This has been an amazing year for basil for me. Last year I could barely get it to grow with all the cold weather and most of it died not long into the year. The basil at my old garden is still struggling, but the basil here at the new house is growing like crazy. The birds tried to kill it earlier, but all they succeeded in doing is making it bushier.
Today I noticed that it would be blooming in a day or two if I didn't do something about it. I try never to let it bloom unless I'm collecting seed. So I pinched back all the tips. Now the poor plants are half the height they used to be, but I'm sure they will make up for it in the next couple of weeks.
I was left with about 10oz of basil. Yum. Most of it I washed up and pureed with some oil and put it in the freezer for the winter. A few bits I put into some water and put them on the windowsill. They were my lunch for today along with some left over garlic bread and some pink tomato from the farmers market.
Yum! Your lunch looks so good. I've been enjoying our basil the past few weeks -- it has been pesto city in our house.
ReplyDeleteNice basil! Mine isn't growing very well. It might be our cool weather or maybe it's not getting enough water? Do you have to make sure your plants have lots of water?
ReplyDeleteYou're making me hungry! Your basil and your lunch looks great.
ReplyDeleteLunch looks good! My basil is doing diddly. Lots of heat, even water yet nothin!
ReplyDeleteFirst year that I am not growing the traditional basil. My other basil plants (purple and Thai) are doing OK but I miss the green of your basil plants.
ReplyDeleteLove your healthy basil, and your yummy lunch! Mine started out so well this year, but now they are slowing starting to bolt, get sun-scorched, get eaten up by japanese beetles, and (involuntarily) hosting aphids. I guess the life of an outdoor herb is no picnic!
ReplyDeleteYum, delicious and healthy lunch, good thing I just had dinner otherwise I'll be hungry and drooling all over the keyboard.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to grow start sweet basil this year. Oh well, it's too late now.
A Girl & Her Garden, my family isn't into pesto sadly. Most of what I harvest goes into sauces and soups. Or as you saw into lunch.
ReplyDeleteJackie, I don't water my basil anymore than any of my other plants. I've been watering them every four days recently. I'm not sure this is enough either with the heat wave we have had, but they seem to be thriving with only a bit of tip burn on occasion.
michelle, thanks
Dan, that is like my other house. I know the culprits though. It is the slugs. They really ate it down to the ground. It is making a comeback right now though.
johanna, I love purple basil. I used to make basil vinegar and it was so pretty with the purple color.
thyme2garden, I have one or two sun scorched spots on my basil. I saw them and was wondering if my plants had been hit by basil blight, but nope. Just too hot and sunny here recently.
Mac, I bought these starts at the garden center. I used the ones I grew from seed at the old house.
I've been pretty lax about pinching my Thai basil...they just get so leggy if you don't. I'm gonna give them a drastic haircut today to see if that will help.
ReplyDeleteThat sandwich looks tasty!
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