SWEET BASIL

I can't imagine my vegetable or herb garden without at least some sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). It's the classic complement to any tomato dish, and sweet basil and tomatoes are good garden companions.

There are several different species and lots of cultivars available, and many are ornamental in the garden. 'Dark Opal' and 'Purple Ruffles' have purple leaves that "spice up" the garden and can be used to make beautiful pink herb vinegars. 'Spicy Globe' produces a compact mound of small but flavorful bright green leaves, making it a perfect choice for the edges of a bed or front of a border. And lemon basil ('Citriodorum') adds a lemon tang to the basil flavor.

Basil grows best in full sun and rich, moist soil. This bushy plant grows 1 to 2 feet tall and about 18 inches wide. Sow seeds indoors in spring and transplant them after all danger of frost is past, or sow outdoors when temperatures are reliably warm. Thin plants to 1 foot apart. You can also buy and plant bedding plants.

Harvest the aromatic leaves as needed for salads, pesto, and tomato sauce. To keep the leaves growing vigorously, cut off the flower heads as soon as they form. Basil is an annual, so when the first frost is predicted, harvest the entire plant, strip off the leaves, and freeze them for best flavor. One neat trick is to freeze chopped leaves in an ice cube tray and full of water; pop the frozen basil cubes into a freezer bag and use them as needed.