Possible Health benefits from Basil

Possible benefits of including more basil in your diet, may include:

Possibly helping to prevent cancer of the bladder and prostate
Aiding in digestion
Can be used to treat flatulence and an upset stomach
As an antibiotic, it may help to fight colds and the flu

Just a few more great reasons to add and extra dash of basil to your dishes. I am always very generous with the basil I use in recipes.

Growing Basil from seed in your own garden

Planting Basil can be a very rewarding experience. It is an annual herb. If you want to get a head start on your basil, plant the seeds about 6 weeks before the last frost date for your area. You can set them near a sunny window for best results. The seeds take about 5-15 (depending on what seeds you have) to germinate. You will want to plant them about 1/8-1/4 inch deep in the soil. They will grow to about 18-24 inches high.

After the danger of frost, transplant your seedlings to an outdoor area, about 10 inches apart. You will want them to be about 3 inches tall. If you have no seedlings, now is the time to plant your seeds directly into the soil. You can thin out your plants as they grow to about 3 inches. Grows well in pots.

Tip, pinch back flowers to encourage more leaf growth. Begin to harvest all but 2 or 3 leaves at the base of the branch before flowers bloom.

Preserve leaves by drying or freezing, if you have to many to use fresh as an ingredient.
Enjoy!

Uses for Basil

Some like to use basil in the garden, as a border, or as part of a kitchen garden. Many love to use Basil as an herb for cooking. Its leaves are some of the most popular herbs used for cooking. The uses are almost limitless.

Basil has a spicy sweet scent to it, and the whole plant has a pleasant aroma to it. If you rub one of the leaves between your fingers, you can release the scent even more. The leaves have a spicy flavor which makes all kinds of food extra delicious. From green salads, to cheese and tomato dishes, soups, omelets, you can't go wrong with basil.

Basil makes a great companion for tomato plants, and other plants in the garden.

There is a Genovese Basil, that is large leafed, and originated in Italy. It is a favorite there for making pesto. Basil is easy to grow. I will be including it in my herb garden again this year.

Basil, one of the most favored herbs

There are a few different types of Basil, and I will be focusing mainly on sweet basil, unless otherwise noted.
I hope you learn something new that is beneficial to you. Thank you for stopping by.