Get out of your basil rut by diving into the diversity of this royal herb. Summer is basil’s time to shine. The herb loves heat and can be grown in full or part sun. It prefers rich, well-drained soil ...

Basil is one of the easiest, and tastiest, of the culinary herbs to grow. All you need is a small pot, some good soil, water and sun. More than 30 species of basil are available as starts or seed.

I swear to you I will not complain about this week's heat. When I think back to December, slipping on ice, and breaking my ankle, I will take this July heat in stride any day of the week. For the most ...

'Boxwood' basil is a compact plant, good for containers and the front of the flower border. Sweet basil is commonly available because it is used for culinary purposes. 'Purple Ruffles' is popular in ...

Basil is certainly the most popular summer herb in local gardens. The warm, long days of this time of the year are perfectly suited to these easy-to-grow plants. Basil supposedly derives its name from ...

Americans’ love affair with basil is no secret. Ask anyone to name their favorite herb, and at least half the time the answer will be basil. High-end restaurants feature pesto on the menu. But for the ...

Barb Davisson of Spokane has been growing this basil plant in her south-facing kitchen window all winter. Basil loves warm weather and is very sensitive to the cold temperatures we are getting this ...

Editor’s Note: We’re revisiting some of our favorite stories from some of our favorite former magazine contributors. Check back each week for timeless classics focusing on food (by Nancy Leson, chef ...

You may have thought you heard it all when the Mississippi Plant Selections Committee chose the Mini Charm tomato as the first vegetable to win the award. Now the committee has chosen Purple Ruffles ...

Many of our ornamentals and herbs are members of the scary mint family, Lamiaceae. Yes, that mint family, of the running mints that our grandmothers grew near the dripping water pump to flavor our ice ...

As I write this, about 30 basil plants are scattered around my apartment, poised to go outdoors permanently as soon as the weather decides to choose a season (preferably summer) and stick with it.