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Basil
Dec 22, 2010 13:00:16 GMT -5
Post by daylilydude on Dec 22, 2010 13:00:16 GMT -5
WOW!! Just how many varieties are there?
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Basil
Dec 22, 2010 20:56:19 GMT -5
Post by w8in4dave on Dec 22, 2010 20:56:19 GMT -5
I don't know how many but we just put our dried Purple Basil in containers.. My house still smells like Basil great stuff.. I want some Giant Basil next year!!
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Basil
Dec 23, 2010 5:51:12 GMT -5
Post by daylilydude on Dec 23, 2010 5:51:12 GMT -5
I don't know how many but we just put our dried Purple Basil in containers.. My house still smells like Basil great stuff.. I want some Giant Basil next year!! Giant Basil.... do tell?
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Basil
Dec 23, 2010 8:35:27 GMT -5
Post by bluelacedredhead on Dec 23, 2010 8:35:27 GMT -5
Mammoth Basil is a sweet basil with leaves twice the size of other sweet varieties.
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rintintin
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Basil
Dec 23, 2010 20:25:59 GMT -5
Post by rintintin on Dec 23, 2010 20:25:59 GMT -5
I grew some a year ago when I was in a warmer climate. I used the giant leaves for 'wraps' around such things as mozzarella cheese, tuna salad, sweet peppers, etc. It was a wonderful way to snack while working in the garden.
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Basil
Dec 23, 2010 20:33:27 GMT -5
Post by bluelacedredhead on Dec 23, 2010 20:33:27 GMT -5
Ooooo, that sounds good. Thanks for the tip, Rin
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Basil
Dec 27, 2010 16:24:21 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 16:24:21 GMT -5
i have several packets of different kinds of basil,but i always for get to plant it and wind up buying a few plant. maybe this spring i'll remember and plant them,hopeing the seed is still good,,about 3 years i think.
Larry
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Basil
Dec 30, 2010 23:24:12 GMT -5
Post by w8in4dave on Dec 30, 2010 23:24:12 GMT -5
I don't know how many but we just put our dried Purple Basil in containers.. My house still smells like Basil great stuff.. I want some Giant Basil next year!! Giant Basil.... do tell? it was not giant basil.. I wish I had some I'd certainly love to try it..is that a warm climate Basil???
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grapenut
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Basil
Dec 31, 2010 15:46:29 GMT -5
Post by grapenut on Dec 31, 2010 15:46:29 GMT -5
Is there some sort of trick to growing Basil? mine always seems to die on me. I plant in full sun and in well drained raised beds and it starts doing nice only to start looking sunburnt and then die, I have even tried growing in the shade and all i end up with is stunted looking plants, I know I must be doing something wrong...but what?
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Basil
Dec 31, 2010 19:19:20 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2010 19:19:20 GMT -5
I grew genovese and lemon basil last summer, and they both did great...the lemon basil is outta this world, smell fantastic....I start my basil (all herbs) from seed, on heat mats, then under lights about 6 weeks before they go outside. The head start does them wonders when planted...I got so much basil I dried about a Qt worth after crumbling the leaves...that would last me 2 years ;D I couldn't pick it fast enough...I had probably 25 genovese basil plants growing in between some tomato plants, and the lemon basil growing on its own in another area....I have lime and cinnamon basil on my list for this summer
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Deleted
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Basil
Dec 31, 2010 20:53:47 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2010 20:53:47 GMT -5
There are scores of varieties. I got interested the them as cut flower fillers. Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil is my favorite all purpose variety. It is culinary, medicinal, one of the very best in cut flower arranging.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Basil
Jan 1, 2011 1:34:32 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2011 1:34:32 GMT -5
Is there some sort of trick to growing Basil? mine always seems to die on me. I plant in full sun and in well drained raised beds and it starts doing nice only to start looking sunburnt and then die, I have even tried growing in the shade and all i end up with is stunted looking plants, I know I must be doing something wrong...but what? I'm not sure, basil been one of the few things that has always done well for me even in these unbearable argusts we have in mo. i was going to say maybe they get wet feet but ya said ya plant in well drained soil.
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rintintin
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Posts: 150
Joined: December 2010
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Basil
Jan 1, 2011 5:01:19 GMT -5
Post by rintintin on Jan 1, 2011 5:01:19 GMT -5
@ mvnewf:
You mentioned growing basil plants amongst your tomatoes...good choice. As well as the two compliment each other in the kitchen, they do more so in the garden. The two plants were meant for each other. They both seem to do better growing side-by-side...maybe they know that they will be married in the kitchen.
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Basil
Jan 1, 2011 16:00:54 GMT -5
Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 1, 2011 16:00:54 GMT -5
I raised lemon basil and lime basil this year as well as Genovese and Opal.
Holy Basil is a good one for Tea, although the seeds I received in a trade (not on any of the forums you know me from) didn't do well, so I had a very poor crop. I'd like to try it again from a reliable source.
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Trudi
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Basil
Jan 1, 2011 16:21:59 GMT -5
Post by Trudi on Jan 1, 2011 16:21:59 GMT -5
Is there some sort of trick to growing Basil? mine always seems to die on me. I plant in full sun and in well drained raised beds and it starts doing nice only to start looking sunburnt and then die, I have even tried growing in the shade and all i end up with is stunted looking plants, I know I must be doing something wrong...but what? Grow it in part shade!
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Basil
Jan 2, 2011 0:03:21 GMT -5
Post by w8in4dave on Jan 2, 2011 0:03:21 GMT -5
Mine just grows so fast!! I have never been able to grow it in the house tho.. You know how some people have a basil plant in the house.. Mine always dies!
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Basil
Jan 2, 2011 12:14:26 GMT -5
Post by pepperhead212 on Jan 2, 2011 12:14:26 GMT -5
I grow basil every off-season hydroponically, and it does great! I only need one of each plant, and it is still far too much. I now have 2 serratas and 2 siam queens, both of which I grew from cuttings from my outside basils. I actually have to remove the smallest of each type, so I can use the space for other plants! I grow Siam Queen because of all the Thai and other SE Asian food I cook, and it seems to have better flavor than other Thai basils I have tried. And the serrata has a great flavor for Italian food, plus stays very bushy, which is good for hydro or pot growing. And it is so productive! It is one of the slowest bolting varieties I have every grown, as long as it is kept watered. A few years ago I noticed one of the serrata and one of the SQ basils growing MUCH better than the others in the hydro, so I took cuttings, and they grew better outside, too, and I have been cloning those ever since, getting these incredibly productive plants every time. I only grow my basils in windowsill pots around my deck in the summer, with drip emitters on them, and only hald a day of light, and they do fine. The Lemon basils I grew for the first time, and they all turned out tall and leggy, and bolting frequently, so either they didn't like heat (wouldn't make sense, as they are grown in Malaysia!), or need all day light.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Basil
Jan 2, 2011 20:13:25 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2011 20:13:25 GMT -5
I've been growing Genovese (love it) for a number of years, and am trying Lemon, Lime, and a new one, Profumo di Genova this yr. Really looking forward to seeing if Profumo is as good as the seed co. says.
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Basil
Jan 6, 2011 13:12:25 GMT -5
Post by sorellina on Jan 6, 2011 13:12:25 GMT -5
Ciao all-
Basil is a huge staple in my garden. It's hard for me now to remember how I got along without all of the different kinds I grow now. I have 2 sizable raised beds in the back of the garden. Each one has 6 indeterminate tomato plants in the very back, then a path wide enough for me to walk in, then 2 rows of 8 eggplants, and in front of those are my basils with nasturtiums in between. I grow 4 sets of 2 clumps of the same variety in the front of each bed with nasturtiums in between each set. On each end of the bed is another set of 2 plants and in the middle, breaking the eggplants into 2 sets of 8 plants is another set of 2 plants. So all in all, there are potentially 7 varieties of basil in each bed, although I usually grow 2 sets of 2 plants of the Genovese because I use that one the most. Others I always grow are Napolitano, also known as Lettuce Leaf and those leaves get quite large and crinkly. I use that one for Insalata di Caprese or the Italian flag salad of basil, fresh mozzarella, and tomato. I also always grow a variety of Thai Basil for Asian soups and stir fries. All of the others get mixed around depending on whether I want to try something new. I love the purple ones for fresh salads to add colour and also the small globe basils for sprinkling on salads and pizzas. I like the aromatic ones (lemon, lime, anise, cinnamon, licorice) for baking, with fruit, or for jellies. Lemon and Lime Basils make good vinegars and marinades for grilling. The lime is also good in Thai and Vietnamese dishes that require a lime flavour (like tom yum soup and salad rolls). I also like the strongly-flavoured Blue Spice Basil coupled with Lemon Balm in salads. If you have issues with insects eating your basils, try Blue Spice as it seems to have some resistance to bug damage. It's also one of the hardier basils with colder weather and the last one to die in my garden.
New ones for me in 2010: Purple Petra and Magical Michael. I loved both of these and will be re-growing them.
New ones for me in 2011: Rosie and Etruria. Rosie was touted by Richters as a purple basil with absolutely no rogue green in it. Purple basils always have this problem and I've yet to grow an absolutely pure one so this is exciting. Etruria is another Italian one that I want to compare to Genovese.
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adobo
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Posts: 255
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Basil
Jan 10, 2011 2:40:47 GMT -5
Post by adobo on Jan 10, 2011 2:40:47 GMT -5
I grow several varieties last year. To my surprise, they are very weak against daily rains. It cause some kind of rot on the plants. Since most of them are grown in containers, I can move them during different seasons. On summer, I move them under a tree so that the scorching heat wont burn them. Some hoppers and caterpillars love to feast on them. My biggest concerns are those black "aphids" like critters that do major damage. My favourites so far are: mammoth -> leaves can be substitute for lettuce dark opal -> quite showy and ornamental serata -> bushy and unusual looking basil minette -> compact and dwarf and takes very long to bolt those flower spikes I love the scents of lemon and lime basil but they do bolt early and constant pinching is required. i want to share a pic of my dark opal..
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swamper
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Basil
Mar 19, 2011 11:11:07 GMT -5
Post by swamper on Mar 19, 2011 11:11:07 GMT -5
Always some thai: (queenette last year, thai magic this year), and lemon basil, (not mrs. burns please) my favorites. Also nufar for sweet basil.
Last year I trialed numerous dwarf basils, and liked marseillais the best. It had more flavor with a little bit of the twang that lemon basil has.
I like to freeze a basil olive oil puree in airtight ziplocs, then thaw and add other ingredients for pesto later, or just slice or grate some off the block with a cheese grater. Bigger blocks in airtight bags are better since the outside has a tendency to turn dark, and lose flavor.
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Basil
Mar 24, 2011 21:34:49 GMT -5
Post by pepperhead212 on Mar 24, 2011 21:34:49 GMT -5
Adobo, I also found the lemon basil was bolting constantly, and grew very tall and sparse, despite my pinching back efforts. I tried lime basil the first year it was available, and was not impressed. I had hopes for it, figuring that the lime flavor was something that would be good with Thai food, but it was not as good as lemon, IMO, plus not as productive. Maybe they have improved it, since then. I just got some seeds for a new variety, which sounded good: Summerlong. I'll leave an update down the road, as to if it is bolt resistant, how productive it is, and if the flavor is good. I'll also grow one hydroponically, to see if it will be good in the winter.
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Basil
Mar 25, 2011 12:06:06 GMT -5
Post by sorellina on Mar 25, 2011 12:06:06 GMT -5
Ciao Dave-
You're right, Lime isn't going to wow anyone with huge plants. I broadcast-sow my basil so my plants are thick clumps and since I DO use the lime quite a bit, I always grow 2 clumps of it and try to "tame" the nasturtiums around it from crowding like they can and will do. What is your source for your Lime Basil? I can send you some of my Richters stuff if you think you might like to try some. I find it indispensible for marinades, soups, stir fries and anything I'd use Kaffir lime leaves. I also really love it for fajitas.
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adobo
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Basil
Mar 27, 2011 22:54:31 GMT -5
Post by adobo on Mar 27, 2011 22:54:31 GMT -5
8 types of basils..
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nolika
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Tomato Junkie
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Basil
Mar 28, 2011 2:45:53 GMT -5
Post by nolika on Mar 28, 2011 2:45:53 GMT -5
NICE!!! I just love the ruffled ones...
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Deleted
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Basil
Mar 28, 2011 9:28:43 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2011 9:28:43 GMT -5
8 types of basils.. I love going into the garden and just burying my face in the basil... then over to the dill... then back to the basil... I prefer the Genovese.
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adobo
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Posts: 255
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Basil
Mar 29, 2011 4:07:18 GMT -5
Post by adobo on Mar 29, 2011 4:07:18 GMT -5
Adobo, I also found the lemon basil was bolting constantly, and grew very tall and sparse, despite my pinching back efforts. I tried lime basil the first year it was available, and was not impressed. I had hopes for it, figuring that the lime flavor was something that would be good with Thai food, but it was not as good as lemon, IMO, plus not as productive. Maybe they have improved it, since then. I just got some seeds for a new variety, which sounded good: Summerlong. I'll leave an update down the road, as to if it is bolt resistant, how productive it is, and if the flavor is good. I'll also grow one hydroponically, to see if it will be good in the winter. Upto now, I still can't distinguish the scent difference of my lemon and lime basil. maybe my source of lime really sent me a lemon basil... Minette basil seemed very solw to bolt. I never had a minette that bolted. It was either turned into a hopper salad of the constant rain killed it. I had a minnete growing for 7 mos and it never showed any signs of bolting...
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Deleted
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Basil
Mar 29, 2011 8:55:26 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2011 8:55:26 GMT -5
I love basils....there are scores of varieties. I especially love Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil for culinary use and as an excellent cut flower. Mrs. Burns and Thia Siam Queen are great in cut flower arrangements - great filler. I sell them in edible arrangements.
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Basil
Mar 29, 2011 11:42:22 GMT -5
Post by sorellina on Mar 29, 2011 11:42:22 GMT -5
Ciao chickweed-
You might want to try Magical Michael if you like the more ornamental types. It makes large flower clusters like the Thai and the colour is a deep red.
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Deleted
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Basil
Mar 29, 2011 15:41:29 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2011 15:41:29 GMT -5
Cool! I just received seeds for Magic Michael! I will also be doing Mrs. Burns, Siam Queen Thai, Blue Spice, Holy Green, Genovese, Dwarf Greek, Sweet Dani, and Large Leaf Italian. Never too much basil!
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