Grow Your Own Basil and Save $40 and the Environment

Image by Darny

In our house, we use basil in just about everything. We put it in salads, in pasta, on pizza, in omelets, on bruschetta, in sauces, and we make our own pesto. I would buy a pack of basil from the grocery store about every other week for about $5 each time, and I would throw half of it away. 

A while ago I bought a planter, and I started growing my own basil. It was such a good decision. I never have enough to make pesto, but my basil plants always yield enough for my other recipes. I also grow my own rosemary and I used to grow parsley as well.

I like keeping plants in my house because I firmly believe that they improve the air quality in my home. I like the idea that they are taking care of some of the carbon dioxide that my husband and I are exhaling, and enriching the environment with the oxygen that they give off. 

I would say that my basil plant has saved me about $40 in basil purchases, helped me feel like I am doing my part for the environment by oxygenating the air and by avoiding purchasing basil that would come in a plastic packages, and it definitely makes my house look a little prettier. 

So are you growing your own kitchen plants inside? If you are, let me know what you successfully grow! I'm also on the lookout for natural fertilizer ideas, so feel free to share.