July 2022: Red Leaf Holy Basil

Blog by the Garden Center Team

This month's seed kit features Red Leaf Holy Basil! To support our environment, some seed kit materials are now available digitally.

Planting Instructions

• Culture: Good in containers or garden area. Plant outdoors in late spring or early summer. Select a sunny area with moderately rich soil. Plant seeds about ¼" deep with a spacing of about 2 to 3 seeds per inch in rows 18 inches apart. Thin to 4 inches apart after seedlings have 3-4 sets of leaves.
• Water: Keep soil moist, but not saturated, until seedlings emerge (10-24 days). Thereafter, provide even moisture on a regular basis to prevent complete drying of soil. Provide additional moisture on days of extreme heat.
• Harvest: Holy Basil reaches maturity in 90-100 days. Once plant is established, harvest by picking leaves or cutting stems as needed until just before the plant starts to flower. Then cut entire plant 4-6 inches above the ground to promote a second growth.
• Culinary Tips: Use in stir-fry or steep for a soothing tea.

More About Red Leaf Holy Basil

Holy basil, a plant native to India, has long been considered sacred to Hindu people and is used in Ayurvedic remedies to promote a healthy mind, body, and spirit. The herb is also known as tulsi. It has a different, more pungent, taste from sweet basil and is less often used in cooking, more commonly used in a tea or juice to take in its health benefits.

Thai Basil Tofu

• Yield: 2
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes

Main Ingredients:

• 1 lb. firm tofu
• ½ onion, diced
• 8 oz. green beans, cut to ½" pieces
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ large red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup Thai holy basil
• To taste: salt and pepper

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1-2 bird's eye chilies, sliced OR ½ tsp. Thai chili flakes
• 3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 2.5 tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp. ginger, grated

Instructions:

1. Drain the tofu. Place tofu between paper towels on a plate, place another weighted plate on top to squeeze out excess water. Dice or crumble tofu. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, add all of the sauce ingredients, whisk together, and set aside.
3. Heat a sauté pan to medium and add olive oil. Add the tofu and sauté until dried, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sauce, onion, red bell pepper, green beans, and sauté everything together until vegetables are cooked but still crispy, about 5 minutes.
5. Turn off heat, stir in Thai holy basil until it wilts in the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rice.

Craft: Plant Pounding

You'll Need:

• Watercolor or sketch
• Flowers of leaves (look for "juicier" plants, these plants will give better impressions)
• Hammer with a flat metal head
• Hard surface

Instructions:

1. Place your paper on a hard surface and lay out your plant on the paper.
2. Place another piece of paper on top of the plant. Gently tap the plant through to top paper, making sure to tap every part of the plant. Some color may bleed through to top sheet, but that's okay!
3. Remove the top sheet and the plant from the paper. If any plant bits are left behind, carefully scrape those from the paper. You can outline the shapes with a pen, if desired.