Growing Basil in the Desert of Phoenix AZ
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an herb that is used around the world. Basil does extremely well here in Phoenix, AZ; it loves our hot climate. Even though this herb does well in Phoenix we do need to take some special precautions when growing basil. I’m going to go over a few things that will help you to grow your own basil here in the Valley.
Make sure they can handle the heat:
Because we have a ridiculous summer, and things can be well over 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 C) for multiple days in a row, it’s important to get varieties that can handle the heat. Here are four that typically do pretty well.
- Sweet Basil
- Thai Basil
- Lemon Basil
- Purple Basil
These four will do well in our climate and seem to thrive in raised garden bed environments.
When to plant them and when to harvest them?
February, March and April are your months for growing basil. I always prefer to grab an organic variety at the Grocery store and plant those. They tend to be fairly cheap and do really well. You can plant these from seed, or start to grow your own indoors around January or February.
Basil is amazing because once it gets established (maybe 6-8 inches tall), it can have a main harvest all the way through the beginning of November, and if temperatures cooperate, you can have an extended harvest of this this herb until it’s time to plant next year. I however have found the extended harvest not that fruitful and tend to pull the basil to make way for other things I want to grow in the garden. When you do harvest them pinch the leaves just above the leaf node. This type of harvesting will create a busier type of basil plant (see pruning later on).
If you do choose to have some flowers on your plants, Bees love them!
Care and Maintenance:
I have found these plants to need pretty consistent watering here in the dry desert environment. There is a bit of a balancing act with this because you don’t want your plants to wind up with root rot. A well balanced, well-draining soil (see Mel’s mix) helps to deal with this.
This herb loves the sunlight and grow best if they receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.
When it comes to Mulching, Pruning and Fertilization there are some things to know.
As for mulching… be sure to apply a layer of organic mulch around the plant and this will help conserve soil moisture, suppress weeds, and help moderate soil temperatures.
As for pruning… It’s important to pinch off the tips of young basil plants to help encourage a bushy plant, rather than a tall and thin plant. These will eventually throw up flower buds as well. Be sure to pinch these flower buds off as they form to help keep the plant from going to seed too early.
Fertilization… A water-soluble fertilizer can be applied every 4-6 weeks. I have read where some people don’t like to use a fertilizer with high nitrogen content as this can lead to excessive leaf growth, but the leaves have poor flavor. Honestly, I don’t fertilize my basil and they grow like weeds.
As for dealing with the heat you can use a shade cloth, and I would suggest watering them in the morning to avoid water loss through evaporation during the hot summer months. While the shade can be helpful, I have not noticed a huge difference in my basil plants if they are shaded or not. It might honestly just be dependent on the micro-climates in your own backyard.
So is it worth it? (..And a great starter recipe for Pesto).
Growing Basil in your garden is 100% worth it. It is easy, it works in a ton of different recipes and your neighbors will love you when you bring them fresh basil or pesto!
Classic Pesto Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts (you can also use walnuts or almonds, but pine nuts are traditional)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon Salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, (or to taste).
Instructions:
Toast the Nuts: In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts until they are golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
Blanch the Basil: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water and set it aside. Drop the basil leaves into the boiling water for about 15 seconds. Remove the basil and immediately plunge it into the ice water. Drain the basil well and pat dry with paper towels (or use a salad spinner).
Combine Ingredients: In a food processor, combine the blanched basil, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, and garlic cloves. Pulse until the ingredients are coarsely chopped.
Slowly Add Olive Oil: With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil through the feed tube. Continue processing until the mixture is well combined and reaches your desired consistency. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Get out and Garden!