Should I Let Basil Go to Seed?

Uses

• The herb originated in Asia, but now grows almost anywhere temperatures are warm enough. The plant combines easily with other herbs, and gives a distinctive taste to food. Basil forms the basis of pesto, a mixture of ground basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil. Some people use dried basil to flavor Italian food, or to create a tea with beneficial effects.

Culture

• Basil loves heat and sunshine, and grows in pots as well as in the garden. Basil may need supplemental water during dry spells, but it's not a hard plant to cultivate. When given enough room, a basil plant can grow as tall as 2 feet. Clipping the basil retards its tendency to bolt, and helps produce new growth on the bush. When basil starts producing seeds, the flavor of the leaves declines.

Considerations

• If you live in a climate with cold winters, basil is the first plant to freeze in the garden. It's a tender plant that can freeze even when covered and, once it freezes, the plant does not recover. Basil is not a hybrid, so you can let your plant bolt, produce seeds and collect them in the late summer to grow another crop in the following season. You can also plant the basil seeds and grow them in pots in the house in a bright, warm location to harvest during the winter.

Preserving

• If you can't use all the basil you trim during summer, you can freeze or dry the herb to preserve it. Roll up basil leaves inside ice cube trays and fill them with water, or dice the fresh basil and combine it with olive oil to make a thick paste. Placed inside a plastic bag and laid flat, cooks can break off a chunk to use in a recipe. Drying basil is not hard, although may require heat to completely dry in warm, humid areas. You can dry basil leaves off the stalks in a 350 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes without browning it. No matter how basil is preserved, washing it first removes any microbes or pathogens it picks up in the garden.