Lemon Basil (檸檬羅勒）

What is Basil

Basil is a popular herb, and the species is most commonly the sweet basil Ocimum basilicum. Basil, originally from India, is best known as a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in the Northeast Asian cuisine of Taiwan and the Southeast Asian cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.

Basil is commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. It is generally added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. The dried herb also loses most of its flavour, and what little flavour remains tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavour, like hay.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil

How to Grow Basil

• Where: Basil ithrives in well-drained soil, positioned in a sunny window. It’s a one-stop shop for your next caprese salad.
• When: Basil is easy to sow from seed and is relatively quick to germinate.
• Propagation: In addition to sowing basil from seed, a cutting of basil will easily root when placed in water. Select a four-inch section of basil that has not yet flowered. Roots will form within a week. Transplant the basil directly into the garden or container once a healthy root system is apparent.

How to Cultivate Basil

• Soil: Basil does its best in well-drained, moist soil with a neutral pH. 
• Sun: Basil grows well in warm environments that receive about six hours of sun each day. 
• Water: Give basil water when the soil is dry to the touch, doing your best to water the plant at its base and not all over its leaves.
• Spacing: Depending upon the variety, basil grows anywhere from 12 to 24 inches in height. Space basil plants 12 to 16 inches apart. 

How to Harvest Basil

It’s always better to harvest basil before the plant flowers. If you don’t have time to harvest any leaves, just pinch off the flowering portion. If you pinch them off, the plant can now direct its energy on growing tasty leaves.  Regular clipping encourages a more rounded, less leggy plant.