COLUMBIA, S.C. — Basil is a popular herb to grow because it's easy to take care of, comes in beautiful varieties, and can drop the grocery bill (especially if you love margarita pizzas and pesto).

Basil flowering takes energy from leaf production, causing leaves to become bitter and bad for cooking. Keep basil from flowering by pinching off any flowering bits to redirect energy to the leaves.

If you have been to a recent farmers market or if you have a summer garden, you know that it is time for pesto. Basil is everywhere. A few days ago, I picked off the first flowers to appear on my ...

Basil gets tall and leggy from low light, lack of pruning, or overfertilizing. Signs include sparse leaves, excess flowers, and short stems from overharvesting. Revive it with proper care, pruning, ...

Basil is an annual herb that can be grown from seed or is easily transplanted. To ensure your basil plant reaches its full potential, pruning is essential. Cutting back basil plants regularly during ...

Basil is easy to grow, but that simplicity can lead some plant owners to neglect an important summer task that takes less than five minutes but keeps the leaves fresh and flavourful. Herbs are some of ...

Last summer my Italian American neighbors grew some basil in a fish tank. No, they didn't think it was an aquatic plant; they were suffering from fresh basil deficiency and hoped the glass would ...