Brilliant Basil & How To Use It

This summer it is time to grow some basil! Basil is a relatively easy herb to grow, and is best grown in Melbourne between the months of September to February.

Basil loves the heat and the sun. So as long as your apartment has access to suitable light and temperature levels, you’ll be growing enough basil to feed your family for the summer!

Its a fragrant and tasty leaf that can be added to various delicious meals such as raw salads, sandwiches, used for garnish, used in cooking dishes for pasta and sauces with tomato and of course the main ingredient in pesto, as a dip or a topping sauce!

So why wouldn’t you want to grow basil?

All you need to do is get a 30cm diameter pot, and plant with seeds or a start plant! Stay on top of watering it every second day, and make sure the container/pot has drainage holes in the bottom of it.

Basil is a needy plant and loves a good companion. Its favourite companion plant is tomato, it likes to get some protection from the sunlight while absorbing the heat!

It is indeed cold intolerant, so if you are growing this plant inside, make sure it is kept in a warm temperature, or covered with a blanket.

When the basil plant has grown, rather than picking leaf by leaf- pick the entire stem segments down to the next set of leaves so it regenerates from this type of harvest!

After you’ve picked your leaves get cooking!

Here’s a perfect and delicious pesto recipe:

• 1/2 glove garlic, chopped
• Sea Salt
• Ground black Pepper
• 3 good handfuls of fresh basil, leaves picked and chopped
• 1 handful of pinenuts, lightly toasted
• 1 good Handful of parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 small squeeze lemon Juice