My Garden Basil Grown From Seeds

The first batch of Basil plants in my garden were all grown from cuttings. I used to grow a few types of Basil including the Sweet Basil. My son only uses the Sweet Basil for his cooking but not the Thai Basil or other Basil that has very strong smell. I don't use Basil leaves for cooking because hubby doesn't like any kind of Basil. I also gave up growing Basil but somehow, I kept one pot growing in my garden to bless my friends.

The above is the only remaining pot of Basil from the earlier batch. Usually I will cut off the flowers to encourage more leaves and this round I discarded the flowers onto 2 pots, hoping to get rid of the tiny snails that were eating my leafy green vegetables.

And these are the Basil plants that sprouted from the discarded flower seeds that I scattered onto these 2 flower pots.

Last week, before meeting my friend for breakfast, I cut some Basil leaves for her.

All cut and nicely wrapped and packed to give my friend but then I forgot all about it. I left it on my dining table. I finally get to pass a fresh bunch of basil to her when she dropped by one day.

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The following photos are for joining Floral Bliss.
 I took these photos on our previous visit to Fraser's Hill.

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Linking to Floral Bliss

And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies!

They don't worry about theirs.

Yet King Solomon in all his glory are not clothed as

beautifully as they.

(Matthew 6:28-29, The Living Bible-TLB)

Growing Basil Plants In My Garden.

I was first introduced to Basil plants by my ex-classmate many years ago when I visited her at her home in Taiping. I brought back many types of herbs from her garden but only 2 types of Basil plants remained in my garden. The other herbs didn't survive.

#1 - The Sweet Basil plants are growing well in my garden.

 I multiplied my Sweet Basil plants through stem cuttings.

 I propagated them in small pots. They grow well in good drainage soil.

In this hot weather, my Sweet Basil plants seemed to be growing faster and healthier.

Looks like I will need to transfer them to bigger pots for them to grow.

 Sweet basil has a milder fragrant and the leaves are bigger than the other Basil.

#2 - Another type growing in my garden is the common Basil plants. I don't know its specific name. I used to have the Purple Basil and the Green Basil, It looks like they have cross pollinated.

These Basil plants are very easy to grow.

They have a stronger fragrant than the Sweet Basil.

 These are also propagated from stem cuttings.

 They too grow well in well drained soil.

 They have green stems and green leaves and they too love the sun.

 I placed my Sweet Basil plants and the common Basil plants next to each other. Now I have noticed that they may have cross pollinated. The same plant have leaves that resembled both the Sweet Basil and also of the common Basil.

Basil plants growing tall and skinny.

 They have also started to flower. Surprisingly, the flowers are a mixture of purple and white. Even though I like the flowers, I usually cut off the flowers to encourage more branches and leaves to grow to get a bushier plant.

Sometimes I used these for cooking or for garnishing. The flowers can be used for making mild tea.

Can someone help me with the specific name of this Basil plant?

I have not tried propagating with seeds. Maybe I should collect these dried seeds and try to propagate them.

The Lord is good and glad to

teach the proper path to all who go astray;

he will teach the ways that are right

and best to those who humbly turn to him.

And when we obey him, every path he guides us on

is fragrant with his loving-kindness and his truth.

(Psalm 25:8-10, TLB)

How I Started My Own Mini Herb Garden

Herb gardening is something I have always wanted to do after acquiring some herb plants from my friend. She introduced me to rosemary, thyme, basil and how the use of these herbs add to the flavour of the food.

Herbs are known to be hardy plants. I thought they just need sufficient sun, water and some fertilizer to make them grow well. Initially, I was overjoyed to see my herbs growing well and healthy. But after a few months, my joy was short-lived. My healthy herbs became unhealthy herbs and I was very disappointed. I decided to do some internet research.

That was when I came across Jeannie Woods' book called "Healthy Happy Herbs: A Beginner's Guide To Herbs And Herb Gardening". I was pleased to find that the book was easy to follow, even for someone like me who only have very basic gardening background. Not only that, it extensively covered all the relevant points that I need to understand to be able to make competent choices - from seed selection, to soil preparation, to harvesting and much more. It even covers composting and ways to care for your plants organically and economically at the same time.

I have been following the book's advice for some time now in starting my basil herb garden. While it's still early to say if my plants are going to make it, I have a pretty good feeling that they will. One thing I have learnt from this book which really helps me a lot in my gardening is how to keep pests and plant illnesses away, the organic way.

So, if you are thinking of cultivating your own herb garden, be sure to check out Jeannie Woods' "Healthy Happy Herbs: A Beginner's Guide to Herbs And Herb Gardening". Happy Herb Gardening!

Once he has prepared the soil,

he sows the seeds of herbs such as dill and cumin.

He sows rows of wheat and barley,

and at the edges of his fields he sows other grain.

He knows how to do his work, because God has taught him.

(Isaiah 28:25-26, Good News Bible-GNB)