Simply plucking the basil leaves affects the aroma, growth and lifespan of the Mediterranean herb plant. The following instructions will show you how to harvest royal herb correctly.
How do you harvest basil correctly?
To properly harvest basil, cut off entire shoot tips (5-7 cm long) with a sharp knife just above a pair of leaves to encourage further growth and branching. Leave lone shoots with at least one pair of eyes on the trunk.
This is why isolated picking harms the royal herb
Due to its intense aroma, only a small amount of basil is usually needed in family cooking. As a result, it is tempting to just pluck individual leaves. If you don't know what you're doing, you're acting out of misunderstood thrift. If a branch is robbed of its leaves by gradual picking, this circumstance heralds its immediate death.
In addition, hesitant plucking of the leaves does not prevent flowering. When basil flowers, the wonderful aroma is gone within a short time and turns into a bitter taste. At the same time, the royal herb invests all of its strength in the growth of flowers and seeds, so that the herb plant is doomed to die.
If you want to harvest basil correctly, you also have to do substantial maintenance work to ensure it has a long lifespan. Since the plant aims for its first flowering just 8 weeks after sowing, an alternative harvesting technique to isolated picking is required.
Harvesting basil correctly – plump instead of spilling
Sporadic plucking of leaves should be the exception. A more courageous approach is much more beneficial to the wonderful herbal plant. How to do it right:
- Always cut off entire shoot tips to a length of 5-7 centimeters
- don't pick, cut with a sharp knife
- Make the cut just above a pair of leaves so that further branches sprout here
- of complete branches, leave at least one pair of eyes on the plant
As long as there is still a minimal remainder of a shoot with one or two leaf nodes, basil will sprout again diligently. Cutting off the shoot tips also promotes compact, bushy growth and prevents flowering. Of course, it's no drama if you pick a single leaf as you pass by as a small herbal snack. In this case, preferably choose an older, dark green leaf with the highest aroma content.
Choose the perfect time
The gourmet hobby gardeners know the importance of the best time of day if they want to harvest basil correctly. During the early morning hours the herbal aroma is at its highest level. This is especially true if the royal herb has just been watered.
Harvest the flowers properly as a feast for the eyes and a feast for the palate
The basil blossom knows how to present itself so decoratively that it is definitely welcome in the bed and on the balcony. Depending on the variety, a bright white, delicate pink or violet flower bloom develops. If you pick the flower stalks, they are ideal for the vase or as a natural bouquet.
As if that wasn't enough, the flowers are edible. The enchanting lip blossoms inspire the chef de cuisine to seductively decorate salads, soups and other dishes. Due to their slightly tart taste, they are used culinary in the form of basil flower vinegar.
Storing the harvest surplus wisely – this is how it works
If you follow the recommendation to harvest basil regularly, you will benefit from the long shelf life of the popular herb plant throughout the summer. This raises the question of what uses the surplus harvest can be used for. Rich royal herb is far too valuable to be disposed of in the compost. These storage options are available:
- dry in the air, in the oven or dehydrator
- freeze fresh basil as whole leaves or finely pureed with olive oil
- harvest whole shoots, pluck the leaves and pickle them in s alt, vinegar or olive oil
It is important to remember to clean the leaves thoroughly under running water after picking. Then pat dry with a kitchen towel before tackling the next steps. If you freeze or pickle the royal herb, cut off the petioles beforehand.
Harvest basil seeds correctly
Foresighted hobby gardeners allow their royal herb to bloom sooner or later. If the flowering herb plant adorns the bed, the balcony or the windowsill, it still hasn't used up its botanical powder. Lush seed heads develop beneath the wilting flowers. These provide plenty of material for propagation by sowing. How to get the seeds:
- pick the withered flower stalks and pluck withered leaves
- strip the dry flowers from the stems over a plate
- sift the mixture of seeds and flower residues several times
The small black seeds remain. Stored in a sealable container in a cool place, they will be sown next spring.
Tips & Tricks
Does your mood lift when the scent of fresh basil hits your nose? Then you benefit from the high content of linalool, the good-mood substance from nature. The colorless substance is contained in many essential oils and is now also used by the cosmetics industry to create mood-enhancing scents.
