Yum ~ basils! I agree with Critterologist on the small leaf basils. My favorite is Pistou.

A larger leaf favorite from last year was licorice basil but then I am a licorice fan.

I do like camphor too but have not seen a camphor basil Tropicalover. Sounds interesting.


A new one I'm trying this year but didn't get great germination is Yeome basil. Think I spelled it right. I have two little plants in ground and they have a interesting fragrance.

I wasn't aware the seeds would not remain viable longterm but resist saving much seed as it will cross freely with the other basils. What I wanted to save isn't always what I ended up saving. lol

I've had germination from basil seeds that were 5 or 6 years old (from my original "from Italy" packet), and the only reason I didn't get germination after that I'm sure is that the packet got wet enough to moisten the seeds (they turned that grey-ish color from having formed that gel coat)... only the ones that were still black sprouted the next season.

We'll see, since I just sowed a lot of older basil seeds (3-5 years). I think I may have sown Italian Genovese seeds that are more like 9-10 years, as an experiment.

Even when I've had basils blooming at the same time, I haven't had much crossing that I could tell. I try to be aware of the possibility when I plant -- if I put 'Lime' near a purple variety, I'll pretty much be able to tell if any seedlings aren't true to type. Also, if you cut back the blooms (good to do on ones you want to eat, so the leaves don't get bitter), you can selectively allow type A to have a few flower spikes, then type B... basically, you're isolating the plants in time rather than in space.

There are a couple that I grow away from other basils so I can be sure they're staying absolutely true. My favorite cooking basil is one of them!

Critter, what is your favorite cooking basil? Thanks for that tip about the blooms! I will try that this year.

It's the one I've been calling Italian Genoverse, although the packet just said "basil" (in Italian). Somewhat ruffled, medium-large leaves, strong basil flavor with an anise note. Fabulous for pesto, marinara, etc. If that anise flavor doesn't flip your switch, you might prefer Sicilian basil, which is otherwise very similar.

Some of the "lettuce leaf" basils are fun, too, especially in salads. I've heard to put cinnamon basil in fruit salad (will try that this summer), and I've added a little lime basil to salsa for a citrus zing.

Genovese definitely has a strong flavor! And just brushing against the plant releases the lovely scent. It's very nice; I like just snipping off a few leaves into my salad, too.

I got this herb box from Home Depot and the herbs are not marked. I think the one at the bottom is a basil from the aroma, but does anyone here know what these are for sure. All smell lovely.

The silvery-grey one in the middle/upper left looks like sage to me.

Nothing better than the smell of fresh herbs, is there?

Bottom one underneath looks like an oregano. One in back with the blossoms looks like the Thai Basil I got from the box store. Only basil I will eat right off the plant.

Oh the aroma is divine for sure. Thanks for the id's.

Yep, I agree... sage, oregano, and Thai or cinnamon basil... not 'Siam Queen' which has different flowers (big heads of blooms, just lovely), but some of the other Thai varieties have pretty flower spikes like that.

The sage and oregano are perennials, so when they start outgrowing that pot, put them in the ground so you can continue to enjoy them. And don't believe people who say not to water herbs... they are pretty drought tolerant, but they'll grow a lot better with regular water (especially in a container with well-draining potting mix), and basil really isn't drought tolerant at all.

And use them... pinch, pinch, pinch! Butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, throw in a bunch of sage leaves and fry them until they're toasty brown and crisp... butter is now heavenly flavored also and fantastic on linquini or noodles as a side dish.

Oh, gee but that sounds good!

Yum

It's the only thing I really know how to do with sage, LOL... I know it makes a nice compound butter, but what would I use that on? And I'm not a huge fan of sage stuffing in turkey, might try some in pork chops...

Once you try it, you'll put twice as many sage leaves in next time, because everybody fights over those tasty crispy leaves!

Jill-I need to try that. I'm also not a huge sage fan (not even in stuffing) but I grow it because it's such a beautiful herb. Thanks for the suggestion!

There's sage and then there's sage, also... I grow 'Tricolor' because it's gorgeous, but for cooking you probably want a "plain" silver-green one like 'Berggarten', the variety Tom DeBaggio recommended to me (and I have yet to find him mistaken in any advice with regard to herbs! miss him.).

I agree, Berggarten is the way to go, Jill! I love it! It is the only sage I now offer to customers. It has the biggest leaves of any sage I've grown and sure has the perfect flavor.

Speaking of flavor, I'll be sure to "fry" some leaves fried n butter tonight or tomorrow. Sounds delish to me!~

Thanks for the tip!

Shoe

I lost my old 'Berggarten' over the winter, but my new one has about doubled in size since spring... just about time to pinch it back by harvesting some leaves, I think!

:-)

What a nice thread, sorry to be late to the party! Basil is one of the best things to grow here, as it does go right through summer when a lot of my edibles just give up.

Last year I had 7 different kinds of basil. 'Pesto Perpetuo' with pretty variegated leaves has a nice, mild flavor and grows very upright for me. Last year I grew a pretty one called 'Cardinal' that had dark stems and the biggest, pretty dark red flower heads I've seen, but the flavor was a bit harsh for pesto. Ok in sauce and salad dressing, though. I bragged about it so much, I gave my friends all my seeds and I forgot to order more this year.

*Ooops*! Do you remember where you got them?