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heirloomgal
Deeply Rooted
Yes, that is the voice of reason @flowerbug, I guess I'm a purist.some basil better than none at all.![]()

Yes, that is the voice of reason @flowerbug, I guess I'm a purist.some basil better than none at all.![]()
Yes, big differences in basils I found out. In more than just taste. My grow out if I remember was lettuce leaf basil, globe (boxwood) basil, dark opal purple, purple ruffles, red rubin basil, genovese basil, cinnamon basil, lemon basil, tulsi basil, lime basil, sweet thai basil, that seemingly generic 'sweet basil', blue spice basil. That's probably most if it, at least what I remember. The purples were pretty much discounted right off the bat for typical use - there are flavours in there that are not complimentary with noodles, tomato sauce or cheese. An anise quality. Good for a tea, but that's it IMHO. Tulsi - same. The globe basil had good taste but I think it's bred to be very compact - I wanna go big or go home when I grow. So, that's not your guy if you want volumes. Sweet Thai and Blue Spice, again, other 'not basil' tastes in those. Intense, flavourful but not the kind I would add to noodles or lasagna. Probably the best was Genovese, which was pretty darn similar to the sweet basil. It produced a ton of leaves for fresh use but more importantly for drying. Fresh basil is excellent (though potent), but I think it's even better dried. Genovese taste is traditional tried and true basil taste. As someone who likes to try the far flung veggies, this was a lesson for me that sometimes the thing you're looking for, maybe 'the best' thing, is right where you are.Truly, are some better tasting than others? What are your favorites?
@meadow the one that bedevils me is culantro, the cilantro imposter, have you had success with that one?Heirloomgal, was it you that had difficulty starting cilantro? If so, try between sheets of damp paper towel within a plastic bag. Once sprouted, I use tweezers to place them in the dirt. I pre-sprout lots of crops though (I wasn't doing this to cilantro for any particular reason).