Sweet Basil Herb
Basil is more often referred to as sweet basil for its fragrant leaves that are used for flavoring. The Italians use this herb extensively in tomato dishes and are given credit for its continuing popularity for culinary uses. The botanical name for Sweet Basil is Ocimum Basilicum and it is referred to by many people, who practise herb cookery, ad common basil.
This is supposedly the best variety for culinary use. It has light green leaves that sometimes have a purple leaves tinge on the underside. The leaves are oval shaped and toothed on the edge. Another variety has curly, and still another has purple leaves with slight coppery tint to them.
These plants generally grow to two feet in height in the garden, but indoors, by pinching, they can be maintened at about eight inches. They are grown quite easily from seed that germinate in about ten days. Basil is annual herb and will not winter outside in areas that are not frost-free.
The plant prefers a sunny location with a soil mixture containing equal parts sand, soil and peat moss. Add one-half cup of dried cow manure to this soil mixture and forget further feeding. Keep the soil mixture just barely moist and pinch the tops frequently to encourage a compact growth habit as well as prevent the plant from flowering. As with Parsley herb, flowering causes the leaves to lose their best flavouring qualities.
