The Powers of the Basil Plant

Over the week-end I was blessed to be able to buy a small organic basil plant at the green market in Union Square, in Manhattan. I have been wanting to get a houseplant for ages and I finally decided that there was no more time to make excuses. Find out why you’d want to buy a basil plant and what you can do with it, and what it can do for you in return!

First of all I need to stress the ease with which these plants can be purchased and taken care of. I bought my small basil plant for $1.50. That’s right, one dollar and fifty cents! That’s cheaper than one cup of coffee at Starbucks and this plant is going to make me happy and keep my salads fresh and full of nutrients for a long time, for free from now on! Also when you buy your plant, make sure that it is grown organically, because you don’t want to be putting pesticides all over your home or in your food either.

Now why would you want to buy a basil plant over any other plant? First of all, basil plants are gorgeous! They can have a variety of colored flowers and will really add some charm and color to your apparent or home. Also once you smell a fresh and live basil plant you’ll realize how great the smell of basil really is! Aromatherapy notes that basil is useful for clearing the mind and for enjoying more clear thinking. It is a very refreshing scent and helps to reduce stress and stay cool under pressure. We could all use more of that in our lives now couldn’t we? The basil scent is also very uplifting and revitalizing, so if you’ve had a rough day you can just pour yourself a bath and bring your plant in with you to the bathroom and just relax and breathe in the soothing calmness from your plant friend basil.

Of course the great thing about having your very own basil plant is that you can use the leaves for cooking or raw in salads! Don’t be afraid to use the leaves of your basil plant, it will be much happier to be trimmed because it promotes growth. You will want to cut the top of the stems off and not pluck the leaves off, since this promotes spreading out instead of just growing straight up. Add fresh basil to your soups, your salads, your salsa’s and dips, your fresh pesto and your pastas. Once you get hooked on the taste of fresh basil you’ll never want to eat dried herbs again!

So take advantage of this easy to grow plant, which you should leave near a sunny window and water daily. Make sure it gets enough water but not so much that it’s too mushy. Your plant will be happy and in return you’ll be a happier, healthier, slimmer and more relaxed you! Enjoy!