Countertop garden tips for fresh herbs
Have fresh herbs in your kitchen at all times with your own countertop garden.
Problem Solved
- Basil can be preserved by freezing whole leaves or chopped leaves in ice cube trays with water or olive oil.
- Regular pruning and pinching encourages bushier growth and a continuous harvest throughout the summer.
- Basil is a tender annual herb that thrives in warm, sunny conditions and well-draining soil.
The start of summer is here, and with it comes backyard cookouts featuring foods we associate with the warm weather of the season.
Many of my favorite summer foods include something which I grow in my home garden, but it isn’t mouth-watering sweet corn, juicy tomatoes or sweet watermelon. My favorite item in my garden is neither a vegetable nor a fruit; it is basil, an herb.
Sweet, Thai or purple — any type of basil makes many of the summer foods and drinks I enjoy even tastier.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is native to India and Asia having been cultivated there more than 5,000 years ago. It is grown as a perennial in that part of the world thanks to warm tropical climates.
Basil is in the mint family, and herbalists have recommended basil for years for stomach and digestive issues. I love basil for its unique taste, which can best be described as rich and tasty, mildly peppery with hints of mint and clove.
Like its culinary cousins oregano, rosemary and thyme, basil is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) of plants which are easily identified by their hairy square stems.
Growing basil
Basil is a tender annual which must be replanted every season. It requires fertile, well-draining soil. Choose a site with full sun, meaning at least six to eight hours per day.
Seeds can be started indoors six weeks before the last spring frost. Basil needs warm soil and warm air temperatures, so transplant or seed after the last expected frost date and after the soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Basil germinates around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is exactly where soil temperatures are currently in Columbus.
Do not rush basil. Without heat, this herb won’t grow. Plant seeds about one-quarter-inch deep and thin to 10 to 12 inches apart. Basil grows in a container with a good fertile potting mix. I get a plentiful harvest with one large pot of basil.
Caring for basil throughout the summer is not difficult. Make sure that the soil remains moist. Water the soil and not the leaves. Use a mulch, like straw, around the basil plants to conserve soil moisture and reduce weeds.
After the seedlings have their first six leaves, prune (or pinch) to above the second set. Every time a branch has six to eight leaves, repeat pruning the branches back to their first set of leaves.
Downy mildew
Basil is bothered by few pests and diseases. The most common disease which attacks basil is downy mildew, which will kill plants. It is characterized by yellowing leaves with a gray downy growth on the undersides.
Downy mildew is an airborne disease which travels great distances in the wind. It is not soil-borne. Cultural practices that minimize leaf wetness and reduce humidity can discourage this fungal growth. Plant basil in an area with abundant sunlight and good air movement.
Avoid overhead watering. Unfortunately, all sweet varieties are very susceptible to downy mildew. Thai basil, lemon basil, lime basil, purple and spicy basils have all been found to be less susceptible. Infested plants should be removed and disposed of in household trash.
Harvesting basil
Once air temperatures reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit, basil will really start leafing out. Harvest the leaves regularly to encourage growth throughout the summer. Simply pinch the leaf stem of individual basil leaves in order to harvest them.
As flower buds appear at the top of basil stems, pinch them off as this keeps the plant vegetative, growing strong and bushy, providing for a continual harvest through the warm days of fall. The flavor of basil will be adversely affected if flowers are allowed to develop on the plant.
With this continual harvest, one large container of basil typically yields enough to make pesto each week with additional leaves for bruschetta, salads and pizza!
When cold weather is predicted, be sure to harvest all basil leaves or move the plant indoors. Temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit will discolor leaves, which is why stems of basil picked for use in the kitchen are best held in a glass of water at room temperature instead of in the refrigerator.
Preserving basil
A good method for preserving basil is freezing. Place whole leaves in a freezer-quality plastic bag, remove the air and freeze. Alternatively, chop leaves into an ice cube tray and add either a little water or olive oil (based on how you will use it later) and freeze until solid.
Put the basil ice cubes into a freezer-quality plastic bag, remove as much air as possible, label and freeze. Pesto can also be frozen using this ice-cube method.
Another preserving method is drying. Hang stems or place pinched leaves on a cooling rack in a warm, dry, well-ventilated area away from sunlight. You can also dry leaves in a dehydrator.
The basil leaves are sufficiently dry when they are crisp. Store whole or crushed leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place.
Mike Hogan is Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources and associate professor with Ohio State University Extension.
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