Strub basil scores with its intense aroma. That's why the green leaves are a welcome flavor when cooking all year round. If possible, you should go directly from the branch into the cooking pot. This is only possible if harvesting is allowed in winter.
How do you harvest bush basil correctly?
To properly harvest bush basil, cut off entire shoots with scissors or a knife 2-3 mm above a pair of leaves and leave at least one pair of eyes. It is best to harvest shortly before use and use young leaves for the best flavor.
Unlimited harvest time
The bush basil can actually be harvested all year round. The plant just needs to provide enough usable branches. In a sunny location and with optimal care, summer is all about lush growth.
The perennial shrub basil has to overwinter indoors in winter because it is not hardy. In winter quarters, its urge to grow is slowed down. At this time, harvesting can therefore only be carried out with caution.
What is being harvested?
The young leaves of the bush basil are the most tasty. Unwoody stems can also be processed. The flowers are also edible, but have a bitter taste. They definitely make a pretty, edible decoration.
How to harvest bush basil
If you pick off individual leaves, you leave behind bare stems that rarely recover from this clear-cutting. Therefore, only whole shoots of bush basil should be harvested.
- Cut stems with scissors or knife
- 2-3 mm above a pair of leaves
- at least a pair of eyes should remain standing
- then the rest of the stem sprouts again
Tip
Harvest the basil shortly before you want to use it. If you don't need it until hours later, you can put the shoots in the water in the meantime. This keeps the basil fresh.
Increase harvest quantity
Many shoots can be harvested from a specimen that grows beautifully bushy. To do this, regularly cut back all new shoots to around 5 cm so that they branch out.
You should also cut off all flowers while they are still in the bud stage. Although they are beautiful to look at, their development reduces the formation of new leaves and thus reduces the harvest quantity.
Tip
When cutting bush basil, cuttings are produced that are not only useful for cooking pots. You can easily propagate new plants from them.
Use of harvested shoots
The edible bush basil can be used in many ways in the kitchen. It is therefore impossible to imagine Italian cuisine without it. But herbal oils or teas can also be made from this herb.
Use bush basil fresh from the bush or preserve the harvest for later use. Basil can be dried or frozen.
