karl
i will have a bit of different chilli seed later in the year and passionfruit in not too long for you
beeso

Hey karl,

How you doing? Im in Queensland and have a variety of seeds. I have however not had a problem with my basil that you are referring to so is it something og an environmental related problem I am wondering or quality of plants. I have a great pesto basil that hrows quite tall about 50-80cm tall with a more pesto type basil flavour its stronger and more potent i think personally as a cook and a gardener. I could send you seedlings as I have not mastered the art of collecting seed from basil plants.

Could you advise possibly on the collection of seeds from basil? how is it best done? When is it best done? Maybe knowledge could be best given to me.

As for a trade I have some snake beans that i hear a good climbing beans I personally have never grown them as it isn't practical for me at the moment. I have friends that have put them in the ground and have had much luck with them. I have a seeds for a beautiful climbing vine called the moonflower (Ipomea alba)which i obtained the seeds from someone on here who has been very reliable for good quality seed. In your seed collectiondo you have antyhing like dog rose or atropa belladonna or something that can be used in herbal teas etc like herbs lol to be more accurate. Maybe plants that you can eat etc. This is greatly my interest for herbal medicine.

If you want any pesto basil seedlings and can tell me how to collect the seed could you please email me at mrhoneycutt@internode.on.net. You can find me there. Any other herbs you interested in growing and are having a hard time loacating let me know too I have a few wonderful sources for picking up odds and ends.

Kind Regards

Belladonna

Hi Belladonna,
Collecting Basil seeds is easy, but they seem to cross pollinate easily as well (The bees love them). Well at least my green and black genovese types do, my other basils don't seem to get crossed.

I have to be very hard with pruning to stop them flowering and setting seed. Once they do start setting seed they go very aniseedy in taste, which I don't like. They often look like a grasshopper plague has had a go at them when I'm finished but they spring back beautifully with lots of leaf. A little often is the rule for prunning them but when they get growing they are rampant and I can't usually keep up. Generally, I cut them back as needed for leaf production and then just let a couple go and cut the whole plant for seed before autumn sets in. The seeds are black and are prone to fall as they mature so cutting a whole plant and leaving it in a bucket to dry is my preferred way. Then with, gloves on, just crush the seed heads and use an old hairdrier or flyscreen to separate the seeds from the chaff. One plant gives more than enough seeds.

Are you growing basil in QLD as a winter crop? When do you normally put it in up there?

ciao
Karl

Is this the 'sweet' basil? I grew some from a packet that does fairly well but only lasted a year or so before going to seed heavily then dying. Is this normal?

I have some really good yardlong beans (stickless wonder) if you are interested.

Hi Fluff,
Yep its sweet genovese basil. Yard long beans sound good. How/when do you eat them? Do you wait till the beans mature or eat them when they are young and tender like a normal beans?

send me an email with your address.

Ciao
Karl

You can eat them at any stage. They taste a bit sweeter when they are large. I haven't tried waiting till they dry out if that's what you mean. They have died right back now with winter.

I found the link to send you an email on your journal page but it didn't seem to work.

Hi Fluff,
Having said it was genovese sweet basil. I got my eden seeds catalogue last night and saw that they list sweet basil and genovese basil separately. I guess they are different cultivars, but I've always considered them the same thing. Obviously I was mistaken.

I've sent you an email.

Karl
I am interested in some Basil seed - have a supply myself but different (common) form
I come to Canberra (every so often) - would be pleased to provide plants - see my garden web page - just email
K

Hi Both Fluff and kwerombi,
I think I've fixed the email problems I was having. But post a message here if you are still having problems contacting me.

The problem was I had not ticked the 'let other members send you an email' box in my profile. Sorry for the inconvenience

Ciao
Karl

Karl
I would like some of your excess Genovese Seed if there is any left. The most interesting seeds that I can offer in exchange is Lemongrass seeds. Lemongrass rarly flowers but mine did and I collected the seeds. Lemongrass might require bringing inside in the winter where you are. Anyway Lemongrass is easy to grow-needs good drainage like most plants-look it up.

Karl
Another thought also have Siam Queen (Basil) seeds NOT fusarium wilt tolerant, to exchange. Will grow well just the same but my expirience is that as soon as you harvest them they kick the bucket. Keep propagating from cuttings (to keep strain purity) in succession to keep up supply etc. Take whole plants, vacuum package & Freeze what you don't use, which will be most of it. You will be giving it away if you grow to many.