Basil

W

wordwiz

My son loves to sell basil to restaurants plus use it in food. Two years ago, I had a real nice crop then last year made a mistake and planted it in the dead part of the garden. This year, I planted some real early that never came up, sowed some more that didn't seem to sprout even a month later, then sowed some new seeds about a month ago. Well, now I have plants, Sweet and Thai alike. I thinned the Thai a couple of days ago and stuck a couple of the tiniest plants in a hydro unit. They seem to be surviving.

Pix tomorrow!

Mike
 
I love Thai basil. Great in spicy dishes.
 
I planted 5 seeds from walmart...regular old basil...whatever that is...I had 5 sprouts, put them in my new raised bed and had to pull two of them up....they are taking over....I got about a pound of dried basil leaves off the plants I pulled up....more than I will use in a lifetime...

what is the difference in the sweet and thai....other than sweet?... :lol:
 
AJ, I can't tell you the difference but it's there in taste. I have many kinds of basil including cinnamon and lime. I just experiment with them. My son mixes them together as a combination. It's all basil, it's all good..I know big help that is. lol.

Jackie
 
I can't really describe the difference, the regular basil has a kind-of minty quality that the Thai does not have, the Thai, is maybe a bit peppery? I've only had it in dishes, never chewed on a leaf, so really don't know, I just know I love the taste.
 
AJ,

I've never had Thai Basil before so don't know either. The stuff does does big and bushy, especially if you keep cutting off the tops of new shoots. I've got about ten Thai plants and eight Sweet ones, plus two Thai plants in hydro now.

Mike
 
I wanna grow it next year. Already got the seeds, am looking forward to having so much I won't know what to do with it! :)
 
Basil is easy as hell to grow and maintain. You can pretty much keep a regrowing crop throughout the season. Plant it, water it, snip off the buds, and that's really it. Basil also clones easily. I got a few dozen plants one summer from 2 donor plants. Don't let it it go to seed or you will not get much foliage. Pick off any yuck leaves and such and you'll be fine.

As you can see in my garden thread (link in sig) i have 3 types. Thai, Genovese, and Spicy Globe. Let me see if i can shed any light on this.

Genovese is your classic sweet basil and has a classic pesto smell to it and does indeed have a minty quality to it. The leaves are large and roundish.

Thai is used in alot of...thai. It has the classic basil smell blended with a peppery note and a heavy dose of an anisette tone overall. Almond shaped leaves with purple highlights all over. It goes very well with hot chiles.

Spicy globe it small, light in color, TONS of leaves, and grows more like a shrub. The leaves are delicate and light with tender stems as opposed to the woody stems of thai and genovese. This guy is pruned like a shrub and could easily be turned into a basil topiary. I leave mine round. I grow mine next to the Thai and for some reason, the leaves next to the thai plant tend to grow larger than the rest of the plant.

There are tons of varieties. Pineapple, sweet, red ruffle, and even chocolate basil.
 
For God's SAKE eat it fresh AJ!!!!!;)

The dried home-made is better than store bought, but fresh is where it is at!

I just put a ton of fresh basil (usually chiffonade but torn or whole is fine) on: Pizza, Pasta, grilled chicken breast stuffed with mozzerella, tomato soup, lasagna, eggplant, etc.

You can take a store bought jar of Ragu (I only do this in a pinch) and make it taste gourmet by adding a 1/4 cup or so of chopped basil!

I love it.

That and oregano are essential. I also grow thyme parsley and sage......and rosemary....(I am starting to sound like a simon and garfunkle song;))
 
ring sting said:
What about coriander[cilantro]? I really like its clean flavour.

RS
Click to expand...

Coriander seeds are amazing in curries.
 
cheezydemon said:
For God's SAKE eat it fresh AJ!!!!!;)

The dried home-made is better than store bought, but fresh is where it is at!

I just put a ton of fresh basil (usually chiffonade but torn or whole is fine) on: Pizza, Pasta, grilled chicken breast stuffed with mozzerella, tomato soup, lasagna, eggplant, etc.
Click to expand...

Don't forget pesto. I love that stuff. I also use a lot of basil making bruschetta.
 
The thai is a nice basil. I grew it last season and it is peppery lik THP stated.

I also grew baby basil (perennial basil). Grows to about 30cm tall (12") and it is the sweetest basil.:drooling:. It might be the sweet basil some of you are talking about??

I am growing lemon basil this season so i will let you know how it comes out.

I grew pineapple sage last season as well and WOW, what a plant!!!

I think (as we all do) life is boring without herbs.
 
moyboy said:
The thai is a nice basil. I grew it last season and it is peppery lik THP stated.

I also grew baby basil (perennial basil). Grows to about 30cm tall (12") and it is the sweetest basil.:drooling:. It might be the sweet basil some of you are talking about??

I am growing lemon basil this season so i will let you know how it comes out.

I grew pineapple sage last season as well and WOW, what a plant!!!

I think (as we all do) life is boring without herbs.
Click to expand...

Thx Myboy nice selection..i think the Thai and lemon basil will go on my list for season 2009..cheers for the quick answer ;)
 
Speaking of messing with quotes.....
JayT said:
The dried home-made is better than store bought, but fresh is where it is at!

Don't forget pesto. I love that stuff. I also use a lot of basil when I eat my friends and neighbors.
Click to expand...


;)


AHHHHHHHH! Fresh BASIL!
 
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