Basil preservation

[Puggles]

But it says Basil...

That's all the convincing I need...

 

[karadekoolaid]

I had so much basil it was crazy this last year. I dipped in boiling water and froze it in sandwich bags. Boatloads in the freezer.

I've got 3-4 huge plants in the kitchen garden - of course, it grows all year round here.
When I prune the plants, I make pesto, usually 2-3 jars. My wife loves fettucine al pesto, and if there's any left, I sell it or give it away.

 

[Barriehie]

I have to contend with swarms of the invasive Japanese Beetles eating it overnight. I ended up building a large screen box to cover it.

Popillia japonica - Wikimedia Commons

 

[Puggles]

We have had varieties with the root systems in our grocery store with huge leaves before. Last year I was able to keep it alive until the end of the growing season and it was beautiful! But that rarely happens.
View attachment 123557

Holy crap, is that your basil? Mine has never been that big. Wow.

 

[Barriehie]

Mine gets huge too! Hence the 4x4x4 screen box.

 

[Herbie]

Ooh. Good tips. Thank you. I'll try the blanching and the frozen cubes this summer. Last year, I bought a supermarket plant, split it and grew loads and loads. Too much to eat. These are brilliant tips to keep the harvest for the winter.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Holy crap, is that your basil? Mine has never been that big. Wow.

It was.

But yeah we have great growing conditions for about 5 months out of the year up here for herbs, tomatoes, corn, and soybeans. I don't grown corn or soybeans but those are big bounty crops for local farmers.

 

[badjak]

I just chop and put in ice cube trays
Minimal water.
Once frozen, it goes in a ziplock bag