Did you ever wonder?

[Claire]

I'm putting this in off-topic because, although my first question is food-oriented, I want everyone to chime in with their niggling, why? questions, and maybe someone in our DC community can answer them.

I'm starting with basil and tomatoes. I love that tomato/basil/mozzerella salad, and everyone knows basil and tomatoes are great together. I wonder why? I've gardened in several zones and my basil is NEVER at its prime when my tomatoes come in. The basil always bolts before I have a tomato crop. I dead-head the basil constantly, but the leaves, although tasty, are tough, you wouldn't put those whole leaves in that salad. Is the climate in Italy that different?

 

[sparrowgrass]

Maybe start a second crop a little later, and put it partly in the shade?

 

[Snip 13]

I'm putting this in off-topic because, although my first question is food-oriented, I want everyone to chime in with their niggling, why? questions, and maybe someone in our DC community can answer them.

I'm starting with basil and tomatoes. I love that tomato/basil/mozzerella salad, and everyone knows basil and tomatoes are great together. I wonder why? I've gardened in several zones and my basil is NEVER at its prime when my tomatoes come in. The basil always bolts before I have a tomato crop. I dead-head the basil constantly, but the leaves, although tasty, are tough, you wouldn't put those whole leaves in that salad. Is the climate in Italy that different?

I plant basil all year round and basil is also a good companion plant for tomatoes since it helps to keep the bugs at bay. If you are having problems getting your tomatoes and basil growing at the same pace you can also serve fresh buffalo mozzarella with slices of tomato and pesto drizzled over.

Watercress and rocket are also good with mozza and tomatoes.

I also crumb fresh mozzarella and deep fry them and serve with rocket and sundried tomato pesto.

 

[Claire]

Sparrow, that is my experiment for the year! I have a half barrel in the shade, and just planted my second crop. My first tomatoes are just coming in, and my first basil crop just went into pesto in the freezer.

And, too, I have in the past taken those older, tough basil leaves and chiffonaded them and made the salad. It just makes me curious.

 

[buckytom]

i agree with the timing and shading of plantings that sparrow mentioned. also, on larger farms or across a village you might have microclimates that can affect the timing of the harvests.

this year, i planted my cukes in the shade of the shed, and a few weeks later than my tomatoes, which were planted a few weeks later then my peppers in an attempt to have a salad come to fruition all at the same time.

i just planted the lettuces and can harvest kale when everything else should be ready in august.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

The FTC is the same as our Monopolies and Merger commission.
We both only have one commission investigating Monopolies, I cant understand the reason why as that makes them a monopoly.

 

[justplainbill]

Since you do not live in a mild Mediterranean climate, your're better off going the pesto route. You might also experiment with different varieties of basil, half day (afternoon) sun and a sandier soil. This year the bugs are getting to eat more of our basil than we are..

 

[sparrowgrass]

I planted basil between my tomato plants this year--seems to be working pretty well. The tomatoes shade the basil, and it is big and pretty right now as the tomatoes are coming in. It is Genovese basil.