How to trim basil for big, bushy plants and larger yields

Whether you're growing your own basil from seed or picking up transplants, pinch back young plants to encourage branching and larger plants.
Take a peek where the arrow is pointing… ...
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 do you trim a large yield basil?
How do you increase yield on Basil?
What do I do if my basil is too tall?
Why are my basil stems Woody?
How long do basil plants live?
How do you fix leggy basil?
Does basil like coffee grounds?
Does basil grow after cutting?
How big can a basil plant get?

How do you trim a large yield basil?

You don't want to shock the plant, so start with pruning two stems, and then in a week or two prune a bit more if needed. On average, I only prune my basil plants two or three times during the season, and as you'll see in my video below, my basil plants get pretty large.

How do you increase yield on Basil?

When it comes to harvesting the actual leaves of the basil, you can either pinch them or use clippers to clip them away from the stem. With each leaf you clip or shoot that you top off, it will produce more new growth from your basil.

What do I do if my basil is too tall?

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.

Why are my basil stems Woody?

Woody basil plants simply mean that the plant is protecting itself from the dipping temps. If you bring it inside, give it plenty of light. Production will slow in the winter, but you should still be able to harvest some delectable fresh basil leaves to enliven your winter meals.

How long do basil plants live?

Basil may survive for two years before replanting in warm climates. An indoor basil plant with full sun and steady warm temperatures may last longer as well. Basil plants are sensitive to cold weather and frost.

How do you fix leggy basil?

If your basil plants are leggy and blooming now, does that mean you've missed your chance at a tasty harvest? Not at all! Prune the plants back hard, so just one set of leaves remains above the major branch points. The plant will produce new growth, and the flavor of the leaves on the new branches will be perfect.

Does basil like coffee grounds?

Coffee grounds do have a place in the growth of basil. ... We know that basil likes soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. However, coffee grounds can add a lot of acid to the soil. As such, you must be careful when adding coffee grounds.

Does basil grow after cutting?

Growing basil from cuttings cuts growing time by about half. It takes a few weeks to root but once the roots emerge, the plants quickly push out fresh growth for harvesting. Plus, you can grow basil from cuttings year round!

How big can a basil plant get?

They should grow to about 12 to 24 inches in height. For larger varieties, plant farther apart (about 16 to 24 inches). Tomatoes make great neighbors for basil plants in the garden—and on the plate!