Harvesting Basil

• The more you harvest, the better. Frequent pinching keeps basil productive. Leaves are tastiest just as the plant begins to set flower buds at the branch tips, but well before flowers bloom.
• Pinch or snip leaves at this time and remove all flower buds to keep the plant productive. Pinch ¼” above a leaf node.
• Remove any stems that have flowered, as they will no longer produce leaves.
• Overgrown plants can be cut back to 6-8 inches. Leave at least two shoots with one leaf node for the plant to regenerate. A new, smaller crop of leaves should be ready to harvest 3-4 weeks later.
• Water deeply when soil is dry. Basil prefers to be on the dry side.
• Be prepared to protect plants with light fabric if temperatures are predicted to dip below 45° F