Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Noel Davey
Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in Growing Medicinals

Hi all , just wanted to start a discussion on this wonderful plant here in Oz they flower all year round.

 Research scientists at Rajasthan University have discovered that Tulsi can replace some of the more expensive alternatives to fluoride removal. 

It can be used in a Tea to help relax the body and mind.

Many people eat two leaves from the plant each day.

Also can be used in cooking of many different meals. Thai cooking

It attracts many pollinators such as hover flies , Native Bees and European bees.

And it flowers all year long here in Oz.

It is my Favorite plant.

What is your Favorite Plant ?

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Comments

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    @Noel Davey tried it for the first time last summer, use to graze on it often and cook with it. It turned up it's toes recently and I put that down to it being an annual and now it's winter. How do you get it to grow year round? Gee favourite plant, that's a hard one, gotta say rocket is up there, love the peppery taste and its prolific. Garlic is awesome.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    @jodienancarrow mine have been in a pot for 4 years now i cut them back also roots and replant so they get good soil to live in.

  • tammyrichardsmt9
    tammyrichardsmt9 Posts: 109 ✭✭✭

    Trying to grow this right now. Not sure it will make it. I have had it in tea blends - it is excellent. I love my mints! Right now I have 4 types growing.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    Hi @tammyrichardsmt9 I have old fashion mint growing in my plot at my local community garden. I cut them back and have a great mint tea.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    My first year for growing tulsi. So far, not doing well but I put that down to the cold rainy weather we have had. Thanks for the info on tulsi and fluoride @Noel Davey. Good to know although here in BC, we no longer have that problem as it has been removed from water treatment. But if I am travelling to a place that has fluoridated water, I will seek out some tulsi. Not that I plan on leaving BC in the next while.

  • cattleuponahill
    cattleuponahill Posts: 18 ✭✭✭

    I am so glad you posted this! I just got some plants on a free facebook forum. I remembered Holy Basil was really good, but I couldn't remember why. I planted it my garden and it is taking off. I can't wait to try it!

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I also planted Tulsi for the first time this year. It is growing well. Other than cooking with it or making a tincture I wasn't sure what to do with it. Closest I have ever done to a savory tea is chai. I do love tea so might have to figure out a blend I can try it in. New to making my own tea blends also. Wold you have any suggestions? My favorite plant, hmm that is hard. I mostly have only grown veggies and strawberries until this year. So I guess so far it would be snow peas or strawberries.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    I haven't had tulsi in a blend. Just on its own. I was very surprised at the flavour. Really lovely.

  • Dani
    Dani Posts: 27 ✭✭✭

    I am also growing tulsi for the first time this year. I fell in love with it last year. Up here I can't grow it as a perennial but I will attempt to bring it inside and see how it fairs. My favorite plant is probably lemon balm, the smell, the flavor and its calming effect. I heard an herbalist refer to it as 'calming the monkey mind' love that.

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    Lol it must be the year of tulsi! I am also growing it for the first time. It's been a bit of a slow starter but maybe I started it too early. It does make a lovely, calming tea. I've not tried it in cooking yet but hope to have plenty to dry and utilize. Okay, favorite plant...that would be the rose. Any color as long as it has a scent (some tea roses have beauty but no scent). I have loved them all of my life. I even have other plants that are a "rose" (in name) - desert rose, rock rose, rose mallow, and I think another but cannot remember right now.

  • annebeloncik
    annebeloncik Posts: 62 ✭✭✭

    Tulsi is definitely on my wish list! I am really turning into a plant nerd, I love learning about new plants and new things about the ones I know. Plants are so cool!

  • Karen luihn
    Karen luihn Posts: 53 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2020

    I tried growing some last year after trying some tulsi tea that I loved. Not sure what I did nap but it seemed to bolt and go to seed before I was able to use it. I’m in zone 7b (US) I may try your idea of planting in a pot if I’m not too late this year already. Thank you

  • stephanie447
    stephanie447 Posts: 404 ✭✭✭

    I am currently drinking tulsi tea daily. One of my herbalist teachers isn't that impressed with it and thinks its benefits are a bit overblown, another teacher recommends it all the time. I guess the first teacher thinks its a decent herb, but hyped up a bit and not the cure-all it's sometimes marketed as. That's not to say I *personally* don't think it's beneficial, but my understanding is that it's a bit mild compared to some other herbs - which makes it great for a daily tea!

    Since tulsi helps with the respiratory system it might be helpful to take as a supportive herb while we are dealing with coronavirus. (Not that it would stop or cure it, but maybe it would help strengthen the body a little.)

    I also find it interesting how different herbalist have different reactions to the same herb. :-)

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    Yer great to see , once it is established try to take cuttings and grow more. We still have Fluoride here in Oz. It took me about four years to find the plant and it was in front of me for most of those years heeheh, in the community garden i just had to ask.

    thank you for your imput.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    Your Welcome , i have to talk about how i feel about plants and trees as it is me and always will be. always good to know more about plants as they are so amazing.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    Great, When you do can you please share so we can all enjoy the tea blend , as for teas i do like lemon Myrtle.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    i do like Lemon Balm as well. i have three mother holy basil and the are about 4 years old now and they are in pots they always change with the season here in OZ but winter is only really winter this year due to the grand solar minimum we are currently in for about 11 years ,but they still do well outside.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    Hope they grow well and smell as well . in the market stall i have i place one of my holy basil up front and people walk by and the smell stops them i ask them to have a taste and people stop and chat about food and cooking and there home land. I think it is the community plant of the year as it can bring so many together.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    Good to have another plant nerd, so much to learn, i used to sit in an office looking outside when the sun was shining and wished i was in a garden planting weeding or what ever i could do to be around them. And now i am work hard to make it a reality day by day.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    yes in a pot you can show them off. and they love the attention. In summer here in Oz i can take cuttings and put in water in my kitchen and with in 4 days i will see visual roots formed , such a strong plant.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    I think it may be the strength that is the issue, and not all holy basil plants are the same strength, and it may be how they feel about the plant at that time and also how they feel about your response is it to strong or to week for you.

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have also noticed that sometimes when an herbal remedy works for some it does not give the same results for others. I have friends who swear by some remedies but when I tried them they did nothing for me dealing with the same issue. Maybe this is why one herbalist thinks less of it than the other does.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    @vickeym also we all have 30 % which is what we believe that we can be healed by some thing. example is if you believe that some thing can heal you then you have 30% already them if the plant helps you another 30-40 % with the two your believe which is your mind and your body healing you and the the plant with the other 30% - 40% you have a Total of 60% - 70 % healing if you are not sure of your believe in the plant then you may only have 30%-40%.

  • Noel Davey
    Noel Davey Posts: 30 ✭✭✭

    @vickeym also we all have 30 % which is what we believe that we can be healed by some thing. example is if you believe that some thing can heal you then you have 30% already them if the plant helps you another 30-40 % with the two your believe which is your mind and your body healing you and the the plant with the other 30% - 40% you have a Total of 60% - 70 % healing if you are not sure of your believe in the plant then you may only have 30%-40%. sorry i am new to this.

  • maimover
    maimover Posts: 359 ✭✭✭

    First year for me two. I’d heard so many good thing about it. Received two from Crimson Sage Nurseries; will be planting them today (in pots). They have a very sweet smell to them. I do have an organic tea blend from “Organic India” brand that is pretty good. I think my favorite herb is thyme. Especially Lemon thyme blended with lemon balm.

  • herbantherapy
    herbantherapy Posts: 453 ✭✭✭✭

    I grew holy basil last summer and I did not grow enough! Superb flavor! I got 3 plants this year and have been pinching to make them bushier. @jodienancarrow Basils do not over winter here (Oregon Coast: zone 9a) it gets too cold and humid. Maybe when I have greenhouse😉 I can get them to go year round.

  • AngelaOston
    AngelaOston Posts: 249 ✭✭✭

    Where’s a good place to get tulsi to grow?

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    @herbantherapy my other basils are still hanging in there. We've had a mild winter so far. I was suprised that tulsi, turned up its toes. I will try another spot in spring.

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    jodienancarrow Interesting that your Tulsi did not survive. I am in zone 3b (SouthCentral Alaska) and even though my got a bit leggy when I could not get it transplanted as soon as I should have, I was almost a month late, It is still doing well for me outside. We have had some chilly, very wet days as well as some pretty hot days. It is not very bushy, but seems to be doing very well in spite of it.

  • Amrik
    Amrik Posts: 9 ✭✭✭

    Best way to grow it is in a pot. Changing soil to fresh organic soil every year, If weather cools down below 40degree F then b. ring the pot indoors. 50 to 80 degree F is a ideal temp to grow it. In India it is very revered plant, People worship it. It help maintain good health Eating fresh leaves on regular basis is a good way to get best benefits. Drinking tea made with leaves and flowers is fine too. It covers most of harmful bacteria, fungus and viruses at the same time helping good microbes thrive!