Question: I bought a fresh basil plant and have enjoyed caring for it all summer. Due to the fragrance, which is unappealing to some pests, I have noticed fewer bugs around the area. I am also excited about cooking with a fresh herb.
Now that freezing temperatures are on our minds, can you tell me what to do with the plant?
Answer: Basil is a delicious addition to pesto and many other dishes such as pastas, soups and salads, but leave it out when frost comes along and that may be the end of your plant. Here are a few ways to store fresh basil:
1) Remove basil from the stalk, place the stems in a vase with water and store in the fridge, just like you would flowers.
2) You can also wrap the basil leaves and stems in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge.
3) Or remove leaves from stems and store basil in a covered plastic container in the freezer. Use as needed.
4) Dried basil. Wash basil and pinch leaves off base. Preheat oven to 180C. Spread basil leaves onto baking sheets and place in oven for about one and a half hours. Crush the leaves with your hands. Store dried herbs in glass jars.
Keep in mind dried herbs are stronger than fresh herbs, the rule of thumb is three to one, for example three teaspoons of fresh herbs equal one teaspoon of dried herbs. Save the stems and store them in a jar of olive oil for two weeks to make your own basil oil.
Extra Tip: When you chop basil, place one leaf on top of another until you have a pile of leaves. Roll them up and chop them all together; this method reduces potential bruising on the fragile leaves.
Question: I read about putting coffee grounds in a sock to keep musty smells out of a suitcase. I have some prized old wool blankets that I store in a metal trunk over the winter in our unheated cottage. I put in some newspaper as I do when storing our cooler to prevent mustiness. The musty smell was much worse when the blankets were stored in a wooden trunk, but there is still a slight musty odour on the blankets in the spring with the metal trunk.
Do I have to bring the blankets home for the winter? Or would the coffee grounds trick work in this situation as well?
Answer: No, you should not need to bring the blankets home. Coffee grounds are wonderful at absorbing odours and so is newspaper, and here are a few additional suggestions that you can try: sprinkle either tea tree oil, lavender, cinnamon, rosewood or orange essentials oils onto cotton balls and add them to the trunk.
Or shave a fragrant bar of soap into slivers and store them in a bowl. Set the bowl on the bottom of the trunk.
Airing the blankets out on a cool day would be your best bet! Or toss them in the dryer on a cool setting with one of the essential oil cotton balls.
Question: Is there any reason why diluted bubble bath shouldn’t be used to refill a foaming hand soap container? — Marie
Answer: The design of the bottle is what causes soap to foam. Combining 50/50 bubble bath and water typically work well to create foam for dispensers.
Make your own plant food
Whenever I boil vegetables, I save the water and let it cool down. Then I use the liquid to water my plants. It costs me nothing and my plants are healthy. — Donwin
I am an avid gardener and coffee drinker, so I thought I would combine my two hobbies. After making a pot of coffee, I pour the coffee grounds into an empty coffee can. After a week, I add the grounds to my garden. Extra nitrogen keeps the plants looking healthy.— Louise
I gardened for over 50 years and have always used the same plant food recipe. As I weed, I save the weeds in a colander. I put the colander inside a bucket of water so that the weeds stay in the colander and the water soaks the weeds. I leave it outside for two weeks, because it really smells. I then discard the weeds and use the liquid to water my plants. I use 50/50 weed liquid and water. — Peter
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca. Ask a question or share a tip at reena.ca.
