In article , Charlie wrote:

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:34:29 -0400, Bill who putters
wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

On 6/25/2009 2:44 AM, Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Paul M. Cook said:

My basil is growing like wildfre. Easy question, do you harvest just
the
leaves or do you ct the stems?

I cut the stems to harvest, even though I will only be using the
leaves.
Basil needs to be cut back hard, to delay it going to seed.


If any shoots show flower buds, pick those first. Discard the flower
buds; they are supposedly bitter. (I don't know if they are really
bitter because I always discard them.)

If you are making pesto, the inflorescence is the best part of the plant.

New word for me maybe you too.

Yep. Thankee Billy.

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem
that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of
branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where
flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified. The modifications
can involve the length and the nature of the internodes and the
phyllotaxis, as well as variations in the proportions, compressions,
swellings, adnations, connations and reduction of main and secondary
axes.
The stem holding the whole inflorescence is called a peduncle and the
main stem holding the flowers or more branches within the inflorescence
is called the rachis. The stalk of each single flower is called a
pedicel.
The fruiting stage of an inflorescence is known as an infructescence.
A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a solitary
flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle.

.......


So I take it the the most essential oils reside near the flowers and
are primo ?

Hmmmm........flash from the past. Didn't know the word inflorescence,
but knew where the good stuff was.

Sort of remember soaking rose petals in oil. Anyone know
of a study that relates to this and offers a table or graph?

Bill who just gets leaves of Basil here and places it on toast with
tomato and EVO. Perhaps some goat manchego , Feta or other Italian
cheese.

Hungry now, post-midnite snack, thanks. Grabbing the torch and
heading to the garden for handful of basil........should I put on some
trousers?

Charlie, unable to sleep

After midnight, were gonna let it all hang down.
After midnight, were gonna chug-a-lug and shout.
Were gonna stimulate some action;
Were gonna get some satisfaction.
Were gonna find out what it is all about.
After midnight, were gonna let it all hang down.

~~~~Eric Clapton

Put on your pants Charlie. I think we've already aroused the good
burgers.
--

- Billy

There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who
learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and
find out for themselves.
Will Rogers

http://green-house.tv/video/the-spring-garden-tour
http://www.tomdispatch.com/p/zinn