Growing herbs is so easy that anyone can do it and can harvest after a short time. And if you have decided to have your own herb garden, you will need to know how to keep those herbs growing healthy so that you can enjoy their fresh taste all year long. Before growing your herbs, including basil, you should learn some Useful Basil Harvesting Tricks to keep this herb growing healthy and give more leaves as well as you also apply these for other herbs.
And here are the 9 Useful Basil Harvesting Tricks You Should Know. These tricks are easy to make without any requirement. For example, when you harvest them you should use scissors to make a clean cut to avoid damaging the stems. Or do not harvest it in cold weather to protect your herb from exposing the freshly cut stems to harsh weather which affects both the growth and plant. And other problems that you easily avoid after reading this post today. To know more, read on!
#1 Use Scissors
Source: Popsugar
Many people often harvest by pulling the leaves of the basil, unfortunately, this will affect to damage the stems. To avoid this, you should use scissors to make a clean cut as well as keep the plant safe.
#2 Should Not Harvest When It Young
Source: Savvygardening
If you harvest when your plants are young, you may kill them. Let’s wait for the plant to grow up about 6-8 inches tall and at least 4-5 inches wide, which is the best time for harvesting.
#3 Should Not Harvest More Than 30% of Your Plant
Source: Almanac
Should not harvest the entire plant, instead of taking away 20-30% of the total leaves at a time.
#4 Should Not Harvest The Lower Big Leaves
Source: Passthepistil
Lower Big Leaves are responsible for the plant’s nutrient supply because of absorbing more sunlight. So, when harvesting the plant, leave the big leaves at the bottom intact.
#5 Cut Stems to the Last Set of Leaves
Source: Gardenuity
If you want to cut the stem of the plant, you should snip off just above the last set of leaves. This will force the plant to keep branching out, making it grow more leaves.
#6 Pinch The Tips
Source: Gardender
When you are harvesting the basil, let’s pinch the tips of its stems to encourage the plant to create two new branches and grow new sets of leaves.
#7 Do Not Harvest It In Cold Weather
Source: Farmersalmanac
When growing this herb outdoors, you should not harvest it in the cold season to avoid exposing the freshly cut stems to harsh weather, which will damage both the growth and plant.
#8 Avoid Harvesting Too Often
Source: Lifeisagarden
Harvesting Too Often will make your plant be exhausted. For the best, harvest in smaller quantities from each basil plant at a regular interval of 2-4 weeks.
#9 Pinch Its Flowers
Source: Savvygardening
When your basil blooms, it is the time it needs more energy to make more flowers. So, you should pinch its flowers to keep your plant moving ahead and harvest the leaves.
