Basil and co.

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Basil is a summer-only herb and gives us pesto - the taste of summer. You'll always regret not planting basil and now is the time (in the northern hemisphere) to plant it in pots and place on a sunny windowsill.
Photo left - pesto - basil, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil. Certain people will eat this bowlful (with bread or biscuits) in a day, so be warned you'll need a dozen basil plants and quite a lot of garlic.
Photo right - the cucumber plant growing around a friendly basil plant.

 

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Basil and Garlic are Insect deterrent.

big rockpile

 

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Basil and Garlic are Insect deterrent.

They also attract bees when they flower. Pruning of the basil flowers is important to get a bushy plant. Alway clip off the flowers and the two leaves growing with the flowers, leaving the next two leaves on the plant.
I only grow 'sweet basil' normally but there are a lot of varieties including a purple one and India's favorite 'holy basil'.
Like most vegetables it needs fertile soil that is well drained.

 

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Pruning of the basil flowers is important to get a bushy plant. Alway clip off the flowers and the two leaves growing with the flowers, leaving the next two leaves on the plant.

Photo#1 is the after pruning of the basil in photo#2. In a week's time the pruned plant will be a leafy bush.

 

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Basil smells very medicinal. Its aroma is probably healing and 'food as medicine' advocates list numerous health benefits.
Lemon Verbena smells sweeter but is difficult to use although both make a good herbal tea.
Thyme and bay leaves also smell medicinal and rival basil for taste.
Parsley is probably the only herb more popular, with wider usages, than basil. Both are green leafy plants that aid digestion and increase vitamin, fiber and roughage intake.
The 'and co' part of the thread title includes all these tasty, medicinal herbs. Buying them from the shops is unsatisfactory because they wilt so quickly that you end up wasting most of what you buy. Picking them fresh each day just before cooking with them is a joy.