Steve, early in the
growing season here, something was nibbling on my basil too, but I couldn't see what was doing it! (I didn't really do anything about it, other than hose the
plants off when I watered them. I don't know if that's what put an end to the leaf munchers, but the basil kept
growing, & the holes stopped happening.)
I don't cook with basil...
(Actually, I try my best not to cook at all!) Getting them started can be touchy sometimes, but I've found that warm (almost HOT) soil & lots of water seem to be the keys to germination & keeping it going. (Metal containers in full sun works really well.) Also, after starting from
seed & babying them along, it was a bit distressing to lose so many basil
plants shortly after transplanting... I finally figured out that I was transplanting them too soon, even though they looked hardy & healthy enough. (If I start the
seeds indoors, rather than waiting to
plant outdoors when the ground is
VERY warm, the bigger they are when I transfer them to the garden, the better chance they have... & they take right off & grow at an amazing rate!)
Last year I had a whole garden section with nothing in it but basil, & it was absolutely to die for!
On really hot days, the sun would heat it up & if I was lucky enough to be in the yard when a gentle breeze came my way, the scent of that warm basil was like a sigh from heaven!
This year I took my basil obsession further, & thought I'd try creating a "Deer Barrier" along the outside of the chain-link fence that protects my veggie garden from the deer. (Every year, they've snacked on my tomatoes & the melon vines that spread out & lean against the fence!)
I built a bed, about 2 feet wide, down the 20 foot length of the fence, & planted GOBS of Sweet Basil (purple, variegated & green), along with Dill & Devil's Claw (because both of those are also
plants that deer go out of their way to avoid).
Deer Barrier '06
It looked so cool when everything was in full flourish, & my "Deer Barrier" was a complete success! They turned away from that area every time they passed through the field... My melons, cucumbers & tomatoes haven't suffered from one single nibble this year!
The shot of the whole deer barrier didn't turn out very clear, so I'm throwing in a couple close-ups that did!
Basil & Dill
Devil's Claw
I don't think I've bought Basil
seeds for 10 years, because I harvest my own
seeds every year. (So many that I never use them all!) Basil
seeds remain viable for many years... they seem to have an unlimited "shelf life".