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Step 1
Examine your basil plant. If you are growing your plant from seeds, you do not want to prune it right away. Wait until the plant is about 6 inches tall before starting to prune it. The more you prune your basil plant, the more bushy and leafy it will become. If your plant has grown flowers, prune as soon as possible so the basil does not lose its flavor.
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Step 2
If your basil plant grows high, pinch leaves from the top. The goal is to get your basil plant growing horizontally instead of vertically. Even if you do not expect to use basil in cooking every day, pinch a few leaves off the top whenever you get a chance to promote healthy horizontal growth.
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Step 3
When your basil plant becomes large and bushy, use scissors or shears to prune the plant. Since basil grows quickly, when your plant starts to look large, it's a good idea to prune the plant. Do this even if you're not going to use the basil right away.
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Step 4
Trim the basil plant three inches from the bottom. There should be a few inches of leaves left on your plant when you are done pruning. Don't worry about taking too much height off of the plant, since basil tends to grow vertically. Your basil plant should be ready for pruning again in a few weeks to a month.
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Step 5
Continue to pinch basil leaves off the top of the plant after pruning. Pinching leaves periodically is good habit to start in order to promote healthy growth.
