This is my sweet basil plant. I didn't grow this bad boy from seeds, though that's one of my next sprouting adventures. I got this plant about 6 months ago from a nearby Giant Food grocery store. It comes from Shenandoah Growers, a regional grower that I've had a lot of success with lately (well, except for a mint plant- but more on that later).
Basil is relatively low maintenance, though it does prefer regular watering. I use plastic pots I get from Walmart (they water from the bottom) and Miracle Grow potting soil.
Mmmm. Soil.
To use the basil, just pull of the leaves from the top whenever you need them. Great for pretty much any Italian dish ever: lasagne, caprese, bruchetta, pesto. You name it, add basil. It's a good idea to pull off the top leaves from time to time regardless as a way to prune your basil.
And how much did this all cost me?
- Basil Plant: $3.99
- Plastic Pot: $2.00
- Potting mix: $6.00 for the whole bag, approx $0.01 for this plant
The best part is that just a handful of basil leaves cost anywhere from $5-10 in the grocery store. Win to the win, baby!
Hi! I stumbled upon your blog when I was trying to figure out how to maintain a basil plant I bought from Giant myself last week, and the leaves are already looking kind of sad. :( How is your basil doing now? Is it still in the pot, and do you keep it inside or out?
ReplyDeleteThe basil I got from Giant is no more-- RIP, wee basil. Unfortunately, my plant suffered an aphid infestation.
ReplyDeleteYou absolutely need to repot it shortly after taking it home from Giant. I recommend a pot at least double the depth of the one from the store. Water frequently at the base and give the plant plenty of sun. If the leaves are droopy, it's water and root space your plant needs. If the leaves are going yellow, you may have a fungal infection. Giant food does not carry the best herbs, sadly.