In our household we use and grow a lot of fresh basil for a variety of reasons.

Types of Basil

There are many different types of basil and it is a super helpful herb to include in your garden. Currently I have 4 different varieties growing around our yard. Box wood basil, Spicy basil, Greek basil and purple basil. I don’t know that I have a favorite although the box wood and the spicy have small leaves so you don’t have to do much chopping. The purple basil is actually purple and is a great type to include if you want plants that are both colorful and edible.

While it is commonly said that growing basil near your tomatoes can improve their taste, this hasn’t actually been proven. However, basil and tomatoes make great companions for one another and many gardeners feel that the presence of basil near their tomato’s can improve the tomato yield.

Another great reason to include basil is that it is pretty hardy and the smell can actually deter some common garden pests such as flies and mosquitos . Basil stays relatively small and most plants stay between 24 and 30 inches and can be planted about 18 inches apart as basil grows up more than out. Pruning your basil improves growth but my main reason for growing lots of basil is that I don’t have to over prune one plant.

Tips about basil

Yellowing leaves typically means over watering, while browning leaves means under watering. Basil is one of the few plants that loves sun and heat. Basil makes a good companion for several plants including asparagus, beans, beets, cabbage, chili peppers and bell peppers, eggplant, oregano, potatoes and of course tomatoes.

Basil Nutrition facts “This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Protein, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Riboflavin and Niacin, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper and Manganese”

Read More About the nutrition facts of basil here http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/spices-and-herbs/213/2#ixzz2Z2QKsUyW

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