"The Cook" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:17:06 -0600, "Janet Bostwick"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>"Omelet" > wrote in message
>>news
>>> In article > ,
>>> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote:
>>>
>>>> It's what's for dinner tonight -- fresh from the garden. Also from the
>>>> garden will be sides of sour cream cucumbers and herb roasted
>>>> potatoes.
>>>> http://janetbostwick349.fotopic.net
>>>>
>>>> Janet
>>>
>>> Oh I'm so jealous! :-)
>>> I've grown Lettuce Leaf Basil in the past and adore the stuff.
>>> Our local nursery has not carried it since. :-(
>>>
>>> I've had dismal luck in sprouting basil seeds. The bugs keep eating the
>>> seedlings. <sigh>
>>> --
>>> Peace! Om
>>>
>>I've had the best luck with heavily scattering the seeds on the surface
>>and
>>sprinkling a smidge of soil over. This works best if I do it earlier than
>>I
>>should or especially much later. If I plant the plants or seeds at the
>>proper time, the leaves are chewed to nothingness over night. It's too
>>bad
>>lettuce leaf seed isn't as cheap or available as other varieties. For
>>regular basil, I buy up end of season seed -- I am not particular, only
>>that
>>it be cheap. In late spring, I pour a bunch into my hand and toss it out
>>as
>>though I were sanding an icy sidewalk. Bingo! Lots of basil by mid-July
>>for eating. Lots and lots of basil by middle/end of August for sharing
>>and
>>putting away by freezing. Certainly the seed is planted too closely, but
>>the small plants seem to protect each other from temperature extremes and
>>shelter the soil from moisture loss. Don't know exactly, but it works for
>>me.
>>Janet
>>
>
>
> Lettuce leaf Basil is not listed as a hybrid so you should be able to
> save some seeds for the next year. I have also found that the seed
> last several years.
> --
> Susan N.
>
Now that's a cool piece of information!!! Thanks a lot. How do you go
about collecting the seed? Without dispersing it everywhere? Do you bag
the blooms? What?
Janet