Have you ever bought a beautiful little basil seedling from your local nursery, only to have it quickly turn scraggly, tall, woody, and sparse? It also dries and freezes well so you can have the herb to use all winter long. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Pruning basil leaves may seem counter intuitive, but it actually does produce more basil in a quicker amount of time. As soon as flowers become evident, pinch them off so the energy in the plant stays diverted to foliage growth. Once your plant is established, you can start harvesting or pruning basil leaves. Step 2: Cut the Middle Stem She also contributes articles to Mother Earth News Online, From Scratch Magazine, and Grit. Pruning basil flowers is key to keep the plant growing. Basil plants will grow quickly in the garden, getting leggy with oversized leaves. PlantInstructions.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for websites to earn referral/advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Pruning also helps the basil plants focus their energy on growing new leaves rather than the flowers or seeds. Thai basil’s roots grow almost at the same rate as its leaves and stems do. If you purchase a product via those links through Amazon, Amazon will pay us a referral fee, at no extra cost to you. It’s important to give basil enough space between plants because growing it too close together increases the risk of fungal and bacterial diseases. If the basil plant is growing vertically, pinch the leaves from the top to encourage lateral growth. Cut the branch just above those tiny leaves, making sure not to disturb the leaves themselves. When warm temperatures arrive, plant holy basil outside in a prepared bed or container. K17A. But some, like you perhaps, may want to just use a few containers for other reasons. It turns out, the way you prune the basil has everything to do with your success in growing it. The leaves that you should remove are those growing on the top of the plant. For larger varieties, plant farther apart (about 16 to 24 inches). ... How to Prune Overgrown Basil. Where the base of each leaf meets the stem, you should see another small set of leaves (or small green knobs). You may think, it’s just a plant, why does it matter how I pick off leaves? These are great for indoors. Cut the branch just above those tiny leaves, making sure not to disturb the leaves themselves. Here are the basics: At the end of summer, tidy your plants and set them up for the winter. Simply use a pair of shears and shape them, not removing more than 1/4 of the foliage at a time. We’d try time and time again to grow basil, excited to add it to our soups, salads, and Italian dishes, only to have it fail over and over again. Pair the right herb with the right size pot. Ideally, you’d start pruning when your basil plant is still pretty small, with only one or two stems (6-8 leaves) off of the main plant. Plant seeds/seedlings about ¼-inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart. Meredith Skyer is a writer, artist, and homesteader residing in Western New York with her husband and menagerie of farm critters. Fresh basil is great to have in your kitchen as it's very convenient, and will easily thrive in a windowsill! If you love everything basil, then you no doubt have a basil plant growing somewhere in your home! And there you have it, the secret to growing big bushy basil plants! Avoid overwatering container-grown herbs by lifting each pot to assess its weight. If your basil is planted in a pot or container then the solution is very simple, as you just need to move the pot into an area of full sun and the basil should begin to show signs of recovery. Simply picking leaves from the top of the plant should be enough to keep your basil under control. When learning how to correctly prune basil, it’s important to first know the wrong way to go about pruning. The small leaves will now grow out in place of the one cut stem between them, and you'll get 2 new stems instead of just one! If the pot is heavy, the compost is too wet, so raise the pot … A lot of people plant basil in beds because they are best mixed with different types. For many years we struggled with the same issue. Do NOT cut the leaves closest to the bottom of the plant, because the basil plant needs a steady base. She has spent the last 12 years learning and implementing a myriad of homesteading skills, specializing in growing food and animal husbandry. In this article, we'll show you exactly how to prune basil the right way so that your basil plant can produce aromatic leaves over and over again! When you pinch back the stems to the next leaf cluster, you keep the plant from getting leggy and stimulate new growth. Think of it as getting regular trims for your hair – your hair is healthier, and will grow better! Problem is, your basil is just not producing as fast enough as you would like it to! How to Prune Basil In this article, we'll show you exactly how to prune basil the right way so that your basil plant can produce aromatic leaves over and over again! Once the plants have grown to a few inches height, its time to start pruning the foliage. Basil loves hot weather, and if your plants are flourishing, it’s time to prune (and harvest). How should you prune the basil plants? For more detailed information on how to prune your bay tree, see our guide. The three tips to prune basil include: Start pruning basil when basil plant is about 6 inches tall and has atleast two to three sets of leaves.Cut each stem to the last set of leaves.If the basil plant bolts producing flowers and seeds, pinch off the crown of basil. This super aromatic herb goes great in Asian style dishes, salads, on pizzas, and anything else you may think of. Those two new branches will create new sets of leaves, and when you prune them again, they’ll create two new branches again. From then until the first flower buds form it will grow lush, tender foliage. Types of Herbs and Pruning. Begin harvesting basil shortly after the seed sprouts and the second set of leaves appear. You can put basil in bouquets, tisanes, soups, and almost any fish dish. Use the pinched leaves or dry them, so there’s no waste. Those big leaves take in the most sunlight and make sure the basil plant is getting adequate nutrients. The reason to grow buckets of basil is classic pesto, which freezes well in small jars, or ice cube trays. Pruning this way allows the plant to grow outward instead of only upward. This … You can learn two of the easiest methods for drying herbs at home in our article here. Don’t be impatient! Start by looking for a set of 2 large basil leaves. You can continue cutting the middle stems until your plant is at the desired size, or leave it as is. Once the flowers are allowed to grow, it stops the plant from greatly producing. Make sure you learn how to dry and preserve your harvested herbs so that nothing goes to waste. Remember to pinch cleanly through the stem of the leaf, instead of crushing it, for the best results. Her biggest passion is working in conjunction with the natural world to harvest healthy, organic food from her own backyard. So, if the pot isn’t big enough, at some point your plant’s roots will bump into the wall of the container. Tulsi is also called Holy Basil.This plant is mostly used as a medicinal herb for the treatment of many numbers of ailments starting from headaches to cancer. It wasn’t until I received one simple tip from a friend that I was suddenly able to grow big, bushy, beautiful basil plants. Alternatively, if you were pruning the plant the wrong way, it would continue to grow leaves from the one central branch, but would eventually turn woody, skimpy, sparse, and ultimately die. If you love everything basil, then you no doubt have a basil plant growing somewhere in your home! Taking Your Basil Plant Indoors for Winter. Not sure how to prune basil? It will grow exponentially bigger every time you prune the plant. Again to fully revive a basil plant that has become leggy it is important to prune the stems back which allows light to reach the lower leaves and encourages a more bushy plant rather then a long leggy plant with few leaves. Most people are tempted to pick off the biggest leaves of the plant, those growing on the bottom branches. Plant the basil into the new pot. First, it is more practical to grow basil in a pot if you only plan to use a handful of seedlings. Use some herb pruning shears to ensure a clean cut. Yes, they’re smaller and won’t make nearly as much Caprese salad as those big leaves on the bottom, but there’s a good reason to pick off the leaves from the top of the plant. Identify the spot on the branch where you can clearly see new tiny leaves forming. How to prune basil flowers. How to Repot Store-Bought Basil. Pruning. A step by step guide for growing Tulsi in pots at home. Continue doing this throughout the growing season. As a general rule, pots as small as 10 inches in diameter … I’ve tried to grow basil tons of times and every time I end up with this long stringy plant with super tiny leaves. Before giving your basil a ‘haircut’, wait until the plant has sufficient leaves. There are as many uses for basil as there are types. The more often you prune the basil plant, the bushier and leafier it becomes. The biggest leaves on the bottom branches are the powerhouses of the whole plant. Not only does removing those bottom leaves hurt the plant, it doesn’t help the plant create new leaves and branches. Leave behind the those with blackened leaves or drooping stems. Repeat this process with all branches that have tiny leaves growing. It’s a win-win situation for you and for the plant. In a few weeks you’ll see that those tiny leaves turned into new branches, and you can again prune the new branches just above new sets of leaves so those will branch out again. Now that you know the wrong way to prune basil, let’s go over the correct way to pick off basil leaves. The small leaves will now grow out in place of the one cut stem between them. 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