The Olla Revisited

This week I decided it was time to refresh the container that has the Olla in it. I had a great crop of salad greens all Winter which finally played out about a month ago. I've been thinking about what to plant in the container and finally decided on Holy Basil, aka Tulsi.

I like to use Holy Basil as tea. The flavor is unique and difficult to describe. Also, Tulsi is known for its medicinal properties as an adaptogen. A adaptogen is an herb which restores balance to the body. It  does not over-stimulate nor inhibit normal bodily function. Another feature of an adaptogen is that it helps us deal with stress better.

So, I like to drink Holy Basil tea on a regular basis. It grows as easily as other types of basil here in Texas. It gets nice and big and you can let it flower without worrying that it'll die out.

So, here is what I did this week:

I had already cleared out the dead plants, which also removed some of the soil along with a mass of roots. You can see how low the soil level is. I leveled the soil and added enough new mix to bring the soil level up to the neck of the Olla. You can see in the next picture the new soil level.

I planted 4 new Holy Basil plants of 2 different varieties: Vana and Kapoor. I'm curious as to the difference in them.

Then, I decided to mulch with the hay that I have been using in my potato tub. It should help conserve moisture in the Olla tub.

 And, that's it. I watered the soil really well and filled the Olla. Now, I only have to keep the Olla filled. In a few weeks I'll have enough Holy Basil to start harvesting for my tea. And, as the summer goes on, I'll have enough to dry and save for the winter.

Happy Gardening to you all. Stay cool, drink lots of nice herby tea and wear your hat!