Posts
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| via Flickr by Till Westermayer |
We love getting our hands dirty and flexing our green thumbs, and it's a great time of the year to do just that in Australia.
We are just about
hitting peak season for planting basil, so be sure to get it into the
garden soon! We love basil for its numerous varieties (Thai, lemon, sweet,
purple...and the list goes on!), as well as its low-maintenance nature.
Basil’s primary use is in the kitchen. Common
in Italian and Southeast Asian cuisine, it’s best used fresh and only added to
cooked dishes at the last moment since heat will quickly destroy the flavour.
Planting:
You have two different options for planting: you can start
your plants from seed or you can buy seedlings and transplant them into your
garden.
From Seed: Place
your seed on top of the soil and cover with a small bit of potting mix. Make
sure that your container is in the morning sun and you should have seedlings
sprouting in a few short weeks.
Transplanting:
This is best done in Australia between October and December, or when
soil temperatures are between 18 and 35 degrees Celsius. Make sure that your
plants are between 20-25 cm apart.
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| via Flickr by Alice Henneman |
Location:
Basil plants really love the sun, but let the size of the
leaf help you decide where to place them in the garden. The larger the leaf,
the more shade your plant can tolerate.
Water:
Basil plants like fairly damp conditions...your best bet for
testing this is to stick your index finger in the soil. When you remove your
finger it should be damp with a little soil stuck to it; if not, it needs a
drink!
Other Tips and
Tricks:
Do not plant purple basil in full sun. This particular
variety grows best if it is only exposed to morning sun.
Pick the leaves often and be sure to pinch out the top
leaves! This encourages better plant growth and actually prolongs the life of
your plant.
Fresh basil can be kept for a short period of time in the
fridge if it’s stored in a plastic bag.
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| via Flickr by Amanda Slater |
And of course we wouldn’t leave you with all these growing tips
without a few recipe ideas to jump-start your culinary adventures!
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| via Fifteen Spatulas |
Terri’s Table shows a great twist on the delicious Caprese
salad. How cute are these little appetizers?!
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| via Terri's Table |
A little spicy, a little sour – this is just the way we like
our pho! Check out Cooking With a Wall Flower’s Pho Thai recipe here.
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| via Cooking With a Wall Flower |
