Gardening

Paper Roses

(7,504 posts) Wed Sep 28, 2022, 12:59 PM Sep 2022

Hi everyone, do you grow Basil?

I have an above garden and everything is gone now except the Basil. I tried years ago to do the ice cube method of saving fresh leaves. So-so results. I dry the leaves all summer for further use.

I now have a great crop of Genovese Basil...the real Italian stuff. The plants look great but I wonder how long to keep them before I dry a big batch. I'm in MA. We're in the 50's (PM) and 60',s (AM now). Time to pick and dry? I'd save some in a jar in the sunlight but the crop needs to be tended to. Is it time to pull the crop and dry the leaves or should I wait a little longer?

I'll miss my wonderful tomato, cuke, onion salads with every meal. Not the same with dry.
I can however, add some oil to a Pyrex cup with a couple of teaspoons of dry leaves and zap the mixture in the microwave for a few seconds and let cool.. Not the same but better than the stuff you buy in a jar.

5 replies

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Hi everyone, do you grow Basil? (Original Post) Paper Roses Sep 2022 OP

Mrs. A dices a lot of ours and makes pesto ( olive oil, Romano---pine nuts if you have them ) and Atticus Sep 2022 #1

definitely make some pesto and freeze it in an ice cube tray. yellowdogintexas Sep 2022 #2

My basil this year was "funny" stressed I guess despite the really good growing season PortTack Sep 2022 #3

We make pesto from it, but only basil and olive oil Pobeka Sep 2022 #4

for use in cooking Kali Sep 2022 #5

Atticus

(15,124 posts)

1. Mrs. A dices a lot of ours and makes pesto ( olive oil, Romano---pine nuts if you have them ) and

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Sep 28, 2022, 01:17 PM

Sep 2022

freezes it into portion-size cubes and then bags them for storage in freezer.

Come January, boil some spaghetti, plate a serving, plop a pesto cube on top of the hot pasta mound and stir a little as it "melts in". Add parmesan as desired.

Hard to beat.

yellowdogintexas

(22,650 posts)

2. definitely make some pesto and freeze it in an ice cube tray.

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Sep 28, 2022, 01:18 PM

Sep 2022

So handy to just drop into a pot of sauce

PortTack

(34,468 posts)

3. My basil this year was "funny" stressed I guess despite the really good growing season

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Sep 28, 2022, 01:19 PM

Sep 2022

It was great early to mid late summer, then all of a sudden overnight, it thru all it’s beautiful full leaves on the ground.

We’ve been doing some grow lights in our basement to save geraniums and a few other things and they did beautifully. I’m thinking of restarting my basil under the grow lights.

Just love the stuff, and yes most dried, tubed or other processed stuff isn’t the same.

Sorry I don’t have an answer for you as to when to pick..but thought I would share my plan with a fellow “basil fiend.”

Pobeka

(4,999 posts)

4. We make pesto from it, but only basil and olive oil

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Sep 28, 2022, 01:27 PM

Sep 2022

Then freeze it in a freezer bag, making a thin layer from the bottom to the top of the bag. Break off a piece when you want some for whatever dish you are making.

Tastes very fresh right out of the freezer., and the thinness of the bag makes it easy to store and use.

Add garlic, pine nuts and parmisian if you want real pesto.

Kali

(55,701 posts)

5. for use in cooking

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Sep 28, 2022, 01:34 PM

Sep 2022

I just freeze it intact - whole stems. it crumbles perfectly when I get it out to use. turns black as it thaws though so won't work for salads or other presentation like fresh. freezing pesto works fine.

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