How to Trim a Basil Plant

Trimming a basil plant is imperative if you want to continue to harvest basil leaves all summer. As an annual plant, once the basil flowers and goes to seed, the plant will begin to get thin and die off. Here's how to trim your basil plant and keep it producing all summer long.

Things You'll Need

• Good growing conditions
• Small scissors or fingertips

Instructions

1. 

   Allow the basil plant to grow about five to six inches tall. A basil plant should grow about six inches in six weeks provided that it gets plenty of sunlight and is in well-drained soil. Plant in a raised garden or in a terra cotta pot to maintain even moisture without sogginess.

2. 

   Leave at least four sets of leaves on the plant to continue strong growth. You don't want to trim your basil plant back to the stalk or base of the plant, but continuous pinching of stem leaves will encourage a full, thriving plant.

3. 

   Locate larger leaves to pinch off. Simply snip off larger leaves along the stalk or stem of your basil plant by pinching the leaves off between your thumb and index finger. New leaf bunches will form where you have pinched off, making your basil fuller and thicker.

4. 

   Pinch back from the flowering buds. Although common knowledge is to simply pinch off the flowering head, recent instructions encourage people to pinch back under the flowering bud about five to six leaves below. This encourages fuller, more productive plants throughout the summer.

5. 

   Continue pinching back your basil all season long. Dry extra basil leaves by washing leaves and allowing to air dry, or freeze your extra basil. Wash, dry and finely chop your basil in a food processor. Toss with some olive oil and freeze in small containers to use in sauces and cooking all year long. You can also mix up a few batches of pesto sauce and freeze that for later use.

Tips & Warnings

• Root your store-bought basil cuttings by simply placing the stems in water. Transplant outdoors when roots are a few inches long. Transplant basil indoors in fall to keep harvesting fresh basil throughout the winter. Invest in a good grow light and enjoy your fresh herbs.

• Don't let your basil plants get larger than 10 inches. Plants will become leggy and won't produce as many leaves as if you keep it trimmed all summer long.

References

• statesman.com blog
• ces.ncsu.edu

Resources

• how to freeze basil