Released May 26, 2008
URBANA, Ill. -- The key to growing basil is remembering that it is a tropical plant and is extremely sensitive to cold temperatures, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
"For this reason, many home gardeners choose to start basil seed indoors while the weather is still cool and there is a chance of frost," said Jennifer Schultz Nelson.
Basil is a particular favorite of hers--and many home gardeners and cooks--because of its spicy, sweet fragrance that is far superior to the faded scent of dried basil.
Basil needs full sun and well-drained soil in order to produce the most flavorful leaves. Water stress can severely slow or even kill a basil plant. The plants need plenty of regular watering during the heat of summer to keep them from wilting, and mulches are recommended for conserving moisture as well as preventing soil splashing, in turn keeping the leaves clean.
"It is tempting to over-apply fertilizer on basil, thinking that this will produce more of the leaves that are popular in tomato sauces, pesto, and other culinary delights," she said. "Heavy fertilizing will produce more leaves, but will reduce the flavor quality. While the fertilizer promotes faster leaf growth, production of the oils responsible for the distinctive basil flavor does not keep up with the enhanced growth."
As basil grows, it will eventually produce flower buds. If allowed to bloom, the basil will not produce any more leaves and those still on the plant will decline in quality.
"To extend your basil harvest, pinch the flower buds off as they appear," said Nelson. "This will encourage more bushy growth and a more sturdy plant."
More and more types of basil are available at garden centers each year. And, if you include mail-order sources, the list of cultivars seems to never end.
"Lemon, cinnamon, lime, and licorice basil are cultivars that have some hint of their name in their flavor," she said. "The most unique one I found this summer was green pepper basil, which did really have a very 'green' aftertaste reminiscent of a green bell pepper."
There is incredible variety among plant habit, size, and color in basil cultivars. Flowers range in color from white to shades of pink and purple. Leaf color varies in both color and size. Several deep purple-leaved cultivars are available, and there is even a variegated cultivar available called "Holly's Painted."
"One of my favorite large-leaf varieties is 'Lettuce Leaf,' whose large leaves have a crinkly texture much like a lettuce leaf," she said. "It is an excellent substitute for lettuce on sandwiches or added to a salad. To me, a BLT made with fresh garden tomatoes and lettuce leaf basil is a taste that surpasses anything available from the grocery store."
Nelson added that most people agree that dried basil is not to be compared to the flavor of the fresh plant. It is possible to freeze basil leaves, but often the leaves will turn black in the freezer.
"Many prefer to combine the leaves whole or chopped with olive oil before freezing, which maintains the green color," she said. "One popular method freezes chopped basil combined with water or oil in ice cube trays. The individual cubes can be used in recipes as needed.
"That way you can have a little bit of summer on even the darkest winter day."
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http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/news/stories/news4401.html
Contacts: Jennifer Schultz Nelson, (217) 877-6042
Bob Sampson, (217) 244-0225, rsampson@uiuc.edu
