Basil

Basil is almost always used in Italian dish. I certainly do a lot of cooking using pesto sauce, which is mainly made of Basil.  Basil has a very strong and desirable scent as most any herbs do, which means that the scent will likely repel any insects, making this plant an insect-free plant.

When and How to plant. Plant seeds indoor about 6 weeks before the last frost or plant direct after any danger of frost in a sunny, most, well drained location.

Light	Full sun
Seed Depth	1/4 in
Spacing Row/plant	10/6 in
Days to germinate	10-12
Preserve by	Freezing or drying

 Harvest. After 7 weeks, break off the center buds/leaves to encourage sprouts along the sides of the stem. Frequent harvest encourages the plant to produce more leaves. Ones a stem produces flower, foliage production stops and the stem will turn mature looking, brown in color. If you want more foliage, break off bolts or flower buds.
To dry leaves, pinch of leaves from the stem and dry them in a well ventilated area for about 4 days. If there is still some moisture to the leaves after this time, you may use the oven to dry. You must use the lowest heat.

Health Benefits. Basil is a good source or iron, Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium, which are all nutrients necessary for a healthy body.

Recipes. Here are some links I have used that includes Basil.

Pesto Sauce
Pasta, Pesto, & Peas