JodiInVA-USA
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Bitter tasting basil

Last summer I tried gardening for the first time, with just a few plants. One of the things I planted was Genovese Basil. I started it from seeds indoors in the late winter, and successfully (?) transplanted seedlings in the spring. I put the seedlings in a few different areas - a few in my main raised bed along with a few tomato plants, chile peppers, kale, lettuce, marigold flowers... and one in each clay pot along with a tomato plant. They were located in different parts of the garden with different sun amounts. No noticeable insects or disease, etc. Most of the basil grew nicely, looking healthy. Each leaf that I tasted seemed very bitter to me, though - not like the "sweet" tasting basil I'm used to from the store. I tried sampling it at all different stages of growth, including young/small and larger, so I don't think it was just that I left it too long before picking. Any ideas? Maybe I chose the wrong variety of seeds, or didn't have the right nutrients in my soil? Thanks in advance for any ideas. I'd like to buy seeds for 2015 soon and include basil, so it would be great to have the group's guidance for better luck next year. :D

imafan26
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The top whorl of leaves are the best tasting. Basil should be eaten when they are young and before the stems become woody and the flowers bloom. After flowering the basil is still edible but will be more bitter. It is best to harvest most herbs in the early morning after the morning dew has dried but before it gets hot, that is when the flavor is best. On hot windy days the essential oils dissipate faster and they taste more bitter. Harvest only what you need and use it as soon as possible. I harvest my basil right before I am going to cook it. If I have to keep it awhile, I keep it in a cup with the stems under water and a plastic bag on top to help keep it from drying out. Try not to bruise or damage the leaves before eating them, black leaves just don't taste good.

You have been lucky then, I have had a hard time growing sweet basil because it keeps getting basil downy mildew. I am still waiting for someone to develop a resistant cultivar. My mom, is able to grow sweet basil at her house which is in a drier part of the island so I have to get my basil from hers. I usually get them the day I am planning to use them and make basil garlic butter with the leftovers.

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digitS'
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Oh hey, Imafan!! Check out "Eleonora" in Johnny's Seed. New.

I grow quite a few different basils. This may be a pretty good place for basil because of an arid summer climate. Bitterness hasn't been a problem.

The seed germinates easily so one seed (or, two) can be used in each container during their first few weeks of life. All of them can be crowded successfully in the garden and lots of people leave them in containers throughout their lives. Basil and tomatoes are supposed to be okay as companion plants but my thinking on even the best companions is that one benefits and the other isn't greatly inconvenienced ;).

Genovese, Large Leaf, and others! Fusarium resistance is important for me and I'm pleased that there are so many of those varieties now. It's the greenhouse environment here where they can develop the problems but the small leafed bush-types don't seem to need any genetic resistance - or, haven't so far.

I like the Asian basils, also. Thai basil is great and lemon basil is perfect on fish. Neither of these seem to have problems. Well, the slugs like all basil no matter what part of the world it comes from. They even like the African basil in the ornamental garden. By the way, I know an old guy who is absolutely convinced that Dark Opal is the best variety for drying. A little off topic, one of these days I need to try drying basil and imagine that the "fan method" will be the way to go to preserve the color. It should take only a day or two. Flavor might not be much different but it is with lots of fresh/dry herbs.

Steve

imafan26
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Thanks for the heads up, I need to check that one out.

imafan26
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I am able to grow the downy resistant basil. Cinnamon, African, lemon, Holy, and I do have one Thai basil that survives. The lemon and Thai basil do show the disease, but they survive long enough to get some leaves off them. The sweet basil usually gets the disease early, stunts and yellows so the leaves aren't good.

I did not have problems with bitterness either. I am in the opposite environment from digits. It is hot and humid here. The only time I had problems with bitterness was when the basil got woody and bloomed. The rest of the time Genovese was a very mild basil.

Basil does not mind the heat as long as it is extreme. Maybe it just doesn't like cold.

JodiInVA-USA
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Thanks, all. We'll see what happens this year. :)

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digitS'
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... Maybe it just doesn't like cold.
I hope to shout!

;)

Tomato plants will turn purple. Peppers will just sit there and look miserable. Eggplants will wilt and must be nearly as tender as basil. Basil will turn black! It doesn't need to freeze - that will kill it. Remarkably, it can adjust a little to cold. Most plants can, if it's a slow cooling over several days. Quality must go south with the first leaf shivering, however.

Steve

imafan26
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Thanks digits. I never get that cold. My cold problems are getting eggplant and peppers to start or getting them to start and not dampen off from all of the rain.

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Gary350
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The flavor or your plants are controlled by the flavor of your soil and water. Some plants pickup more flavor than others. If you live where there is lots of rock or river water comes from a place where there is a lot of rock, there are all kinds of natural chemicals in rock. Lime is used to sweeten the soil it takes away bad flavor in your water and soil.

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rainbowgardener
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As noted, if you let your basil bloom, it can get bitter. If it is not pruned/ kept cut back enough, it can get bitter. You can cut it back a third to a half, once a month or so. It needs full sun and rich, moist, well-drained soil. If it is in containers, it will need to be watered quite frequently, especially in hot weather. Under-watering or over-watering can cause bitterness.

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digitS'
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You can cut basil in the same way as you might cut flowers, either for bouquets or dead-heading spent blooms. Since you want fresh basil, and even before it blooms - it's more like cutting fresh flowers than dried-up dead things ;). You are supposed to get the basil flower bud off the plants, even if you can't use it immediately. Make pesto and freeze or toss it in the compost if you must. In 2 or 3 weeks, you will be glad you did because that plant will have more, tender leaves for your kitchen use :).

Anyway, how would you cut them like you are trying to get maximum production, like from a zinnia or a rose or most anything?? Cut the stems to a good bud. Those good buds are likely to be found - or, will develop - as axillary buds on the stems.

A clean cut, a quarter or eighth of an inch from where those buds will develop will result in very little dead tissue for the living plant to deal with.

If the gardener just shears the plant all at once, with no regard for how much of the stem dies afterwards, the plant will struggle to recover :? . Careful cuts will be much easier on the plant. They can be done as needed once or twice a week so that the plant can stay in almost continuous production with nice, healthy growth.

Here is Cornell University telling you a little more about this, LINK.

Steve



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