Learn how to harvest basil, how to keep a healthy basil plant, and how to use and store basil in your kitchen. This is a tasty and fragrant herb to have as an indoor plant in your kitchen all year round. It also grows incredibly well in a warm outside garden.
This post is meant to be a quick reference guide for information on how to harvest basil. I do not go into big detail about basil but instead touch on the major questions with some easy to read snippets of information. Happy reading and happy gardening!
Oh the smell of Basil is one of my favorite things about growing our own food. It is so satisfying to walk down to my kitchen or out to the garden and be able to pick such a delicious and fragrant herb. Basil is a good herb for beginner gardeners. It does surprisingly well in a planter or pot in a warm spot in your kitchen. It is also a great herb for cooking. You can add it to many different dishes or use it as a wonderful smelling garnish on your plate.
How to best care for a Basil plant
- Basil tolerates heat well.
- Basil prefers well-drained soil. It is best to use compost or well-aged manure.
- Basil should be in full sun (6-8 hours per day).
- Water deeply and regularly.
- Place mulch on top of the soil.
When to plant Basil
It is best to plant your basil seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost before transferring the plants outside. I prefer having a basil planter inside my kitchen. This setup provides easy access and creates a wonderful smell in the house.
To plant your seeds directly outside you will want to wait until after the last frost. I live in a zone 3b and I usually have to wait until our nighttime temperature stays consistently at 10 degrees Celsius (or higher) before successfully growing Basil outside.
Plant seeds about 1/4-inch deep and about 12 inches apart.
How to avoid disease in Basil plants
If you are new to growing Basil, it is best to chose a resistant variety. I would recommend a Prospera Basil (Genovese Basil) for best results.
It is also best to use healthy soil that is free from any disease.
Another tip is to keep airflow within the plant by harvesting and pruning the basil plant regularly. Always wash your pruning shears or scissors between each plant you use them on to avoid transferring diseases from plant to plant.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. This means that I will earn a small amount of money if you purchase through the links on my website at no additional cost to you.
How to Harvest Basil
Let the Basil plant get 6 inches tall before doing a first harvest. The fun thing with harvesting Basil is that the more frequently you harvest it, the more full the plant will become. Another interesting fact about Basil is that it is pretty resilient when it comes to harvesting. What I mean is that the plant doesn’t wilt or die with an aggressive pruning.
In order to have a Basil plant provide you with months of fresh herbs you need to prevent the plant from forming flowers. This is why it is important to harvest your Basil on a regular basis.
When you are ready to harvest your basil you will want to trim or pinch off the plant just above a set of leaves.
Trim as much as you want. But leave at least 2/3 of the plant in place so that normal photosynthesis can still occur.
What to Do With Basil After Harvesting
Be sure to wash the freshly harvested Basil well in cold water and allow to completely dry before placing it in the fridge. I put mine in a container or plastic bag and straight into the fridge. Be sure to use it soon after harvesting for the most fresh flavor.
Can’t use it all right away? Lay it out on cookie drying racks in a dry area of your house. Once it is completely dry you can blend it for a couple of pulses and then store it in a glass jar for future use.
You can also freeze Basil but keep it mind that it wont keep its structure this way. The taste will still be nice though! For best results, chop it up and add some olive oil to an ice cube tray and freeze this way.
What Are The Best Meals to make with Basil?
- Pesto
- On top of pizza
- Add to any Italian dish
- Inside a cold meat sandwich
- As a garnish with soups (try my Tomato Basil Soup Recipe)
- Add to salads
- Basil Raspberry tea
And the list goes on…..
Thank you for reading this post. I would love to hear from you! What are you favorite ways to use Basil? Share your favorite methods and recipes below!
Leave a Reply