Thursday 13 September 2012

Growing Basil... And My Garden Is Growing...


This is a basket I have had for years.
It belonged to my mother before me...
It has had various uses...
But in my bus I decided I would grow basil in it...
So I repainted it...
Lined it with plastic...
And planted the seeds...
If you look very carefully you can just see them coming up after 2 weeks.

Now they are 6 weeks old and growing well.
The best basil I have ever grown was when I had a house and hot house.
It loves the heat... That's why I decided inside was the place.



What my basil will be like very soon...
I read that basil is native to India and other tropical regions of Asia,
it's been cultivated there for 5000 years!
In some english speaking countries it's sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort.



In June I planted an edible garden...
 In the pots that live on top of my cargo box...
On the back of my bus.
These are my viola's.
They are part of the Violet family.
The flowers and young leaves are edible being rich in vitamins A &
 C and having an anti-oxidant, Anthocyanin, in them.
Viola flowers are used in Chinese herbal medicine having
 uterotonic, anti HIV, atomicrobial and insecticidal activities...
Why are they not grown as a common commercial crop?


My coriander has just gone to seed...
So I've cut that back and eaten lots of it...
Both of the parsley's are doing well, the chives are slow
also the calendula...
The mint and thyme are just sitting waiting for the warmer weather.
The nasturtiums are just surviving, they don't like the cold and rain...
Which we have had so much of during the winter.


 
Parsley and more viola's...
I make delicious salads... And more to come...


Early beginnings in June... 

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