Trimming Basil Leaves Tips For Cutting Back Basil Plants

Once you decide where you're going to trim, cut the main stem about a quarter inch above the leaf buds. You can remove just a few stems to flavor your dinner or cut the plant back by a third to gather enough basil to make pesto or to preserve.

Are you supposed to cut basil back?
What height should Basil be pruned?
When should I cut basil?
How do you fix leggy basil?
How do you prune woody Basil?
How do you encourage basil to grow?
How long do basil plants last?
How much basil can you pick?

Are you supposed to cut basil back?

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. ... 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.

What height should Basil be pruned?

In general, basil is considered to be a resilient plant, so even if you cut it back a bit earlier than the right timing, it should grow back normally. The best time to prune your basil, however, is when it reaches around 6 inches (15 cm) tall. At this height, it would be able to survive heavy trimming.

When should I cut basil?

When to trim basil

And when trimming basil it's best to start early when the seedlings are about six to eight inches tall and have three to four sets of leaves. At that point, each plant is likely a single stem. I like to pinch that main stem back to a strong set of side shoots, removing about one-third of the plant.

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.

How do you prune woody Basil?

Snip young leaves or, if you are harvesting an entire stem, cut above a pair of leaves. This encourages new growth at the cut which should be visible within a week. Keep trimming the basil throughout the growing season to encourage growth.

How do you encourage basil to grow?

Basil plants initially grow one central stem. Once they are reach 6-8 inches tall, pinch the central stem back by half and about ¼ inch above the leaf axils. This will force the plants to branch and grow more leaves. As the plants keep sending out new branching stems, continue to pinch them back in the same manner.

How long do basil plants last?

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 much basil can you pick?

Make sure to pick the leaves regularly to encourage growth throughout the summer. Even if you don't need to leaves, pick them to keep the plant going. Store them for later use! If you pick regularly, twelve basil plants can produce 4 to 6 cups of leaves per week.