your own, fresh basil is an inexpensive summer luxury.
Pictures from left: Varieties, after 2 weeks,in July, potted.
How to sow and grow
Basil needs heat and protection and seeds won’t germinate in cold, wet compost. Sow three or four seeds in small pots, cover lightly and water sparingly. Propagate at 18-20C, best on a heating bench, but a bringht windowsill will do. While they are still quite small, seedlings can be pricked out and re-potted into individual small pots. We sow in clusters and repot in clusters, which will give you good bushy growth. In fact growing basil in big 5 liter pots seems the most successful way for us.
Growing and harvesting
Water regularly in warm weather, but don’t overwater. Allowing the soil to dry out a bit between watering will intensify the flavor of the basil. Picking basil leaves in the right way will encourage further growth. Harvest the top leaves from the plant, pinching out the growing tip encourages side shoots and a much longer harvest. If you see any top leaves of basil beginning to form flowers, pinch these out before they get the chance, so that leaves will continue to grow.
Varieties
The most common is Sweet Basil, but there is also Thai Basil and Sacred or Tulsi Basil. There are lots of different varieties including cinnamon basil and purple basil. Lettuce leaved or Neapolitan has the biggest leaves, then there is Genovese, Classico and Sweey Green, the fine leaved Lemon Basil and Piccolino and also Bush Basil and last not least the red varieties Purple Ball and Red Leaved Basil.
On the plate
The sweet variety Genovese is the perfect combination with tomatoes. Lemon basil is the variety used to top a pizza or bruschetta and great for making pesto. Thai basil has purple stems and flowers and is used in Thai curries. We use nearly all varieties for making pesto, which frozen in glass jars is the best way to preserve this herb. Basil pairs well with roasted aubergine and any type of cheese. Try a bowl of strawberries with torn leaves of sweet basil for dessert.
Basil is always used fresh, added to a dish at the last minute to preserve its flavour.
How we grow Basil at Neantog
This is what we do:
Don't sow too early. Basil likes it warm at least for the first two weeks. You can still sow all throughout May.
Sow in modules, a few seeds at a time and keep on heating mat/pad at 20 Celsius.
Pot on after two weeks into small pots (see picture 2). Keep on reduced heat 15 Celsius.
Plant into final pots when the plants has 4-5 true leaves, usually another 2-3 weeks (picture 3).
Keep pots in polytunnel or conservatory. Windowsill is an option!
As there are a few plants in our pot we pick the smaller ones for an early harvest and let one or two plants grow full size.
Warmth and minimal watering are key to successful growing.
Always harvest top down, snipping/cutting growing tips to encourage side shooting, ideally don't let it flower as this will reduce production of leaves.