Hello Basil.
Sweet, Lemon, Profumo and Cinnamon. Inspiration from Renee Shepherd of Renee's Garden Seeds. What are you growing this year?
“It’s spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
- Rainier Marie Rilke
Hello Everyone.
It’s a gardener’s spring ritual: waiting and watching for hints of green, a color that holds so much promise. Like listening to music wafting through the air, new plants emerging in spring move to a tempo all their own like a well-synchronized orchestra.
Weeks ago, I went through the sacred process of ordering seeds. Back in the 1980’s when I owned a seed catalog (The Cook’s Garden) it always made me smile to see that every order started with a packet of Sweet Genovese basil. We often sold out by mid-spring, which is why now that I am on the receiving end, I selfishly order two packets. Everyone knows that a summer without basil would be like a winter without snow.
Basil is easy to start from seed yet needs warmth to germinate and thrive. It’s a Mediterranean plant and prefers the soil and air temperatures to be above 50° and ideally 75°- 80°. Any attempt to start seeding indoors may be thwarted, as seedlings are highly suspectable to damping off when the ratio of light to heat and too much water is out of balance. Once established in the garden, however, it will go a little wild.
Basil belongs to the mint family, along with many of the best-known culinary herbs that are in a cook’s repertoire. Each share the physical characteristic of square stems, yet only basil has that distinctive clove, licorice, and minty essence. If you are a gardener who depends on your local nursery for your plant needs, you are missing out on one of the garden’s most compelling and treasured herbs. With over 100 types to choose from in this large genus, there are sweet, scented, and ornamental basils waiting for you to discover, if you are prepared to sow the seeds.
Meet the Seed Expert: Renee Shepherd
I’ll admit that I often lean on success and if a plant grew well one year, I am sticking with it until proven otherwise and I’ve been rather committed to growing Sweet Genovese basil. That’s why I called Renee Shepherd owner of Renee’s Garden Seeds, to inspire me to try something new. In her trial garden, she is curious and eager to experiment.
I recently visited her in Felton, California (just outside of Santa Cruz) and while it was still too early for her trial gardens to be planted, I could see that she was all business when it came to finding the best varieties for her customers. Her focus is on flavor since she is also an avid cook, and it didn’t surprise me that she was knowledgeable about Italian basil.
Me: How did you find your extraordinary Italian basil varieties?
Renee: I buy direct from three Italian seed suppliers, who take basil seriously. Americans are rather prone to think of only sweet basil, yet each true Italian basil represents the best of a regional specialty and how it relates to the food. There is the Genoa region that is known for the Genovese type, home to the classic sweet green leaf; the Neapolitan region cultivates the large lettuce leaf varieties, which are not as strongly flavored and ideal for Caprese salads.
Me: Do you have a favorite specialty variety?
Renee: Italian markets and supermarkets overflow with pots of large, leafed basil called Profumo that grow a compact 4-6 inches. Italian shoppers often pick up plants for growing in their kitchen or balcony, for a fresh sprig to add to a simmering sauce, or chiffonaded onto a tomato salad. The lettuce leaf types are more buttery than bitter, with large crinkly leaves large enough to wrap around a shrimp or cheese as hors d'oeuvres.
Me: What are some other favorites?
Renee: There are so many strains of sweet basil, yet it has a wide range of varied and intense flavors. It can be minty, clove, or even lemony, as with one of my favorites, Mrs. Burn’s Lemon. I make a delicious lemon pesto for grilled salmon or chicken. Another scented basil I always grow is cinnamon which I make into jelly and vinegar.
Me: Do you have any tips for successful basil growing?
Renee: When you buy plants, or even if you grow them yourself, each growing cell may have dozens of seedlings. You need to break them apart to give each room to grow. Plant 6 inches apart and remember to pinch the leaves to encourage branching out. This will produce more leaves per plant and feed twice during the growing season.
I am often asked how to keep plants from flowering, which diminishes the plant’s essential oil, and suggest a succession growth. Plant another crop 3-4 weeks after the first. This way, you’ll have plenty of basil by the time the tomatoes ripen.
After talking with Renee, I’m eager to try something new, and might even try growing Shiso, (Perilla frutescens var. crispa) which resembles purple ruffles basil, yet is larger. It is described as having a flavor that combines cinnamon, mint, and clove with overtones of cumin. It’s a gorgeous ornamental edible for the herb garden or perennial border.
It’s a good time to get your basil ( and Shiso) seeds planted, inside or outside. And once that medley of green sprouts emerges it can only mean one thing—spring is here. And the first batch of pesto is not far off. Leave me a note in the comments below and tell me the basil you most love to grow and why.
From my garden to yours,
Ellen O.
Ellen Ecker Ogden
My books include The Complete Kitchen Garden and The New Heirloom Garden with designs and recipes for cooks who love to garden. The Art of Growing Food newsletter is published weekly. Visit: www.ellenogden.com or follow me on Instagram.
