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When to pinch basil


Pruning Back Basil - How And When To Trim A Basil Plant

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Basil

By: Amy Grant

Image by kazoka30

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a member of the Lamiaceae family, known for outstanding aromas. Basil is no exception. The leaves of this annual herb have a high concentration of essential oils, making it a piquant addition to many various cuisines around the globe. What is the best way of trimming or pruning back basil plant leaves?

Basil is grown for its flavorful leaves, which can be used fresh or dried. However, there is no comparison, and fresh is better than dried. There are a number of different varieties of basil, with the most common being Sweet Basil, used to make magnificent pesto sauce.

Basil is a very easy herb to grow and can be started indoors in flats or outside in the garden after the danger of the last frost has passed. Plant the seed no deeper than twice the length of the seed in a sunny exposure. Basil seedlings will emerge within five to seven days and can be thinned when they have two leaves. Transplant them 12 inches (31 cm.) apart and keep the plants consistently moist.

Basil leaves are quite delicate. Barely bruising the leaf releases the aroma of the essential oils, which quickly begin to dissipate. Therefore, pruning basil leaves with care is a necessity.

You don’t need to prune basil plants when they are still small; wait until the herb is about 6 inches (15 cm.) tall before trimming basil leaves. The more often you prune the basil plant, the bushier and leafier it becomes.

As soon as flowers become evident, pinch them off so the energy in the plant stays diverted to foliage growth. If the basil plant is growing vertically, pinch the leaves from the top to encourage lateral growth. Use the pinched leaves or dry them, so there’s no waste. Basil grows quickly, so even if you don’t want to use the leaves right away (gasp!), keep trimming back the plant when it gets large and bushy.

To harvest basil, cut the herb back about ¼ inch (6 mm.) above a node, 3 inches (8 cm.) from the base of the plant. Leave a few inches (8 cm.) of leaves on the plant after pruning. You can be quite aggressive when pruning basil plants since, as already mentioned, they are rapid growers. Even after a major cutting back, the herb will be ready for pruning again in a few weeks.

Pinching or cutting back basil plants regularly encourages full, bushy plants. There is no mystery or exact science to cutting back basil plants. Trim a basil plant every two to three weeks and pinch off the flower buds as soon as you see them. Trust me, the plant loves this and it will only encourage more vigorous growth while providing you with plenty of fresh basil leaves to stretch those culinary wings.

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How to prune basil – and the best time to do it

(Image credit: Getty Images/ Elva Etienne)

Knowing how to prune basil correctly will mean the difference between you having a healthy, bushy plant that keeps producing delicious big leaves for your homemade dishes, pestos and salads, and one that turns leggy and spindly, with tiny, less flavorsome leaves.  

If you've regularly bought or grown basil plants for them to only wither and die, or turn unhealthy and sparse, pruning is probably where you are going wrong. Pruning basil correctly is essential for successfully mastering how to grow basil – so it is important that you get it right.

It is an important task in the care of your basil plant, so find out how to get it right – and add this lovely herb to your other herb garden ideas.

How to prune basil 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If you're new to growing this fragrant and versatile herb, or even if you have grown it before but without much success, the key is knowing how to prune basil correctly. 

You DON'T want to pick off the biggest leaves growing at the bottom of the basil plant as these are the leaves that absorb the most sunlight to help the plant grow. 

You DO want to take the leaves growing on the top of the plant – even if they are not as large. This is because by removing leaves at the top of the basil plant, you will allow the plant to create new branches growing outwards, encouraging it to grow wide and bushy rather than tall.

Knowing how to harvest basil and when to harvest basil will also ensure you can continue to reap the rewards of this fragrant herb.

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

When should basil be pruned?

When to prune basil? 'Any time after the young plant has reached a height of 6-8in,' explain the experts at Bonnie Plants .

How do you trim basil so it keeps growing?

Regular harvesting of basil will increase productivity and ensure the best flavor – adding a delicious quality to sauces, oils, pesto, salsa verde and much more.

'How to prune basil in order to achieve nice big bushy plants is to cut off the top ¾in of immature plants when they get to about 6in tall. This will stimulate them to branch out and become bushier plants rather than tall and thin,' advises Lucy Hutchings of She Grows Veg and author of new book Get Up and Grow .  

'You can keep doing this as your plant sends out new stems and don’t forget to add what you snip off into your next salad,' Lucy adds.

(Image credit: Harry Grout / Unsplash)

How do you trim basil to make it bushy?

To trim basil to make it bushy, pinch the tops of the stems regularly.

'Keeping the basil stems pinched encourages the continual production of tender new leaves and prevents the plant from flowering and producing seeds,' say the experts at Bonnie Plants.

(Image credit: Markus Spiske / Unsplash)

'Never cut the woody part of the plant near the base as the basil won't grow back,' advise the experts at Bonnie Plants.

How do you prune basil so it grows forever?

You can not prune basil to grow forever, as it will eventually die off. But by regularly pruning a basil plant you will prolong its life and vitality and keep the plant in the leafy stage for as long as possible. Keep the stems pinched even if you don’t use the leaves.

'Remove basil flower buds as soon as they appear to maintain foliage flavor. But don’t worry if a few blossoms appear – these are also edible and make a lovely addition to salads,' says gardening expert Melinda Myers .

If the plant begins to flower and make seeds, it will slow down its vegetative growth and will stop producing leaves.

(Image credit: Cassidy Phillips / Unsplash)

Once the nights begin to cool down, the growth of the basil plants will slow dramatically.

'At even the slightest prediction of a frost, harvest all of the leaves immediately as they will quickly turn black,' advise the experts at Bonnie Plants.

'Place the basil plant stems in cold water, which will keep them fresh for days,' they add.

Basil dries very well for an annual herb. It also retains its flavour well if frozen in a purée.

(Image credit: Gousto)

What do I do if my basil plant is too tall?

If your basil plant has grown too tall, then pinch the stem back to above to above where new tiny leaves are forming to encourage it to grow more stems sideways and become bushier.

Make sure you continue to trim the basil plant regularly, as above, to encourage more lateral growth.


This feature was created by H&G sister brand, Period Living magazine

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Period Living is the UK's best-selling period homes magazine. A subscription provides you with all you need to know about caring for and improving a traditional house and garden

Rachel is senior content editor, and writes and commissions gardening content for homesandgardens.com, Homes & Gardens magazine, and its sister titles Period Living Magazine and Country Homes & Interiors. She has written for lifestyle magazines for many years, with a particular focus on gardening, historic houses and arts and crafts, but started out her journalism career in BBC radio, where she enjoyed reporting on and writing programme scripts for all manner of stories. Rachel then moved into regional lifestyle magazines, where the topics she wrote about, and people she interviewed, were as varied and eclectic as they were on radio. Always harboring a passion for homes and gardens, she jumped at the opportunity to work on The English Home and The English Garden magazines for a number of years, before joining the Period Living team, then the wider Homes & Gardens team, specializing in gardens.

how to cut leaves from a crop so that it grows further, when to pluck greens and harvest seeds, as well as rules for storing crops Russian farmer

When to start harvesting?

In order to grow 2-3 crops of basil in one summer season, you need to know at what time it should be harvested. Choosing the right time to harvest basil will keep its spicy aroma for as long as possible.

Important! The spice is collected when young plants reach a height of 15-20 cm. As a rule, this time falls on the second half of July and the beginning of August.

To dry the plant, it must be harvested before it starts flowering . As soon as the first buds appear on the bushes, you can harvest your first crop. After the plant has flowered, the leaves largely lose their fragrant properties.

Collection of seeds from the bushes is carried out later, when the inflorescence of the bushes has already faded, become dry, has acquired a brown color. It is important to have time to collect before the inflorescences begin to crumble onto the garden.

What time to harvest greens?

There is no fixed time during the day to harvest basil. You can stock up on your stock at any time. The main condition for the collection is sunny dry weather.

During dampness, excess moisture accumulates in the leaves. If you pick basil after rain, then there is a chance that the crop will be wet.

Is it better to cut or uproot?

In order for the basil to please you with its harvest several times in one summer season, cut the leaves of this spicy herb instead of uprooting it . If you pull out the bushes with a root, then you can already forget about re-harvesting.

It is not necessary to cut off the entire bush, but part of the leaves, leaving 3-4 leaves on the main stem of the plant.

It is the partial cutting of the leaves, and not the entire bush, that will allow you to build up an even richer leaf mass. If the bush is cut off completely, then the re-harvest will have to wait much longer.

How to harvest leaves?

  1. At the first foliar harvest during the gardening season, cut the leaves along with the tops of the shoots so that the plant begins to branch even more.
  2. When re-cutting basil leaves, do not pluck the tops of the plant, as this will prevent the basil from blooming.
  3. Water plants liberally after harvest, fertilizing during watering is allowed.
  4. Loosen the soil between the bushes.

We offer you to watch a useful video on how to collect basil leaves:

Instructions for collecting seeds

Help. Seed production of basil is possible in the southern regions, and in the Middle lane and in the North - only in greenhouses.

We have given practical recommendations for growing basil in a greenhouse here.

Algorithm of actions:

  1. We cut off the inflorescences that have already faded. These include dry brown inflorescences.
  2. Place them in a dry, ventilated room. Inflorescences must dry completely.
  3. Grind dried inflorescences, remove debris.
  4. We place the seeds in paper bags or cloth bags so that the seeds do not become damp during storage.

Basil seeds are stored in a dry place at room temperature and remain viable for five years.

From the following video you can learn how to collect basil seeds:

How many times a year can leaves be cut?

If you grow these useful bushes of herbs at home, then you can harvest all year round (read about growing basil at home, in the country, on the balcony). When grown outdoors, basil is harvested 2-3 times per season before or at the beginning of flowering, at which time the young shoots and leaves are most fragrant. Learn more about growing basil here.

25-30 days after disembarkation, the first collection can be made. As a rule, this is the end of July or the beginning of August, the second harvest is carried out at the end of September, and the third harvest can be made right before the frost for fresh consumption.

The main factors influencing the frequency of harvesting are weather conditions and the soil in which the spice grows. Basil does not grow well in cold and very humid summers due to the fact that it does not receive the necessary nutrition from sunlight. Acidic or heavy soils, with a large predominance of clay, will also negatively affect your yield.

Basil must be grown before it can be harvested. On our website you can find materials on the timing of cultivation, seed preparation, seedlings and care.

How to store the harvest at first?

Basil is tied into small bunches and hung in a dark, warm, ventilated place. Also, plants can be laid out on the table, but only in a thin layer. Only in this way will all the leaves be able to dry out, and the crop will not become moldy.

Do not dry basil in the sun . So that it does not lose its beneficial properties, and also that the accumulated essential oils do not evaporate, the storage temperature should not exceed + 35C.

Important! Dry the plants until they can be easily rubbed into powder in the palm of your hand. If you did everything right, then the basil will retain its natural color and aroma.

Harvest the spice at the designated time. Guided by the described rules, you will save all the beneficial properties of basil. Proper collection of basil will allow you to provide yourself with natural vitamins for the whole winter.

How to harvest fragrant basil, when is the best time to do it?

Basil is an aromatic spice with a unique taste. It can be used both fresh and dry to prepare various dishes. In order to preserve all the beneficial properties, it is important to know how to properly harvest and store the spicy crop.

When can I start harvesting from the garden?

Basil can be called an adult 25 - 30 days after the appearance of the first shoots. Leaves are cut from a plant that has reached a height of 15 - 20 cm. If the first buds appear on a basil bush, then this is a sure signal to start harvesting.

Important!

As a rule, the first crop is harvested in mid-July.

Consequences of violation of deadlines

If possible, basil, regardless of the color of the bush, should not be allowed to bloom. The leaves cut from such a plant do not lose their taste, do not become hard, and have a strong characteristic aroma.

Cut basil in warm, dry weather . Otherwise, there is a chance that the leaves will accumulate too much moisture in themselves and begin to rot.

How many times per year is allowed?

Up to 3 crops can be harvested in one summer season (end of June, mid-August, end of September). However, if you grow a fragrant seasoning at home, on a windowsill or balcony, you can use fresh herbs all year round.

Harvesting frequency depends on soil quality and weather conditions. If the summer is humid and cold, the basil will not be able to get enough nutrition from the sun's rays. In addition, the plant does not do well in heavy, clay soils.

Does it grow back after cutting?

If done correctly, leaving a few leaves at the base of the bush, the basil bush will grow back, become more lush and attractive. The plant will not be able to reach up, it will produce new side shoots. The most important thing is not to damage the growth point of young leaves, and after 10-12 days, two new tops can be observed at the cut site.

Advice

Before the first autumn frosts, cut off the entire above-ground part of the bush.

Cut, tear or tear off - which is better?

To be able to enjoy the spicy greens more than once in a season, you can not uproot the bush, otherwise you can forget about the re-harvest. Cutting the entire plant is also not recommended. You should always leave 3 - 4 leaves at the base.

In order not to injure the stem of the plant, it is better not to cut off the leaves, but to cut them with sharp scissors. Timely removal of peduncles contributes to the faster development of young, strong shoots.

Step-by-step instructions on how to properly remove the leaves from the bush

To get the most out of using basil as a seasoning, it must be properly harvested for long-term storage.

So that it grows and bushes further

Not everyone knows how to cut a spice bush so that it does not die, but grows further. Not the entire stem should be cut, but only part of it, leaving 3-4 leaves at the base. Due to this, the basil will grow a richer leafy mass. Same, to increase the growth of side shoots, pinch the tops of the bush . This procedure does not allow the plant to stretch vertically upwards, it branches more and gives a lot of yield.

For drying

Green mass should be cut before flowering, on a warm, non-rainy day. The best time to harvest the leaves is in the middle of the morning when the dew has gone and the basil has dried. The lower leaves cannot be cut, they are involved in photosynthesis and plant nutrition.

Winter

In autumn, the basil bush can be carefully dug up with roots and. In this case, you can enjoy fresh, fragrant leaves all winter.

If necessary , it is collected in autumn . Leaves are cut from plants before flowering, choosing a warm day. Do not harvest wet basil. If the entire aerial part of the bush was cut off, then as a result of drying, the stems should be separated from the leaves and stored separately.

Details for flowers and seeds

In addition to fragrant leaves, you can also collect from the bush:

Attention!

Lower shoots must not be cut. In this case, the basil will grow in height, and give little harvest.

Storage at a glance

  1. Freezing . Washed and dried leaves are placed in bags and frozen. In addition, you can chop the basil, put it in ice-freeze molds and pour water or olive oil. This option is convenient for making sauces and salads.
  2. Salting . Washed basil leaves are placed in sterile jars, sprinkling them with salt. Once sealed, this blank can be stored in the basement or refrigerator until the next season.
  3. Basil paste . For its preparation, leaves, olive oil and salt are mixed. Grind in a blender and lay out in pre-prepared jars (stored for 2 months) or fill ice molds and freeze. To enrich the taste, nuts and garlic can be added to the pasta. This version of the workpiece is used for making sauces, salads and pickling.
  4. :