[Grubbypaws]

My basil (first year of growing) is just showing signs of going to seed. Should I harvest it all now or can I continue picking the leaves?

[JayG]

Keep cutting off all the flower buds, give a high nitrogen liquid feed, and it should start producing new side shoots and leaves.

Eventually it will give up, the leaves starting to die back from the bottom upwards, and not much other than new flower buds being produced.

[Grubbypaws]

Thanks for that JayG. I wasn’t sure what would happen to the flavour once they started trying to flower so I am reassured.

[suziequeue]

We made about 15kg of pesto last weekend with our Basil.

For pesto I just put everything in except for the thickest stalks and it always tastes delicious. 

[pigguns]

We made about 15kg of pesto last weekend with our Basil.

For pesto I just put everything in except for the thickest stalks and it always tastes delicious. 

How do you store it/how long will it last- planned pesto for the last couple of days but rain/unexpected guests/change of plans meant it's going to be tomorrow....

[suziequeue]

I just keep it in the fridge but then - it gets eaten pretty fast.

If we only get through half a jar then I do what Val and John Harrison suggest in their book for sauerkraut and fill a small bag of water which moulds itself exactly to the edges of the jar and stops any air getting in - otherwise it goes brown.

[suziequeue]

Sorry - that's 5kg not 15!!!!!! 

[Ashurstman]

Sorry - that's 5kg not 15!!!!!! 

Shame I was impressed!! But 5kg is still not bad

[JDGen]

Please could you share your Pesto recipe, and would it work with smaller leaf Greek basil?

I seem to have an abundance!

Thanks, Jean

[suziequeue]

I use Delia Smith's recipe which is:

50g basil
1 large clove of garlic crushed
1 tablespoon of pine kernels
6 tablespoons olive oil
25g grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of salt

I use a stick blender to zizz it all together into a slop but any blender will do I'm sure.

This tends to make up quite oily so I probably cut back on the oil a bit but I don't know by how much.

Put it all in

[wasthiswise]

I tried growing basil from seed, under glass. No success at all. Whats they key to growing basil?

[Growster...]

I tried growing basil from seed, under glass. No success at all. Whats they key to growing basil?

You might try just putting a few seeds in a 6" pot, and growing them inside.

Mrs G has about three pots going in succession, and each time they've turned out just fine.

Basil takes a few more days to germinate, but they should get going, even now!