How to grow basil?

Basil is a tender annual and basil grows to a 1 to 2 feet tall, height will vary according to a cutivar.

I love to grow my own herbs and basil is definitely one that I always grow in my herb garden. Another reason I plant basil is because there are several different varieties for me to choose form. Most of time, I will planted several varieties of basil in my garden. Sweet basil is one and it has deep green glossy leaves with smooth edges. Anise basil has green leaves with purple veins. Lemon basil has small, sharply pointed light green leaves with smooth edges. Now, there are many more types of basil's.. Lemon basil is used for seasoning for fish dishes and they are used in salads. Genoves basil is used in pesto. Spicy Globe has good flavor to add to what you are cooking. Different basil's used for different uses. As for cooking. I use it fresh, dried, or frozen in pasta, vegetable soups, salads, egg dishes, shellfish, entrees and salad dressing. If I want to add flavor to my vinegars, all I do is add some basil to it. I will add some basil to my extra-virgin olive oil. I like to add some of my basil's to my flower arrangement for my home, especially the purple and the ruffled-leaves one, because of the fragrance and beauty of my basil's.

Now I would like to tell you how I planted and harvested my basil's. I will start my basil seeds inside so I can get a early harvest, and I do this six weeks before my last spring frost. After I know for sure, that I am not going to have anymore frost, I will my basil plants out in my garden. Basil like full sun, so this works for me, because my garden is in full sun.

They like well--drained, moist, nutrient rich soil. So before  plant my basil plants in my garden, I will add one inch of compost in the area that they will be planted. After the soil warms, I will mulch with straw and this helps to retain high moisture levels. Each basil plant needs 12-18 inches space between them.

 I start harvesting my basils when the plants get to be 8 inches tall and before they start blooming, and you do this by cutting the leaves and stems. When I go out to harvest some of my basil. I always will do this on a dry day. After the harvesting has begun I will cut back the central stem, and I do this by taking the top two or three sets of leaves. New branches will form in the axis where there the leaves join the stem. Continue to pinch the branch tips, but I always leave a pair of new leaves below the cut, so I can keep getting more basil a pair of new leaves below the cut, so I can keep getting more basil.

After I have harvest my basil, I will leave the stems in a cool place, standing in container of water. Sometimes I will hang some of my basil's  up to dry. A lot of the time I will freeze the leaves after I blanch the leaves.

Basil is also good to have when I am having a get together and we are eating outside,  I just put some basil on the table and crush the leaves to release their fragrances and I do this because basil repels many flying insects. I like to be able to eat outside when the weather is nice and not have to be bother by bugs.