How to Prune Basil Plants in 3 Easy Steps

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a member of the mint family, along with oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Basil is a tender herb with a soft stem and soft leaves, similar to cilantro and parsley. The basil plant is recognizable for its glossy, deep green color and oblong, pointed leaves.

Pruning basil plants fosters full, bushy, healthy growth and longevity in your plants. Pruning refers to a technique in which you remove stem sections of a plant to help it devote energy resources to sprouting new growth. Consistently pruning a basil plant will encourage leaf development, which is especially important if you harvest your leaves for culinary use.

Basil grows quickly and will become leggy if unattended, and leaves from a leggy basil plant will taste bitter, especially if it has started to flower. Regularly cutting back basil will also improve the taste of your basil leaves.

The best time to prune basil is when the plant is young because regular pruning can help your plant develop more fully. Prune basil early in the growing season when the plant reaches around six inches in height. After that, you can prune it every two to three weeks.

Keep in mind that your basil plant will stop producing leaves once it flowers. Regular pruning can prevent flowering from happening.

Pruning basil is relatively simple and improves the quality of your herbs. Follow these steps to prune your own basil at home:

1. 1. Sterilize your cutting tool. When trimming basil, use a clean pair of scissors or gardening shears to prune back your basil stem.
2. 2. Locate the top nodes. Find a tiny set of leaves growing toward the top of the plant. There should be about two sets of small leaves intersecting with the larger leaves along the stem.
3. 3. Cut the main stem. Snip the basil stem about half an inch above the tiny leaves. You should see new stems form from the tiny leaves near where you cut the stem.

Pruning basil is a quick and easy way to keep your plant healthy and flourishing. Follow these tips to foster a healthy basil plant:

1. 1. Prune from the top. The bottom leaves of the basil plant are necessary for photosynthesis (and are also less tasty than the top leaves), so you don’t want to remove them early on in the growing process. Always prune your basil plant from the top; avoid removing the bottom leaves of the plant.
2. 2. Prune regularly. Once your basil flowers, it will stop sprouting leaves. Prune your basil regularly and pinch off flower buds to prevent flowering and encourage the growth of new branches and new leaves.
3. 3. Always use sterile shears. Always use pruning shears to prune the stems of your basil plant to prevent disease and incomplete cuts. While you can pinch off individual leaves when harvesting, pruning requires a pair of scissors.

Here are a few ways to use basil leaves in your cooking:

1. 1. As a topping or garnish: Fresh basil leaves make a tasty and herbaceous topping for pizzas, Caprese salads, or as a pasta garnish.
2. 2. Add to pesto: Throw fresh basil into a food processor with olive oil, pine nuts, lemon juice, and parmesan to make pesto, or muddle it with other herbs for a pungent dip or a refreshing cocktail.
3. 3. Add to sauces and soups: You can cook with basil in several dishes such as sauces, stews, and soups. Add this ingredient in towards the end of the cooking time to prevent it from wilting like spinach.

Wash and remove any brown stems and leaves before you store fresh basil. Here’s how:

• Countertop storage: Store a bunch of basil in a glass jar at room temperature on your kitchen counter and out of direct sunlight like a bouquet of flowers. Change the water every couple of days to maintain freshness. Cut basil can last around two weeks when stored on the countertop.
• Refrigerator storage: After you wash the basil, dry it with a paper towel or salad spinner. Wrap a paper towel around the basil and place it in an airtight container or a plastic bag. Store it in the vegetable crisper alongside other salad greens. Basil should last about two weeks if you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Dried: You can also dry basil for later use. To do so, preheat the oven to two-hundred degrees Fahrenheit or the lowest temperature in the oven. Lay out the basil leaves on a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake them for two to four hours until they are dry and crumbly. Crumble the dry basil leaves into a jar. When substituting for fresh basil, use a teaspoon of dry basil for every tablespoon of fresh basil.
• Frozen: Store basil in the freezer by blanching the leaves and placing them in a freezer bag, or toss the leaves into a food processor with some olive oil and freeze the paste in an ice cube tray. Use frozen basil cubes by simply adding them to a hot pan for a quick pesto sauce.

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