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market-farming - Basil tips, was Re: Market niches-harvesting herbs

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: S & S Aqua Farm <snsaquasys AT townsqr.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Basil tips, was Re: Market niches-harvesting herbs
  • Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 10:08:17 -0600


At 04:25 PM 02/09/2000 -0500, Sue wrote:

>I grew some basil- about 100 plants last year to try to expand into the
herb market. My problem was with the harvesting. I would cut the new
growth off every couple days or so. I wasn't very systematic but would snip
off a couple inches worth of stem and leaves. I think I might of been a
little protective of the plants and didn't snip off enough. It seemed very
labor intensive to pick basil this way. About how big can you make the cut
on basil with out it being too much?


Sue - you've seen some really good tips on basil in the cut-and-come-again
techniques. This will give you season-long harvest from a single planting,
allow you to keep your basil healthy and producing.

It is very labor intensive to cut basil from an existing plant, constantly
evaluating whether this branch or that is "ready" or should grow out longer.
And by the time you get into the third or fourth cut with all the new
productive branches, it gets even worse. If you're using this as a
secondary crop in addition to your primary salad greens or whatever, this is
probably fine.

For large quantities, we found that growing for a single harvest and
replanting (using 1-2 week old transplants) was the most economical. We're
able to produce 15-20# in a 4'x8' grow bed on a rotational basis every
four-five weeks (transplant to harvest, depending on temperatures). If you
have the market for that volume on a continuous basis, I'd suggest you go
with a single harvest, then replant.

If you'll watch your basil transplants, the first week you'll see little
growth; the second week is more remarkable. By the third week they've
jumped to double size, and the fourth week the plants should be in the
12-18" range -- all tender growth and ready for harvesting. Wholesalers and
restaurants generally use the entire plant (soft stem and all) in their
pestos, keeping the small top shoots for decorative touches. Unless you're
going strictly for a retail (leaves only) market, it just makes more sense.
Certainly is less labor intensive to cut an entire plant when it's perfectly
usable.

Just my thoughts.

Paula Speraneo
S&S Aqua Farm, 8386 County Road 8820, West Plains, MO 65775 417-256-5124
Web page http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/





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