

The flowers are very attractive to bees but basil plants that are allowed to flower slow down their vegetative growth. Eventually most basil plants produce flowers. And as those stems grow, you can pinch them back and double their production – it’s exponential! When you clip basil stems back to a fresh set of leaves, you force those leaves to grow, doubling the basil produced on that stem. I know, I know, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to remove part of a plant to make it grow, but trust me, this is the best way to force your basil to grow big and bushy.

We make pesto, chop the leaves for sprinkling over pasta and pizza, toss them in green salads, and add citrusy basils like lemon basil to fruits salads. This is the best reason to trim your basil! I can’t get enough of the basil harvest and clip branches for cooking almost daily in the summer. There are plenty of great reasons for pruning back basil plants. It’s a quick and easy garden task that pays off big time! Whether you’re growing your own basil from seed or picking up transplants, pinch back young plants to encourage branching and larger plants. All types of basil benefit from regular clipping. It doesn’t matter if you’re growing Genovese basil, lemon basil or Thai basil. When it comes to pruning basil, it doesn’t matter if you’re growing basil in containers or garden beds.
AEROGARDEN SPROUT HOW TO
Are you ready to learn how to trim your basil plants for maximum production? I’m the opposite, constantly trimming herbs like basil to use fresh, or preserve by drying or freezing. They don’t want to cut them back in case it damages the plants or reduces yield. Many gardeners are shy about harvesting from their herbs. One of the secrets to producing big, bushy basil plants is trimming.
