Easy Basil Pesto Recipe (& a few other 'basil' tips)

Last week I made a basil pesto with fresh basil from my garden. It was so delicious and so simple that I just had to share it.

As most of you know, I am super into gardening these days. I have (sort of) walked you through my gardening adventure here on my blog (Vegetable Gardening for Beginners & Seed Starting Indoors), but I post much more about it on Instagram & Facebook.

At this point in the summer it is more about harvesting fresh produce than it is about planting and seed sowing. I have had so much fun trying to come up with new recipes in an attempt to use up all the fresh produce I am growing.

Which brings me to this post…

I have a lot of fresh basil growing, so I have had to come up with different ways to use it. My favorite, by far, has been by making an easy fresh basil pesto.

Why You Should Grow Herbs

Herbs are super easy to grow.
They smell great in the garden or landscape.
Herbs tend to thrive in containers.
Many herbs are easily propagated, which means you can have an unlimited supply of fresh herbs in your garden.
Cooking with fresh herbs is delicious.

How To Grow Basil

Basil is a fast-growing plant when in the right conditions. I’ve tried basil several different times, but the past two years have been the most successful. Basil needs consistent moisture and LOTS of sunlight.

The first time I tried basil was indoors. My husband and I wanted to have fresh herbs growing on our kitchen window ledge (how adorable, right?). They did well enough for a few weeks, but then quickly died off. We were sure it was just another innocent plant who fell victim to my black thumb. However, knowing what I know now, those herbs weren’t getting anywhere near the amount of sunlight they needed to survive, let alone, be prolific.

The next time I tried to grow basil was in a pot on our back porch. Our back porch got intense afternoon sunlight, but apparently much less than I thought. I am usually at work during the day, so I never really got a chance to study to the light situation (I mean, I guess I was home on weekends, but that is beside the point). The “afternoon sunlight” I thought my plant was getting, was really only 4-5 hours of sun. It lived and produced, but not as much as I thought it was going to.

Fast forward to this year. I placed 2 basil plants in a pot next to my raised garden beds. It is in sun ALL. DAY. LONG. I must say, it is truly loving it’s life in its current spot.

Tips For Growing Basil

Full Sun – Full sun means FULL SUN. It requires at least 6-8 hours of sunlight each day.
Water – Consistent moisture is the key to healthy plants (not just basil). When the top inch of soil is dry, it is time to water again. Plan on watering it every day during the hot summer months.
Proper Soil – It is important to make sure you are using the correct soil. Potted plants need potting soil. Don’t make the mistake of using dirt from your yard to pot a plant.
Fertilizer – All plants need food to perform. If eating organically is important to you, be sure to use organic fertilizer on anything you plan on eating.
Pinch Back Flowers – It is important to regularly pinch back your basil plant to keep it from flowering. When a basil plant flowers it changes the flavor of the basil leaves.
Pest Control – I haven’t had an issue with garden pests eating my basil, but I am always keeping an eye out.