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Pruning basil plants


How to Trim Basil for Big, Bushy Plants and Larger Yields

One of the secrets to producing big, bushy basil plants is trimming. Many gardeners are shy about harvesting from their herbs. They don’t want to cut them back in case it damages the plants or reduces yield. I’m the opposite, constantly trimming herbs like basil to use fresh, or preserve by drying or freezing. Are you ready to learn how to trim your basil plants for maximum production? 

When it comes to pruning basil, it doesn’t matter if you’re growing basil in containers or garden beds. It doesn’t matter if you’re growing Genovese basil, lemon basil or Thai basil. All types of basil benefit from regular clipping. It’s a quick and easy garden task that pays off big time!

Whether you’re growing your own basil from seed or picking up transplants, pinch back young plants to encourage branching and larger plants.

Why you need to know how to trim basil

There are plenty of great reasons for pruning back basil plants. Here are my top three:

  1. To harvest. This is the best reason to trim your basil! I can’t get enough of the basil harvest and clip branches for cooking almost daily in the summer. We make pesto, chop the leaves for sprinkling over pasta and pizza, toss them in green salads, and add citrusy basils like lemon basil to fruits salads. 
  2. To stimulate growth. I know, I know, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to remove part of a plant to make it grow, but trust me, this is the best way to force your basil to grow big and bushy. When you clip basil stems back to a fresh set of leaves, you force those leaves to grow, doubling the basil produced on that stem. And as those stems grow, you can pinch them back and double their production – it’s exponential!
  3. To remove flowers. Eventually most basil plants produce flowers. The flowers are very attractive to bees but basil plants that are allowed to flower slow down their vegetative growth. That means fewer leaves. A sneaky way to get around early-bolting basil is to grow a variety that is slow to go to flower. Everleaf is one of my favorite basils and flowers up to eight weeks later than other varieties. Emerald Towers is also very slow to flower. Or, you can plant a variety like Pesto Perpetuo which is sterile and doesn’t produce flowers at all. 
Take a peek where the arrow is pointing… this basil plant was trimmed a few days before the photo was taken. You can see the stub where I removed the central stem and the two sideshoots which are quickly filling out.

When to trim basil

Timing, as they say is everything. And when trimming basil it’s best to start early when the seedlings are about six to eight inches tall and have three to four sets of leaves. At that point, each plant is likely a single stem. I like to pinch that main stem back to a strong set of side shoots, removing about one-third of the plant. This simple trimming DOUBLES your basil harvest by turning single stemmed plants into double stemmed plants. How easy is that? 

Once the initial trimming is done, you’ve got a few weeks before you’ll need to pick up your snips again. I prune my basil plants every two weeks or so during the summer to stimulate plenty of growth.

The wrong way to trim basil

Before I get into the ‘do’s’ of how to trim basil, I think I should first share a ‘don’t’. When harvesting, don’t just pluck off individual leaves. This doesn’t promote new growth. Instead, when you trim, you should be removing top sections of stems. Read on to learn more.

The first cut: pruning basil seedlings

In the above paragraphs I outlined how to trim back basil seedlings for the first time to stimulate growth. But what if you’re not growing your own seedlings? What if you bought basil transplants from the garden centre and they’re already bigger than six to eight inches tall? Don’t worry! You can still trim these back to thicken up the plants and encourage growth. If you can, separate store bought basil into individual plants (there’s often a handful of plants grouped together in the pot). Then, trim the plants back by about one-third, clipping just above a set of side shoots. 

Now that your young basil plants have been given their first haircut, let them have a few weeks to grow. The first harvest usually comes about a month after planting when small shoots can be removed. This serves a dual purpose: 1) you get to eat some of your homegrown basil! And 2) you can use this opportunity to stimulate EVEN MORE growth. 

When trimming Greek-type basils, like Spicy Globe, you can use your fingers or herb snips to cut back to a healthy set of leaf buds.

How to trim basil plants to harvest or stimulate growth

To trim basil for harvesting or to promote growth, you can use your fingers, hand pruners, or herb snips. (These compact, lightweight snips are ideal for cutting herbs back). I often use my fingers for pinching flowerbuds or trimming top shoots of basil, but if you’re cutting the plants back hard, you may need sharp pruners as you don’t want to tear the stems. This can damage the plant and introduce disease pathogens into the tissues. 

Before you start clipping or pinching, take a close look at the plant. You want to cut central stems back to a lower set of leaves where two tiny leaf buds emerge from the leaf axil. They’re pretty easy to spot. Once you decide where you’re going to trim, cut the main stem about a quarter inch above the leaf buds. You can remove just a few stems to flavor your dinner or cut the plant back by a third to gather enough basil to make pesto or to preserve.

When clipping back basil for harvesting or to stimulate growth, cut the stems back to a healthy set of leaf buds.

How to pinch out basil flowers

As noted above, another reason to learn how to trim basil is to remove flowers. Stressed out basil plants begin to flower sooner than those given plenty of sunshine, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture. Therefore, aim to keep your basil happy so that it keeps producing leaves, not flowers. But for most types of basil, it’s inevitable that you’ll see flower buds forming by mid summer.  

Removing basil flowers as they form re-directs energy into vegetative growth and can result in a bigger harvest.

How to remove flowers on Genovese basil plants

It’s easy to spot flowerbuds on Genovese basil plants. They emerge at the tip of the shoots and look like a dense cluster of tiny leaves. As they grow, the flowerbuds elongate and tiny white flowers emerge (or purple flowers on Thai basil). I like to pinch the buds as soon as I notice them forming. That way, the plant doesn’t expend unnecessary energy on those buds. 

You can use your fingers to trim off flowerbuds or you can use garden snips. Whatever you find most comfortable. After that initial flower pinching, you’ll need to check every week or so for new flowerbuds and remove those as they appear. 

Trimming basil flowers on Greek basil plants

Greek basil plants form tight, tidy balls that grow up to a foot wide and tall. They have many small leaves with flowerbuds forming at the tips of each shoot. Hand pinching buds or flowers from these plants takes some time so I cheat a bit by using my mini herb snips or even garden shears. Just shear the flowers off like you would shape a boxwood hedge. The plants respond to this type of trimming by continuing to pump out more foliage. 

Finally, as you pinch basil flowerbuds, don’t toss them in the compost, instead use them in the kitchen. They have a wonderful basil flavor and can be used in pesto or sprinkled on salads, dressings, pastas, and pizza.

Thai basil, which produces such long purple flower stalks can also be trimmed back to increase yield.

Watch Niki prune her basil in this video:

How to preserve basil

Now that you’ve trimmed back your basil plants, you’ll need to use that delicious bounty ASAP or preserve it for future meals. Basil leaves can be dried or frozen.  

Of course you can also make pesto with your fresh basil, pureeing pine nuts (or walnuts or almonds), parmesan cheese, and garlic with your basil harvest. Here is a great pesto recipe.

For more information on growing basil, check out these articles:

Do you trim your basil plants regularly?

How to Prune Basil

Trim basil often for the best harvest.

By

Barbara Gillette

Barbara Gillette

Barbara Gillette is a master gardener, herbalist, beekeeper, and journalist. She has 30 years of experience propagating and growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 08/23/22

Reviewed by

Kathleen Miller

Reviewed by Kathleen Miller

Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column. She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

Project Overview

Basil is a tender, annual, aromatic herb that grows from a single stem. It's a culinary herb with fragrant leaves that are used extensively as a condiment, paired with tomatoes, and also as a drink flavoring. If you grow basil, your goal is for the plant to produce as many leaves as possible and to make this happen, consistent pruning is required.

Pruning basil increases both stem and leaf growth. Sweet basil, the variety grown most often, can be shaped into a rounded bush 18 to 24 inches tall and wide. Basil grows easily from seed but it needs warm soil to germinate. is sensitive to temperatures below 45 degrees, and grows best in temperatures of 80 degrees and above. In northern climates, basil has a relatively short growing season. In more southern climates, the growing season may last a little longer, however constant warm temperatures encourage flowering.

Basil flowers attract pollinators, and also are edible, but allowing the herb to flower can cause the leaves to turn bitter. Flowering also leaves a terminal bud which halts the growth of new leaves. Just a few basil leaves are seldom sufficient for the basil lover. No matter where you live, plan to visit your basil plant often with a pair of herb snips and a harvest basket. You will soon be using the leaves collected as you prune.

For the best harvest, pruning should begin early to get the plant started off right with a branching habit. Each time you cut back a stem, 2 new stems will branch out from that cut, so consistent trimming is important to help the plant reach its most productive form. Follow these instructions for growing your basil into a full, bushy plant with plenty of delicious leaves.

Basil is a plant that starts out with one central stem so you want begin pruning fairly early, when it is 6 to 8 inches tall and has 3 to 4 sets of opposite leaves. It can be tempting to harvest those early green leaves, but pruning too early can rob the plant of the energy it needs to grow. Snipping or pinching back the central stem to 1/4 inch above the first set of leaves will create two new branches. As the plant begins to bush out with multiple stems, you can prune up to half of each stem. Be sure to always pinch or cut just above a set of leaves. Harvest any leaves on the portion of stem you have pruned off.

To encourage additional branching and more leaves, you will need to prune your basil regularly throughout the growing season. This herb will grow quickly during warm weather and should be checked daily when temperatures approach 80 degrees. When grown from seed, sweet basil will reach maturity at 65 to 70 days and flowering will increase. Pinch back flower buds as they form as part of your pruning regimen.

The best time to harvest most aromatic herbs, which include basil, is in the morning after dew has dried or in the early evening before dew has fallen. The essential oils that give the herb fragrance and flavor are at their peak concentration during these times. Since pruning your basil will include harvesting, these times are also best for pruning tasks.

Equipment / Tools

Materials

The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

  1. Pinch Back the Stem to Topmost Leaves

    Whether you are growing basil in a pot or in the ground, make your first pruning cut when the plant is 6 to 8 inches tall and has 3 to 4 sets of opposite leaves.

    Using your thumb and index finger pinch the central stem back to within 1/4 inch of either the topmost or second set of leaves. The central stem of the plant will be fairly slender and soft at this point so using snips is optional. Two new stems will grow from the pruned central stem.

    The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

  2. Prune the New Stems to Half the Length

    When the two new stems have produced several sets of leaves, pinch or snip each stem back by up to half its length. Remember to prune 1/4 inch above a set of leaves.

    Place the pruned stems with leaves in your harvest basket to use in your favorite recipe.

    The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

  3. Continue to Prune Often

    Continue as above, keeping in mind that the more stems you prune, the bushier the plant will become and more leaves will be available to harvest. At peak growing season when you find yourself doing a lot of pruning on your basil plant, it will be easier and quicker to get the job done with a good pair of herb snips.

    The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

  4. Watch For and Remove Flower Buds

    Because basil grows best in warm temperatures of 80 degrees and higher, this plant has a tendency to flower and go to seed in the hottest months of the growing season.

    Once flower buds begin to appear, you will need to stay vigilant and check your plant every day to remove them. Flower buds appear on the stem at the juncture of two leaves or stems.

    The flower buds are easily pinched out using your thumb and index finger. Be sure to remove the entire bud. Any part left on the plant will cause that stem to cease producing new leaves.

    The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

  5. Prune Even After Flowering

    If you miss a few days and your basil does produce flowers, there's no need to panic. Remove the flowers—they're edible—and sprinkle them on a salad, or put them in a small vase of water.

    To encourage new growth you can cut the entire plant back by half to encourage regrowth and use the leaves to make pesto.

    The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

  6. Prepare for End of Season

    Basil is intolerant of cold weather and can die back or develop black spots when night time temperatures dip just into the lower 40s.

    As autumn weather approaches you may want to harvest the entire basil plant and dry or freeze the leaves for use during the off-season.

    The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham

How to grow basil: pruning and propagation

If I were asked to choose one plant for the garden, it would be basil. It has lush succulent leaves, a mild pleasant aroma and beautiful flowers. In addition, it is often used in cooking and traditional medicine. And if you plant grass at home, it perfectly refreshes the air. Ask how to grow basil yourself? It's easy!

The main thing is correct pruning of the plant . It helps shape and prolong the life of the bush, and improves the taste of the herb. To increase the number of plantings, you do not need to buy new sprouts. It is enough to cut off a few branches from existing plants and do a couple of simple manipulations. More details about pruning and propagation of basil I will discuss below.

How to grow basil indoors

How and when to prune basil

The first pruning of is the most important to create a bushy, branched plant. When the basil has three pairs of leaves and is over 15 cm tall, cut off the main stem just above the second pair of leaves. This will make the plant branchy, and the amount of greenery will increase significantly.

Basil is very easy to care for later. nine0003 Prune basil every 2-3 weeks throughout the summer. Always leave the 4 bottom leaves on the plant. If this is not done, the grass will begin to grow in height, and the yield will decrease.

Trim only with sharp scissors and a knife. Simply cutting off the leaves will expose the plant, causing it to dry out. You can remove flowers by hand . As soon as inflorescences appear, remove them by pinching the top.

How to propagate the plant

There are many ways to grow basil: from seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other parts of the plant. I prefer propagate fragrant grass from cut stems . In just a few simple steps, I will get strong young basil sprouts.

For this you will need:

  1. Fill a container with water and add a drop of liquid fertilizer. The fertilizer will encourage root growth.
  2. Prepare basil cuttings by cutting off the underside of the leaves. On the stem, which will be immersed in water, they should not be, so that bacteria do not form. nine0002

  3. Place the cuttings in the prepared container of water. After 7-10 days you will see the roots. Change the water to fresh water every 2-3 days. Fertilizers do not need to be added.

  4. Keep the stems in water until the roots are 2.5-3 cm tall. Some may need a little more time. Leave them for another 3 days in the water. If even then the roots won't develop, just discard the stems.

  5. Plant the seedlings with the strongest roots first. Gently place the basil stems into the soil, completely covering the roots and tamping the soil firmly. Water the plant well so that the roots grow. nine0002

As you can see, Basil is very easy to care for. With proper pruning, the plant will become stockier and more beautiful. If you want to always have fragrant and fresh basil greens on hand, create your own mini-garden. And enjoy the harvest all year round.

The author of the article

Olga Malyuta

If you are sure that the only acceptable place for cooking is the kitchen, then Olga will easily prove the opposite to you. Our editor has traveled to many countries and almost never sits still, because she considers movement to be the best impetus for creativity. Olga loves Georgian cuisine and treats the culture of this country with trepidation, preferring spicy meat dishes, khinkali and, of course, good wine. But when the suitcases are already unpacked, her favorite thing is to make a homemade grated pie and serve it with herbal tea. nine0005

harvesting terms and rules, crop care for good growth, harvesting methods in 2022 on GoodGrunt

Content

When growing greenery, it is not necessary to plant it in large quantities, the main thing is to observe agricultural technology, then the bushes will be lush and give a good harvest. Properly cutting basil so that it grows further is not difficult at all. The first cutting of the leaves is carried out when the bush reaches a height of 15-20 cm. In the future, greenery is harvested every 2 weeks.

nine0012 Terms of greenery harvesting

The terms of harvesting basil (in Russia the grass is also called regan) are extended in time. Greens from young bushes are used fresh. When buds appear on a spicy plant, the leaves become coarse. They can also be harvested, but such basil is best used for drying. Dried leaves are crushed and added to various dishes in winter as a seasoning.

Greenery is cut from one plant 2-3 times. The first time the leaves are removed in July. The main criterion is the size of the bush. The plant must be allowed to grow at least up to 15 cm, then you can cut off the first leaves. The timing of harvesting is influenced by the climate of the area. In warm regions, greens are cut earlier. In Siberia and the Urals, harvesting is postponed until early August. nine0005

The condition of the soil also influences the growth of greenery. The more fertile the land, the earlier you can get a regan harvest. As a rule, harvesting is carried out between the 30th and 45th day of the plant's life. After the basil has faded, the greens for the table are no longer collected. By the end of the growing cycle, regan leaves become tough, rough, almost losing their flavor.

How to collect leaves

If you cut the basil correctly the first time, the bush will branch further and become more lush. Do not collect greens in rainy weather. Due to the abundance of moisture, the leaves will be watery, lose their taste and spicy smell. A dry warm day is ideal for harvesting greens. nine0005

Harvesting is carried out according to certain rules:

  1. In order for the bush to continue growing, the plant must not be left completely without leaves.
  2. Cutting is best done with small, sharp scissors. Collecting greens carefully with your hands is not possible for everyone.
  3. For branching a bush, the top of the plant is cut off first. You can pinch the central shoot with your fingers, acting carefully.
  4. Basil must not be cut too low. After pinching the top, the lower part of the bush will begin to branch. nine0040
  5. In the future, only the tops of the lateral shoots and leaves located near the stem are cut off.

Radical pruning will weaken the plant, and it will no longer be able to develop normally in the future, becoming a powerful bush. After a well-performed procedure, the number of new pairs of leaves doubles, and shoots begin to grow again on the cut tops.

Do not pull out the plant, because it will not take root again, and additional sowing will be required. If there were no scissors at hand, the stem under the tops of the branches is gently pinched with nails and torn off, while holding the bush with the other hand. nine0005

What happens if you violate the deadlines for cutting greenery

If you harvest basil leaves more than once every 2 weeks, the greens will not have time to grow. Small leaves do not have a full taste and aroma, they have few vitamins.

On the other hand, if pinching is done too infrequently, the basil will not grow well and will begin to prepare for flowering. Regular pruning is the key to success. Only in this case, the greens will be of excellent quality. In this case, the bush will become more and more dense, and flowering will occur a little later. nine0005

It turns out that the crop can be harvested approximately - at the end of June, in the middle of August and in the second half of September, if you cut the greens en masse. You can simply cut off a few leaves every 3-4 days, using them to add to salads and other dishes.

Plant care after harvest

Every leaf cut is a stress for the plant. He needs to recover and gain strength after such a procedure.

Once the greens have been cut for the first time, the basil needs special care:

  1. The plant must be fed immediately with a complex mineral fertilizer with a rich composition. It can be a universal top dressing for vegetables (30 g / sq. M), or "Biohumus". Fertilizer not only helps the plant recover, but also improves the taste of greens, making it more intense.
  2. Basil does not like waterlogged soil, however, it needs watering. Drought will not contribute to the active growth of succulent leaves. Water the regan with settled warm water, after loosening the ground in the garden, so that the water can better penetrate to the roots. nine0040
  3. Weeding is another necessary step in the care of basil. In order for the plant to develop well, the bed must be regularly freed from weeds. It has been observed that regan begins to grow poorly if it is jammed with weeds, especially in regions with a not very favorable climate.

The culture is demanding on light, so you need to make sure that other plants do not shade the plantings of basil. Violet varieties are especially sensitive to lack of light.

What to do if the basil has bloomed

If flowers appear on the bushes, it is better to cut them off, then the plants will not waste energy on the formation of seeds. Opened buds should not be thrown away, they will find a worthy use.

You can enrich wine vinegar with regan flowers by letting them steep for a week and then straining the resulting fragrant liquid. Flowers can also be added to tea and olive oil.

A bottle of oil must be tightly sealed and kept in a dark place for 1 month. During this period, you can add a new portion of flowers to the container. As a result, the oil will become even more useful and acquire a piquant taste. nine0005

When to finally remove the basil from the garden

Basil can actively produce fresh growth until mid-September. You can keep the greens in the garden until the frost, but this does not make much sense. New leaves in autumn appear reluctantly, and their taste leaves much to be desired. On an old plant, the leaves begin to taste bitter, become stiff and less fragrant.

In case of good weather, the regan is left in the garden until the end of September. On one of the fine days, the entire aerial part of the basil is cut off, tied into bunches and sent to dry, and the earth is dug up and prepared for spring plantings. nine0005

Some gardeners transplant basil into pots and bring it indoors for the winter. The plant is cut short, thereby rejuvenating, and give it a second life. Regan greens can also grow on the windowsill, but for this you need to organize the backlight with a phytolamp. By the way, purple varieties of basil grow about 1.5 times slower than green ones, because their leaves contain less chlorophyll.

Harvesting greenery for the winter

If surplus production is formed during the cultivation of basil, greens can be prepared for the winter in one of three ways - drying, freezing, canning. Everyone chooses the option that suits him the most. nine0005

How to properly dry herbs

Basil can be dried naturally outdoors. If the harvesting of greens is carried out in a damp and cool autumn, it is more convenient to use an oven or an electric dryer. Bunch drying takes less preparation time. Regan branches are tied and hung in a room with good air circulation. In this case, the drying process takes 3 days.

Individual leaves can be dried. They are laid out on a tray, covered with gauze on top to protect against insects and placed in a dry, warm room. Periodically, the raw material is stirred for more uniform drying. nine0005

The fast method involves the use of an oven. Greens are placed on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and dried at a temperature of 45-50 ° C, with the door slightly open. The procedure takes one hour. The electric dryer is convenient because it automatically maintains the set drying mode. The temperature regulator must be set to 40 ° C, and the timer to 60 minutes.

Freezing and freezer storage

Harvested herbs can be frozen fresh, although some blanch basil leaves beforehand. Blanching kills harmful microflora, relieves bitterness from the herb, and helps preserve the structure of the leaves. Pre-washed leaves are placed in a sieve or colander and kept in boiling water for no more than 5 seconds.

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