Subject: Re: How much Basil for 37 Pestos????

From: [email-masked] (Janine Dahms Walker)
Date: 1 Mar 1995 16:18:07 GMT

We make about 20-30 packets of pesto (4 very generous servings) and freeze
it without cheese, adding cheeses when we make it.  We plant 6 plants and
cut them back by about 1/3 when a foot high, and keep pinching flowers off.
 Of course in MN our season ends in Oct when we make the biggest batches. 
Otherwise cutting back during growing season yields 1-3 packets.  Good
luck!   Janine

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]
(Paul Liu) wrote:I want to grow enough basil to make about 37 servings

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From: [email-masked] (Stan)
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 02:33:35 GMT

Paul,

i like you too (at least until you give me a reason not to), especially
because basil is definately one of the secret wonders of the universe.

good question by the way, because there is no exact answer, but here
goes mine, and it is based on small scale commercial basil production
using hydroponics indoors last winter.

1 oz. of fresh leaves = ~ 2 cups of packed leaves
if 2 cups = 2 serving, then 37 cups = 37 servings
therefore 18.5 oz. = ~ 37 cups = ~ 37 servings

my minimum yield of basil after 2 months growth was 1 lb. (16 oz.) of
fresh leaves per 12.5 square foot (averaging 1.5/12.5 sq.ft.) per week,
or ~ 1.25 oz./sq. ft./week (~ 2.5 cups or servings/sq. ft./week).

at this point, the choices are endless, but try this one out...
if you wanted 37 servings every month, you would need around 4 sq. ft.
of basil (planted 6 inches apart/16 plants).  **NOTE** the above #s
are for hydroponics... for soil gardening, i would double the space
between plants, and double the growing time, therefore try 16 plants
spaced 1 foot apart (16 sq.ft.) and expect ~37 serving every two
months. (still harvest at least once a month, preparing the pesto and
freezing it until time for use... this prevents flowering and slower
growth).

good luck... Stan