Yet more things the rain has been good for — the basil and the chives in my garden. I thought both had finished for the season, but not yet. There’s no telling how long they will last, but it looks like I’ll be able to dry more of both for winter seasonings. Yum!
I had been promising to dry some of my extra basil for a couple weeks, and today finally proved to be the perfect day to do it. And boy, was it easy. Seriously, all you have to do is cut the basil, wash it and remove the stems and bad leaves. Then arrange it on wax paper on a cookie pan, and place it in a 170-degree oven for about an hour. Continue reading
Of everything I planted this summer, the thing I had the fewest expectations for was the basil. It was pretty much an afterthought; it wasn’t on my list when I visited the garden centers to pick out the flowers and vegetables I would plant. Continue reading
I’ve harvested a lot of basil leaves from the basil I planted in March and now it’s starting to flower. I first noticed it last week and I snipped off the tops where it was flowering, because I heard that’s what should be done. Why, I’m not sure. As fast as I cut it, the leaves — and flowers — grow back. Doesn’t seem like it’s hurting anything and it still tastes good.
The photo above shows flowers growing back on the basil less than a week after I pinched them off. Should I cut the basil back even further to avoid more flowers? Or just let them grow, all nice and pretty?
Picked more fresh basil and chives tonight to share with coworkers. This week’s rain (about 3 inches since Sunday morning) has been great for both herbs. And I absolutely love how pungent they are! Continue reading
Peas and beans.
Tomatoes and sweet red peppers.
Cherry tomatoes and some lettuce.
Cucumbers, onions, chives and basil.
It only took about 90 minutes to even the dirt, plant all the veggies, cage the tomatoes and water the new plantings.
Chocolate Chips and Chaos 