Comments on: How to Harvest Basil & Keep It Fresh

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:59:25 +0000

Thank you so much for your post! Very helpful! I have a lot of basil growing in my garden for the first time and had no idea what to do with it.

By: Willi

Willi — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:32:01 +0000

Chiara–If your basil is in a container then you’ll need to check on its water twice a day. If it’s in the ground, it is best to water it deeply (soaking the soil to about 8 inches) and then wait for the soil to dry down. You’ll know that you should water when you stick your finger into the soil and it is dry down to your second knuckle. It’s best to water in the morning. That way you don’t lose much water to evaporation and if you accidentally get the foliage wet, it will soon dry out when the sun warms up. Good luck with your basil! I hope you get a big harvest.

By: Chiara

Chiara — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:07:27 +0000

Great tips! I just planted my first small patch of basil, so I can’t wait to put all these suggestions into action. In terms of watering, is once a day in warm-weather climates a good amount? And is there a better time to water? Mid-day? Late afternoon? After the sun has set? So much to learn!

By: AlexM

AlexM — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:19:44 +0000

By: LadyJayPee

LadyJayPee — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:14:36 +0000

Your basil looks so nice & lush! Lately, I have been harvesting mine, placing it in a Rubbermaid-type container, & freezing the leaves whole. The basil stays green. When I want to add it to a recipe, I take out the amount I want to use and literally crumble the frozen leaves into my dish.

By: Willi

Willi — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:38:34 +0000

I’ll have to try your method for drying basil. I’ve only tried store bought dried basil and have always been so disappointed with its flavor. Thanks so much for the tips on keeping basil fresh and drying it!

By: Paul Feenan

Paul Feenan — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:19:50 +0000

Here at Barnyard gardens we grow greenhouse basil and have a lot of extra laying around. We have had good luck drying our extra basil here and there We simply put it in a large paper shopping bag in a dry but not too hot of a spot (not too much in a bag at once). We fold the top of the bag shut and once a day (or so) we open it up and give the bag a shake and rustle the basil about. The dried basil has an intense fresh flavor for our pasta dishes in the winter. We don’t do a ton like this because we process quite a bit of basil in oil and freeze it but once in a while that dried basil is convenient and we find this method results in flavor worth doing! I have had similar luck doing this in a cardboard box but the shopping bag seems to be more convenient.

By: marguerite

marguerite — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:26:20 +0000

I was heading down the coast to our beach house and noticed my basil needed picking. I picked off all the tops and put them in a plastic bag leaving it oven so they could vent, but still keep moisture inside. I had alot and used some each day. Do you know by the end of the week what was left in the back looked like I had just picked it. It was never in the fridge and never in water, just lightly moist. I put the basil in salads in pasta, but when I asked the kids if I should put it in pancakes they thought I was crazy!

By: Homegrown » Blog Archive » Growing, harvesting and storing fresh basil

Homegrown » Blog Archive » Growing, harvesting and storing fresh basil — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:03:10 +0000

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