Purple Basil from Thai seeds. Isn’t it stunning? Almost as gorgeous as Dark Opal Basil that is almost entirely a rich, deep burgundy color… I found myself in Quezon City this morning, delivering a birthday present to an uncle who turned nearly 80 today. He is a fairly well known artist and it’s always interesting to visit his place to see what wacky and outrageously creative things he is currently working on… The uncle is my mom’s younger brother, and is only one of many talented descendants in that family that got seriously creative genes. I find I did NOT inherit enough of the artsy genes, but there are hints of it, maybe in my cooking, I hope. My dad wouldn’t know a Museum if it landed on top of him so the bloodlines got seriously watered down on the creative side, I think… After dropping off the present, I decided to pass by the Manila Seedling Bank and see if there was anything interesting in the flora department… And luckily, they had a plant show in progress, so it made for a nice stroll and browse in the midday sun. I was thrilled to find a vendor with HUNDREDS of little pots of perhaps as many as a dozen different herbs! Of course I couldn’t resist, despite my predeliction for murdering the little bushes of palate awakening leaves, and ended up succumbing to their promo of buying 9 pots and getting the 10th for free. They came out to PHP30 (80 U.S. cents) each.
Besides the purple basil, they had lots of fresh lavender. I think this is one of the first times I have come across lavender here. Better known to many for its flowers, which possess a deep LAVENDER color that also have an incredible fragrance, I didn’t even know the herb could be raised from seed in our tropical weather! I have often seen rows upon rows of flowering lavender in photos taken in the South of France, and I wondered if I could replicate the same scene here… I am not too sure where I am even going to use this herb (I have never cooked or baked with the leaves before!), but one of my herb books suggests it is excellent in a massage oil… Hmmm, I’m thinking chopping it up finely and mixing it with olive oil before I get my next massage and prior to being roasted on the barbecue… heeheehee. Any brilliant ideas for this fresh lavender? :)
A second type of Thai basil that I bought is green and highly pungent. Basil is thought to have originated in India some 4 thousand years ago (according to Tony Hill in the Contemporary Encyclopedia of Herbs & Spices), and today there are dozens of varieties and differing degrees of sweetness, pungency and size of leaf. These thai basil leaves are excellent in curries, salads, etc. I used to have several bushes of a slightly different Thai Basil (smaller leaves) that we used to use often in a beef and basil dish, but that too died.
Another pleasant discovery were rather small but very healthy looking sage plants! It’s quite difficult to find fresh sage herbs in the groceries, so I was thrilled to find these plants, which, bang for the buck, you get a small sage leaf for every peso you pay… This will be superb in a sage and butter sauce for pasta, possible with chicken and prosciutto, etc.
Finally, I got a couple of pots of Sweet Italian Basil, perfect for garnishing a pasta with tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes with mozzarella. I crushed and smelled one of the leaves at the shop and they were so much more aromatic and uplifting that say a refrigerated leaf at the grocery… I have received hundreds of emails over the years lamenting our lack of fresh herbs or asking where to buy them… well this source is one of the better ones I have found, so if you need a lot of fresh herbs, check them out: Green 2000 Garden Center, Manila Seedling Bank Garden Complex, Quezon Avenue corner EDSA, telefax 632-926-2707.
Here are more herbaceous posts on this blog, in case you are interested:
Fresh Herbs from Zacky’s Farm
Fresh Thyme
Dead Thyme
Chervil & Thyme
Coriander, Dill, Mint, Italian Parsley, Mint and Basil
Fresh Herbs, Part I (Tarragon, Opal Basil, Basil, Lemon Balm, Mint, Oregano, Chives)
Fennel
56 Responses
This reminds me of may Botany and Pharmacognosy subjects! We used to draw them and remember their uses.
Probably before all I have to do was memorize and memorize. Now, I realize what their importance is in our day to day living. When I go to the supermart, I now look at each of the herbs with interest. I also review the French cookbook I have. Its good that they differentiate the different pastas and the different herbs with pictures provided. Thanks for the reinforcement I get from reading your blogs religiously.
We have used lavender leaves in beverages (like tea) and salads before. Just dont add too much, as it can be overpowering in flavor.
thanks so much for this tip once more, MM! I have been trying to grow lavander ( call me crazy—I do! :-)) but I guess I can now have one! I can’t wait to get to the Manila Seedling! I know they are usually made for potpourri. I would want to place them at our foyer or entrance. A nice way to welcome guests. In aromatherapy, lavander is good for relaxation and a solution for insomniacs.
I was there last week and the display at the EDSA Garden House of rows and rows of herbs can make a cook run around. I vowed to get some pots, but a meeting followed me there and I ended up have a mini meeting at the food court by the side.
The price of 9+1 is good.
We are doing cooking with herbs demo there in February. I am no cook, nor do we have a recipe. We will just go by our nose’s fancy for the day :)
pareho tayo MM, I buy potted herbs, try to take care of them, and then, they dieeeee…i can’t even grow a decent mongo plant. i love to cook with herbs and when my nephew would see me, he would say, please don’t put grass on mine. you would have to excuse him, he didn’t grow in my household. hahaha! it’s about time we find good uses for herbs as they are fresh, healthy, and add a lot of flavor to a rather plain-tasting fare.
Now I remember why I wanted to go back. They said they were going to have trays of wheat grass that you can have in your kitchen counter, ready for juicing. Like cut and juice :)
I also dropped by Manila Seedling today. I got there at almost 6:00 and while it was easy to look at the herbs at EDSA Garden, i had a hard time looking at the plants in the stalls outside. I got myself a kaffir lime tree for P300. Hopefully i can grow this. Any tips MM?
peterb, my kaffir/makrut lime tree is THRIVING in the garden. I have had it for 7 years and have done several marcotts from it, with another 3 more plants thriving in large pots. It seems to be pretty hardy in a sunny (but not excessively so) spot in the garden. The leaves are just so fragrant. But at some times of the year, keep a lookout for caterpillars that devour the leaves… It’s one of the few plants I have NOT managed to murder. Oh, and at PHP300, that is a good deal!
Flower farm in Alabang Town Center would sometimes have potted purple basil and lavender as well as the usual tarragon, sweet basil and thai basil. I was terribly tempted to buy the 5 foot topiary made out of rosemary for about 2,000 pesos there since rosemary is pretty hard to grow here.
SM Supermarket in Makati would sometimes have potted thyme, dill, fennel and rosemary for about 50 pesos each and bay for 150.
So far I’ve had success growing sage, chives, and sweet basil from seeds
wow! what a very informative write up you have as usual. plus the comments, aside from being interesting are very informative as well. and to think that i always pass by manila seedling every friday before going to UP. can’t wait to go there.may i know MM if the herbs they’re seeling are organically grown? and how do grow your own herbs generally? organic or not? and thank you so much…
I have to say I read your blog everyday and look forward to visit some of the places when I go home in December.
I love herbs and aromatherapy. Lavender I use in my tea and I use other herbs like spearmint, peppermint, lemongrass and verbena which is lemony and fragrant. When some herbs are not in season I use dried herbs that I get from a company in Oregon.
Lavender is a versatile herb and I use the dried flowers as a fresher in my carpets when I vacuum. The essential oil I diffuse all the time as it acts as an antimicrobial. The dried up flowers I put in sachets placed inside my pillows for a restful sleep. When it is a stressful day I put lavender essential oil in my bath and it helps so much as it relaxes me.
Fresh lavender flowers dries well and I think they are prettier as you can just crush the flowers in your fingers and feel uplifted. I have one in my office from last summer and it dried up well without water.
Lavender…aaahhh! Nothng more soothing and fragrant, I say…I can just go on and on…For starters, when incorporated into a glaze for Lemon Pound Cake(sugar, lemon juice and lavender flowers), it has a lingering taste that’s pleasing to the palate…OR how about infusing it into the custard mixture(milk, cream, pinch of salt, lemon zest andbruised lavender leaves) when making BREAD PUDDING…heaven!!!! My favorite though is incorporating it into an ORANGE- LAVENDER BAVARIAN CREAM and then folding cubed ANGEL FOOD CAKE into it. I used to do this SUBLIME DESSERT at one of Vancouver’s Premier Seafood Restaurant..THE CANNERY! Oh… here’s another one…easy to prepare and heavenly…make an Orange-Lavender SABAYON and nap it over fresh berries and then GRATINEED!…If fresh berries are not available, I think local fruits like mangoes would be just divine! If you want me to post the recipes, just let me know, MM …With these three recipes (my most favorite!!!) I might end up using a looooot of space…so sorry!
Do not like lavender in truffles, baked and frozen foods or any in food at all. It is too flowery for me. But I use dried lavender leaves, twigs and flowers to preserve my cashmere sweaters and wool clothes from moth destruction. Sage is good in chicken and turkey dishes – a pinch of its leaf goes a long way or in butternut squash ravioli with butter dressing or make flavored water out sage. Like Italian basil made into pesto with penne pasta with shrimp, asparagus, mushroom, sun dried tomatoes with lots of grated Parmiagiano cheese. I heard a lot of times it is hard to get a job there or make a living – I believe and this is only my own opinion – raising herbs could a be a good way to supplement an income. Just work around your schedule and you do not need a lot of space to grow them and feasible to raise them throughout the year and take to the market or a restaurant. MM, when I was there we do not buy sili, and eggplants. I grew them 365 days a year. Same thing here I do not buy lemongrass, oregano, and basil I grow them in containers all year round and I work 12 hours a day excluding commute time 1.5 hours round trip for a living. I use all the space I have – I have three full grown Thai guavas and three full grown kalamansi that I grew from seeds not grafted. I did all of these through my inherent love of kalamansi and guavas. Not only harvesting the fruit of my sweat – they bring lots of joy and happiness to me. Come March my sitao will roll out the vine and I will have a bumper crop of sitao by summer. Not to mention my tens and tens of potted cymbidium orchids. Talking about micromanaging time anything is feasible.
Is that uncle initialed (XX)? He must be one of those national artists! Bravo! (Sorry Mangaranon, I had to axe the initials, as there is only one National Artist with those initials… heehee. At least you know who I mean. – Marketman)
Maria Clara: I envy you being able to grow soooo much stuff! I do enjoy gardening and rarely do we buy vegetables in the summer. I wish we were there where you are. Whenever I plant something, I have to always consider the “number of days to maturity” because of our weather here. But hey, you what…for 2 summers in a row I was successful in producing SQUARE WATERMELONS!!!….the ORANGE FLESH AND YELLOW ONES…if you’d care to try growing them this summer, I shall send you an e-mail!
betty q, thanks for all the suggestions!!! Wow, a sabayon with lavender leaves… yum. MC, I think if one has a green thumb, you can grow just about anything anywhere. But if one, like me, has a black one, you can kill just about any plant, anywhere…heehee. Actually, we do have quite a bit growing here at home in a tiny kitchen plot… makrut lime trees, tanglad (lemongrass), betel leaves, bay leaves, siling labuyo, pandan, malunggay, oregano, galangal, etc. But Western herbs, I think they wilt and die when I go near them!
betty q. I read about the square watermelons the Japanese are so crazy with and willing to pay for their exorbitant price. I did not know they come in a seed I thought they just keep them in a square container for the fruit to grow that shape. That is very nice of you betty q. I will touch my base with you via email. MM I totally agree with you about green thumb and one’s own initiative to be productive.
Maria Clara: No, no, no,! How I wish they just grew square…I put them in various square shaped things as they grew and I shall send you the results of my experiment. It is true it is more convenient to store them in the cooler as it doesn’t roll all over the fridge…Talk to you later…
You’re welcome MM and I can give you a whoooole kaboodle of desserts to incorporate those lavender….Too bad it is winter here now and my lavender plants are just spindly bare stems now…can’t wait for spring/summer to roll around!
Thanks MM! Hopefully i can have this thriving as well. How long did it take before it started to bear fruit?
peterb, ahhh, therein lies the rub… I have NEVER gotten any fruit. I am not sure if you need multiple unrelated trees (boys and girls, that would be) or if the weather conditions are just not right, but I have never managed to coax a gnarly fragrant wonderful makrut lime… just the leaves…
Re the lavender – I saw and article about lavender salt. I suppose it’s made by mixing the flowers sea salt and letting the essential oils infuse the salt. Supposedly it’s good on roasts.
I just bought some lavender Earl Gray tea and it is not as floral and “soapy” as I thought it would be.
Lavender! I have two thriving potfuls in my garden, but they’ve never flowered, ever. Same as your non-fruiting kaffir lime? Hmm…
off topic, the only national artist i know who celebrated his bday on the 26th is one belonging in the visual arts field…just read about him in my son’s phil. history/current events subj. wild guess..anyway, bought several pots of herbs in mla seedling, none survived after 3 months…i think the kaffir plant is a real deal. Am planning on keeping it on a big pot, hoping this works.
elaine, egads, you and mangaranon are being too sleuthlike… I will neither confirm or deny references to the man…. heehee.
Toping: Lavender can be grown in containers. You might want to repot it to a much bigger container each spring as it grows to give room for the roots to grow and the plant to mature. It does not like too acidic or too alkaline soil. So check the ph of your soil…between 6.5 to 7.5 is good! Add compost to balance the soil ph. It Also needs FULL SUN and proper drainage to thrive well and you will be rewarded with fragrant blooms! When it grows to this BIG MASSIVE MAMA LAVENDER, you might want to thin it out. Don’t be afraid to divide the plants. It won’t hurt them. You will be doing them a favour for they will have room to breathe. Then you will have baby lavender plants to give away to your friends and neighbours!
MM, I’m sorry to hear about the death of your Thai Basil (?) plants! Basil is generally a heat loving plant. It does not like RAIN! I have to wait till it’s really, really hot here in the WEST COAST (where it always rains) before I can even direct seed into the ground. That’s why I usually start them indoors and when the weather warms up, I transfer them into the ground. I also have some potted so I can bring them indoors when it rains. Those that I have in pots outside, I put them near the wall where they absorb the heat and my basil plants benefit from that heat. I say if there is a will, there is a way!
I had oregano and it grew abundantly! But I did not use them in cooking as I heard there are different varieties of oregano and I didn’t know if the ones I had were good for cooking. They smelled most pungent though. I had a rosemary plant which dried out, even though I put in enough water. Black thumbs too, I guess.
I think herbs like basil, rosemary, etc don’t like too much water. Just enough water maybe water them once a day in a climate like ours. Don’t put under direct heat as it would wilt. I was lucky to have my rosemary for 3 -4 months. My friend had hers much longer. Another one which thrives very well is italian oregano. Another tip…leave the white part and roots of your spring onion. Plant them in a pot everytime your buy. Voila, you’ll have fresh spring onion anyday you want!! Idea came from my Kitchen Angels.
One of the causes as well why certain plants wilt and die is all due to a bug called FUSARIUM WILT. It attacks cetain plants like basil, cucumbers, melons… It is present in the soil that is why if you have vegetables in the ground planted, it helps to rotate what you are going to plant the following year. YOU DO NOT WANT TO PLANT YOUR BASIL OR VEGEATABLES In THE SAME SPOT!!!!RIGHT MARIA CLARA? Basil is one of the plants that is susceptible to that bug! if your basil plants wilt and the stem starts getting black, pull out the entire plant and in the garbage it goes… NOT IN YOUR COMPOSTER! I know my garden and the soil pretty much. What I can suggest is if you have no clue whatsoever who or what RESIDES in your soil, you probably are better off having your herbs in POTS!
betty, thanks for the tip. I’ve repotted my lavender and hope to see flowers soon! They do look more ‘comfortable’ in their new environment…
Hi MM!I myself had no luck in caring for herbs before(they usually die out on me after a few weeks) until I started planting them in the ground.About 6-7 mos ago,I bought several pots of different herbs when I chance upon the greenhearts garden shop(corner scout reyes and Mo.Ignacia–depending on the kind of herb, a pot usually sells at P50@).The 1st few weeks they were thriving well in their pots which I placed in our terrace then they started getting thin and I know on their way to plant heaven soon!So what the heck, I transplanted them in the ground. But first, I cultivated the area(one that received FULL SUN), breaking up the soil and digging holes and putting a thin layer of gravel at the bottom of each.I removed each herb gently from its pot by tapping the bottom of the pot then planted them in, about 6-8 inches apart then covered the holes with Enrico soiless potting mix(also by green hearts but available at Ace, Truevalue and Handyman).Water them just enough every MORNING(to give time for dews on leaves to dry out or they will rot!).Voila!I now have a green thumb!My Sweet salad basil is now 3 feet tall and so lush that I’ve planted more of it by just breaking a mature stem from it!I have several varieties of Basil now growing in my garden–red rubin,spicy globe,thai sweet basil and lemon basil.Two more secrets:1)the more you harvest the more lush it will be 2)dont let it flower and seed–keep on pinching!I have peppermint, spearmint,Italian oregano,tarragon,pandan,lemongrass,calamansi and dayap.And from those I bought in the supermarkets to use in my cooking,I was successful growing thyme, chives,sweet camote, chinese kangkong and Kinchay!Always cut at least an inch from the root and plant!Happy planting!
Regarding sage,lavander and rosemary– I think they like it dry!They dont like their leaves nor their soil wet!I still have to observe them carefully because up to now I still have no luck growing them.:)And one more thing MM,to remove pests from your herbs be vigilant in removing diseased leaves and stems so it will not spread and spraying your herbs with water mixed in with a little dishwashing soap sometimes do the trick!
Wow, Beth! Lucky you! I am going to try planting an herb garden soon and will keep your tips in mind. Thanks for sharing.
CecileJ-I’m still a struggling gardener but I’ve now learned that having a green thumb is not an in born talent.By reading and researching and really putting your efforts into it, you will be rewarded.Gardening is like taking care of a baby or a pet, you have to be responsible and of course you really have to enjoy it.Once it becomes a chore then say GOODBYE!:)
Hi, I went to Manila Seedling after I read your blog and reading the comments! Unfortunately for me, their Kaffir Lime plant ran out, which was what I was gunning for. :/
Ah well, back to using dried. They said they will restock by March. I’ve read your post before (Herbana Farms?), although their website is down and I’m not sure where to find them/get in touch to get my coveted Kaffir Lime.
Nevertheless, I bought 9 pots + 1! Might be fun to try and grow herbs for the first time. The comments here has been great in giving helpful comments!
Thanks for the post!
hello MM,
i’m learning a lot about herbs from here. Actually i’ve successfully grown a basil plant here in Iloilo, thai basil i think. It was originally in a small pot near my kitchen sink. i noticed though that it was starting to wilt. when i decided to transfer it to the ground, facing the south i think, it started to prosper.hehe. now, its main branches are thick and woody.
is lemon grass an herb? i wonder. a colleague of mine says that in rural areas in Iloilo, there is a local kind of basil. i just can’t remember the name right now.
i am thinking of starting my own herb garden and naming it scarborough fair… :)
inday hami, lemongrass? an herb or an aromatic? The vegetable world is the most imprecise of scientific definitions. After all, banana trees are giant herbs, not trees… :)
Beth: MINT is an invasive plant…meaning they will grow ALL over your garden. Their root sysytem is sooo vast that you will find baby mint growing everywhere in your garden and will eventually take over the entire plot if you’re not careful! If I were to plant mint in the ground, I will keep it contained by planting it into the biggest plastic pot I can find, cut out the bottom, and put the entire bottomless pot in the ground.
MM: Did you know that mint can used to control ANTS. Apparently, ants do not like the smell of MINT. So if you just bruise some mint and put them along the trail where you thnk they are most likely to be, then they will stay away. Drawback, they will just find another trail! It will not eradicate the ant problem. But you can make mint jelly and lace it with BORIC ACID. Then put blobs near the ant hill. They will feed on it and bring it back to the queen ant and goodbye ants! You have to to this not once or twice but at least for two straight weeks every other day.
I found this link that explains who to have the Kaffir Tree bear fruit. It says you need two genetically diverse trees.
https://h2ow.com/html/kaffir_lime.html
Looks like i need another tree. Just need to make sure their unrelated. (?)
I’ll probably get from a different stall or not at Manila Seedling to be sure.
bettyq–Thanks for the tip.I will try to do that since I did notice the mints spreading fast.But before I replant them, how do you make mint jelly?Is this jelly only for lamb roast?and the ants?;)
Help! Does anyone know how to grow kaffir lime and thai basil from seeds? I got a lot of different seeds from Thailand, and have attempted to grow them. So far, only the Thai coriander started to germinate. Or, should I just chuck this idea and go to Manila Seedling? ;p
I have never grown kaffir or makrut lime from seeds… aybe they just need a long germination period? The thai basil should grow from seeds if they are fresh seeds. But yes, otherwise, do the shorcut version and buy the plants at the seedling bank…
Hi Everyone,
Does anyone here knows where I can get a Lavender flower of leaf…I’m in dire need of it ASAP…Thanks!
wil, they have lavender plants (leaves) at the Manila Seedling Bank, read the post above…
viait my 1 HECTARE SILI FARM IN MANAGPI CALAPAN CITY. 09293338777
Hi mm!y is my lavender looks cranky?Should i water it everyday?it looks like its going to die?i water it everyday.is that harmful 4 d plant?
Hi mm!how can i propagate my stevia?wat fertilizers can i use for it to make it grow fast?tnx mm!
wat causes the curling of the leaves of my thai nd sweet basil?is that caused by pest?illness?pls advice.Tnx very much.
it curled due to aphids or ants, if you don’t want to use pesticides much better to uproot the basil and try to change the soil, coz the insects thrived in the soil.
Or spray it with 1liter water with 1scoop powder soap and 2pieces siling labuyo,,,,,, it’s earth friendly..:)
where i can buy sage plants/ sage tea in Philippines? im from marikina
Hello anyone could help me.. where i can buy sage tea/ sage plants in the philippines.. this can cure me.. tnx in advance..
you can try checking https://www.sonyasgarden.com/
MM, sale time at Edsa Garden House and Manila Seedling again. 4 pots for P100!
Iam looking for hi breed tomatoes. Could you tell me pls. where i could buy seeds? Thanks in advance.
Where can i buy sage tea, dried sage leaves and sage tincture in sucat? thanks in advance.