A Little Basil Plant

One of my favorite things in the whole world is fresh basil. I love the taste it adds to pasta dishes, salads and sandwiches.

See more of our Iowa garden here!

Basil does pretty well in my care, as long as it is planted outside. Several times in the last 10 years or more, I've tried to grow basil plants in my house and I kill 'em. Every time.

Somehow this little basil plant jumped in my cart when I was at the grocery store last week. I know I'm in some sort of denial that I'll keep this one alive, but at less than $3, a live plant cost about the same as cut basil. I left the plant in this boring black container for a few days, wishing I had some of my pretty pots out of storage!

Instead a quick search through my kitchen turned up these supplies:

Yarn of some sort that I found at Walmart and a clean applesauce jar would help my little plant look so much nicer! While I was working, this little guy showed up.

Jared (age 3) wanted to show me the things he had built with his legos.

He especially wanted me to take a picture of his "motorhome" and his "shop" to show "you guys". Oh, man, I love that little boy!

Back to my basil project! I wrapped a couple feet of twine around the jar and tied the end off. Then I added a couple rocks to the bottom of the jar to help with drainage. There are actually three separate basil plants here, so I broke them apart to squeeze into the narrow mouth of the jar.

The directions say to put the plant in a sunny spot, so I perched him in this window by our table where the afternoon sun comes in.

I like the little touch of home that a potted plant brings, and already I've harvested leaves for several dishes. Yum! Time will tell how long I can keep it alive!

Note: I learned this same day that we are welcome to glean basil from the garden here at Weimar. Wish I had known sooner! Good to know! 

Do you like basil? Do you grow it inside or outside? Do you have any tips for keeping a potted herb alive?