My wife grows some nice buds..,

[Tex]

They are pretty and all, but they need to be clipped. Not to smoke of course, but it will leaf out more right?

 

[Tricia]

I find basil to get tough and change flavor after they bud out. I like to keep the buds pruned off.

 

[Uncle-A]

It is sweet basil because it is picked before it buds. Once it goes to bud it is a little tuff and tastes different. It still can be dried and turned into flakes.

 

[Tricia]

It is sweet basil because it is picked before it buds. Once it goes to bud it is a little tuff and tastes different. It still can be dried and turned into flakes.

We grow Basil every season, along with the perenial herb garden we grow with chives, oregano, rosemary and tarragon.
Our chives are about done for the season. Still some good tarragon rosemary and oregano.

As for Basil, @Philpug pulls leaves of it and freezes it while fresh. When he's cooking he takes a few basil leaves and throws them in the food he is cooking. The pungent basil aroma is incredible. Much better than dried.

Basil and parsley next to patio for easy access.

The perenial herb garden which I've posted in a few other threads about gardening and home projects.

 

[Jilly]

A number of years ago I grew all sorts of herbs. You can dry them in the microwave. I still have rosemary from those days.

I agree with everyone, clip off the flowers before they get to the point yours are at.

 

[Tricia]

A number of years ago I grew all sorts of herbs. You can dry them in the microwave. I still have rosemary from those days.

I agree with everyone, clip off the flowers before they get to the point yours are at.

Trust me, its much better to freeze basil. I'm not sure about rosemary, but I think anything that is an actual leaf freezes nicely and has a robust aroma when used direct from the freezer.

 

[cantunamunch]

I still have rosemary from those days.

LOL, I had a 5 foot rosemary next to my kitchen window for years, still have almost 2 kg of the stuff. Herself is sick of seeing it in random places like the dryer.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Freezing has never worked for me. Drying does. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Philpug]

Freezing has never worked for me. Drying does. What am I doing wrong?

How are you freezing it?I take it right off the plant, and put it right into the freezer.

 

[Uncle-A]

We grow Basil every season, along with the perenial herb garden we grow with chives, oregano, rosemary and tarragon.
Our chives are about done for the season. Still some good tarragon rosemary and oregano.

As for Basil, @Philpug pulls leaves of it and freezes it while fresh. When he's cooking he takes a few basil leaves and throws them in the food he is cooking. The pungent basil aroma is incredible. Much better than dried.

Basil and parsley next to patio for easy access.
View attachment 209593

The perenial herb garden which I've posted in a few other threads about gardening and home projects.

View attachment 209594

We have frozen the sweet basil leaves also, what I was suggesting about drying was for the leaves that are on the plant that has gone to buds.
We have grown our own oregano in the past and it was some special type developed at the Rutgers agricultural school. It keeps coming back year after year and talk about great aroma it is wonderful. In recent years it has slowed in what has grown back but I have neglected it all this year.

 

[Crank]

We pinch back our basil leaves every day this time of summer.

Where we live sometimes rosemary grows for 3 or years and then decides to die off over the winter.

We also have thyme, oregano, sage, dill, cilantro, mint, tarragon and chives. All are very easy to grow.

I'm growing weed for the first time this summer and it is starting to bud!

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

How are you freezing it?I take it right off the plant, and put it right into the freezer.

That’s what I did but once thawed, it was just soggy.

 

[cantunamunch]

Hey, any of you in zone 7a or higher having *good* luck with your small leaf (e.g. Cuban) style basils?

Greek through Purple Ruffles are easy, trivial even, but the small leaf and globe varieties have been total nightmares.

 

[Uncle-A]

That’s what I did but once thawed, it was just soggy.

When we did it we layered the basil between paper towels and stacked several layers of basil and paper towels.

 

[Philpug]

That’s what I did but once thawed, it was just soggy.

I just use it for cooking, sauces, soups ect. I will crumble it up while it is still frozen.

 

[pete]

Trust me, its much better to freeze basil. I'm not sure about rosemary, but I think anything that is an actual leaf freezes nicely and has a robust aroma when used direct from the freezer.

my spouse will chop up/processor various herb into a paste and toss them into ice cube trays. Also vac seals for the freezer leaves and such.

She companion plants Basil with I think Tarragon, they like one another. The plant most appreciated to help in cooking is mint, MJ loves her Mint Julips ....

 

[Tricia]

That’s what I did but once thawed, it was just soggy.

We don't use it like fresh basil, and we don't thaw it, we just throw into things we're cooking. It smells so good when it hits the sauce.