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Basil-An Interesting, Flavorful Garden Addition |
Basil (Ocimum basilicum), the Herb Society of America's herb of the year, varies in size, color and shape, depending on the cultivar. There are tiny-leaved bush basils, 'Spicy Globe,' about eight inches in height; intermediate-sized, reddish purple variations 'Dark Opal;' and large lettuce-leaf basil, 'Napoletano,' which can reach three feet in height. The flavor or fragrance can be clove, cinnamon, anise, lemon or camphor.
Basil is native to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean and South America. It was found in France and Italy around the 2nd century BC, and made its way to England in the 16th century, by way of India. Colonists brought basil to the New World; by 1621 it was grown in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
In the East, basil is a sacred herb, grown near temples and dwellings to protect those who cultivate it from misfortune, and to guide them to heaven. It is also planted on graves. Although considered the herb of love, in the Language of Flowers, basil can also mean distrust, based on an ancient superstition that smelling the plant might bring a scorpion into the brain! John Parkinson, in 1629, wrote that common basil was used to make "sweet or washing waters" and sometimes used in making nosegays. Powdered seed was used "to procure a cheerful and merry heart."
In most of the U.S., basil is a tender annual, grown rather easily from seed. The soil needs to be warm and the night temperatures stay above 50°F. if seed is to be sown directly in the ground; seeds may rot in cold, damp soil. In the past few years, several varieties have been produced that are fusarium wilt free or fusarium wilt resistant. To promote branching, the tips of the plant should be pinched as soon as six pairs of leaves have formed. Flowers and the pair of leaves directly below them should be pinched out so that the plant does not go to seed.
Harvest the leaves throughout the summer, cutting the stem back to four leaves. If temperatures are about to drop below 35° harvest the whole plant. Bundle several stems together and hang to dry, or remove the leaves from the stem and lay on a mesh screen or in a wicker basket. Basil will dry in five to ten days. (When properly dried, the leaves will crumble when rubbed between your fingers.) Whole leaves retain the most flavor; store in glass jars and crumble as you add them to whatever dish you are flavoring. You may also preserving basil by chopping it in a blender or food processor with a little olive oil, and freezing in small glass jars. For a real treat, make some into pesto and freeze it in small containers.
Sources of information:
Basil, An Herb Lover's Guide by Thomas DeBaggio & Susan Belsinger
www.herbsociety.org,
www.herbnet.com |
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