Grow Your Own Basil and Save…

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I love to cook using fresh ingredients and this usually includes fresh herbs.  I probably bought fresh herbs at least three times a week.  I love to use fresh basil, coriander, parsley, thyme and many others but these tiny little bunches usually cost around $3 per bunch.  So let’s do the maths, $3 x 3 times per week x 52 weeks per year = $468.  Now that’s a lot and, when I thought about what I could do with that money, I decided it was time for a change.

So when Christmas was coming up last year and my family was looking for ideas, I asked for pots, punnets of basil seedlings and potting mix.  They all thought that was a very boring gift but it was definitely practical and what I really wanted.

Well, I’m happy to report, I got what I asked for and, for the last 5 months, we’ve had a steady supply of gorgeous basil.  Love it … beautiful fresh herbs, straight from my own garden!

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So, a few things I’ve learned about growing my own basil:

  • I’ve saved a lot of money.
  • It’s been very rewarding growing something myself … nurturing and caring for these little plants.
  • Basil typically likes sunlight, however, I’ve successfully grown my basil in pots on the back deck in full shade but with loads of light.  You don’t need big garden beds, just a couple of pots will do the trick and give you a steady supply.
  • I bought a really good quality potting mix from a landscape supplier but if you’re not sure what to buy, head to either Bunnings, Masters or your local plant nursery and ask for advice.
  • A little bit of liquid fertilizer every 6 – 8 weeks has helped keep my basil plants healthy and lush.
  • Basil doesn’t really like the frost but I live on the Gold Coast and grow it all year round without too much trouble.
  • I water my basil every day but just give it a light watering and try not to drown it.  Basil grows best in a well-drained soil so make sure the pot has drainage holes in the bottom.
  • I’ve learned not to be afraid to cut my basil plants.  I used to just grab some leaves from the sides and bottom figuring that if I cut the top where the new growth was happening I would stop the plant from growing and producing … I was wrong.  Now I cut the stalk off a couple of sets of leaves from the ground.  Two new branches will eventually sprout off the side of the stalk that’s been cut and the result will be a bushier plant that will last a lot longer.  I’ve also learned to prune off any flowers when they appear (before they turn to seed) and the plant will last longer.  Also, by picking my basil often that encourages more growth as well.

So there you have it … don’t be afraid to give it a go because it won’t cost a lot of money, is a bit of fun and will potentially save you a lot.

And it’s a great example of the thing with saving.  It’s about examining everything we do on a daily and weekly basis, doing some homework and making some changes.  The changes don’t necessarily have to be big because, more often than not, it’s the little savings that don’t seem very significant that can really add up.

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Now that I’ve had such a great result with basil, I’m going to try growing some coriander … wish me luck!

So tell me, do you grow your own herbs and, if so, what have you had the most success with?

Comments

  1. Love growing my own herbs! Not far from you, up in Redlands. Another great thing about basil is it self sows. I thought I’d ripped all mine out but another little plant has just sprung up – and I won’t be afraid to prune this one now I’ve read this.

    I also grow dill, thyme, parsley, mint and shallots – not a fan of coriander so don’t grow it.

    Visiting today from #teamIBOT xxx

    • This is my favourite herb so I’m thrilled that it’s growing so well and so easily! I’m looking forward to having a lovely, constant, fresh supply. My next project will be to learn how to make pesto … I’ll make sure to share the recipe here!

  2. We grow our own herbs too. We just updated our veggie garden a couple of weeks ago so that by the middle of winter we will have some good produce to use in the kitchen.

    • After I give the coriander a go my next attempt will be cherry tomatoes … wish me luck!

  3. All year round hey … hmmm, I’ve tried basil once or twice and it just never stays alive. maybe i’ll try again this spring and see if we can get it to live a little longer. My winner is parsley, I have it in plague proportions, it’s everywhere. It even grows through the back lawn which leaves a lovely aroma after its been mowed 🙂 I’d love pots, seeds and potting mix too 🙂

  4. Oh you have inspired me! I really want to grow my own herbs, but I never pull my finger out and just do it! Next week I’m heading to Bunnings!

    • Hi Jess, make sure you give it a go and it really doesn’t take very long to get it planted!

  5. Our herbs are thriving with all of the rain we’ve been having 🙂

    • I’m so pleased with the way mine is growing and I should have enough to make some pesto any day!