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BASILICO GENOVESE

£1.89

Basil is a annual herb that is one of the most popular for
seasoning food. It is particularly good with tomatoes, but
compliments a wide variety of foods.
Basil is very sensitive to damage by frost, so plant it when
the soil has warmed up in spring. Basil is easily transplanted,
so it may also be started indoors for an earlier harvest.
You may start harvesting a few leaves while the plant is
still small -- two or three inches high. Cutting the leafy tips
off frequently will encourage a bushy plant. To harvest a large
amount at once, wait until just before the basil plant flowers
and cut it back to about two inches above the ground. Be sure to
harvest all of your basil before the first frost, or your lush
green plant will be transformed into a puddle of black slime.
Basil can be dried for long term storage, or placed in a plastic
bag in the freezer. Another method is to put basil in a blender
with some water. Pour the liquefied basil into ice cube trays and
freeze. When frozen, transfer the basil cubes to a plastic bag.
Then just take a cube or two out to use in your cooking.
Sweet basil is one of the most common varieties, but there
are a large number of different flavors to choose from, including
lemon, cinnamon and anise. Purple ruffles and dark opal basil
both have striking dark purple leaves that make it a good choice
for a flower garden.
MEDICINAL:
Basil is useful for spasms, gas, stomach problems, gastritis, enteritis and vomiting.
In India Basil is used like Lotus to increase Sattvic qualities, Love and Devotion.
As a houseplant Basil is said to improve and purify the air.

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