Which type of basil to plant?

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Thanks everyone for your opinions ! I bought the boxwood because of the little leaves , it said that no chopping to it. I may go back and get the big leaf too for sandwiches like someone mentioned. I've never eat one with that on it...I just don't know that much about the plants. I've always just used the dried basil :) I guess it's too late to plant the seeds for it.
 
Thanks everyone for your opinions ! I bought the boxwood because of the little leaves , it said that no chopping to it. I may go back and get the big leaf too for sandwiches like someone mentioned. I've never eat one with that on it...I just don't know that much about the plants. I've always just used the dried basil :) I guess it's too late to plant the seeds for it.
It's not too late--if you plant the seeds in a pot, you can bring the pot in the house in the fall and have fresh basil through the winter. I sow basil seeds (gotta do that today) between my tomato plants. It grows and I'm in SE Ontario.
 
Whatever the type I planted, the bugs sure like it :wacko: Something has ate the leaves for breakfast, lunch and dinner :(
 
Merlot said:
Whatever the type I planted, the bugs sure like it :wacko: Something has ate the leaves for breakfast, lunch and dinner :(

Oh no! Mine is never bothered by anything. Wonder what et it? Do you have bunnies?
 
Oh no! Mine is never bothered by anything. Wonder what et it? Do you have bunnies?

I have seen a lot of bunnies running around but it definitely looks like bugs, its small holes throughout the middle of the leaves. I might try a soap/ water solution or vinegar spray. :(
 
Merlot said:
I have seen a lot of bunnies running around but it definitely looks like bugs, its small holes throughout the middle of the leaves. I might try a soap/ water solution or vinegar spray. :(

Hmm. Might be flea beetles. They're little black dots, about the size of a large period. Soapy water might do it.
 
Hmm. Might be flea beetles. They're little black dots, about the size of a large period. Soapy water might do it.

I think i did see a small black bug when I inspected the plant, i'll try the soapy water this evening :)
 
Merlot said:
I think i did see a small black bug when I inspected the plant, i'll try the soapy water this evening :)

Pyola spray works well for me too, from Gardens Alive. It combiines canola oil and pyrithrins, knocks out flea beetles, bean beetles, rose slugs, sawflies, you name it. Great stuff!
 
Pyola spray works well for me too, from Gardens Alive. It combiines canola oil and pyrithrins, knocks out flea beetles, bean beetles, rose slugs, sawflies, you name it. Great stuff!

Thanks! I will look for it :)
 
I'm making a trip to the local nursery today so get the plants for my herb pots.. I think a variety of basil is in order again this year. I'll report back later today...

Slim pickings today, I guess I waited too long. I got sweet, Genovese, Thai, Purple Ruffle, and one globe ( but it was a large plant).

No it is not to late to plant at all. I just planted some lemon basil seeds today and some more sweet basil seeds.
 
Buongiorno,

Of course, Genovese Basil for our Pesto ...

As we do not have a terrace for plants, I grow 6 of them indoors, and they are stunning fragrant and sweet ...

Very informative thread, Grazie.

Have a lovely Memorial Wkend.

Ciao,

Margi
 
Because I am deathly allergic to pine nuts, I never use pine nuts in my pesto (that's how I found out I was allergic--I was making pestio--that was kind of an interesting way to end the day--luckily, I wasn't home alone when I went into anaphalactic shock!). I like to make pesto using cilantro and basil. I will usually use almonds or walnuts, although I've made it with pecans or hazelnuts. I have also made pesto with Swiss Chard. Besides the normal kinds of basil (of course, I love purple basil), I grow Thai and Vietnamese basil.

I don't know what all you are allergic to, but a few years ago I found myself unable to find pine nuts (which aren't my favorite anyway), and found a bag of shelled pistachios. Wow, what a pesto it makes! Where I live the pine nuts are not exactly a shelf standard at stores, and they go rancid easily anyway. Pistachios really give the pesto a different character, and I prefer it to walnut.

I grow "lime" basil, and make a "pesto" using the basil, peanuts, some lime zest (if you have lemon grass, so much the better), garlic, and fresh green hot chillies. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. But I freeze this and over the winter I buy a can of coconut milk, add the frozen "pesto", et, voila! Great Green Thai curry!
 
I recently picked up some Cuban Basil at a greenhouse near by. It's winter over here now so I manage the plants indoors of course. Cuban Basil has a very similar taste and scent to the Italian basil. The only difference I notice is the shape the leaves. The Italian is more of an oval leaf and the Cuban has a rounded shape.
 
Basil is one of several herbs I prefer using fresh rather than dry. I grew 9 regular basil plants last summer. boy did I make a lot of pesto, froze it. I find if I want to add flavor to a tomato sauce etc., just whack off the equivelant of 1- 2 ice cubes size chunks and stir that in. It works nicely and I don't have to pay out of season prices for a few sprigs of basil at the market.
 
I tried a bunch of basils last year. I have the best luck with sweet basil. That's all I planted this year. Don't care for pesto, so I use it fresh, in oils and chopped frozen.
 
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