Ahh…the dog days of summer; the tomatoes are ripe on the vine, sweet and juicy.
The basil is just begging to be harvested.
Fresh vine ripened tomatoes paired with a chiffonade of fresh basil and Mozzarella cheese; add a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar and some freshly cracked black pepper. The ultimate taste of summer in every bite.
Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow from seed. If you are thinking about planting an herb garden I would recommend starting with basil. It will germinate in under a week. So even if you are the impatient type, you will see results in just a few short days.
Even if you purchase a basil plant instead of growing it from seed, basil’s natural growth habit is to grow taller and taller and then produce a spire of blooms on the tip of each stem.
Our natural tendency is to pull off a few of the larger, lower leaves towards the bottom of each stem when we need some for a recipe. Harvesting basil in this manner results in a plant that will eventually stop growing and die off.
Those larger leaves are what produce energy for the plant from the sun. Stripping these leaves off the stems will eventually be the demise of the plant. It will grow long and lanky and eventually die.
If you want extend the life of a basil plant that is full and producing many leaves all summer long you will want to harvest leaves from the top half of the plant instead of pulling off leaves along the bottom of each of the stems.
Instead of pulling off leaves at the bottom it is best to cut the top half off of each stem. Look for where there are leaves sprouting from the stem and then cut the stem right above that juncture about half way down the length of the stem.
Harvesting basil in this manner will promote additional growth at the leaf juncture right below were you cut the stem, resulting in two new stems and a lush, bushier basil plant.
No more leggy dying plants if you use this simple pruning technique. Instead you will be able to harvest basil all summer long and enjoy a beautiful full, lush looking plant. There will be plenty of basil for cooking plus you will have more than enough to share from your garden as well.
Just look at this beautiful bouquet of basil that I was able to harvest by using this simple pruning technique. All of this lovely basil came off of just one plant from my container garden.
Strip off the bottom leaves from each harvested stem and use them in your favorite dishes. Place the remaining stems in a pitcher of water for later use.
The stems of basil will keep fresh for about a week or more. Be sure to change out the water daily to extend their life.
It’s so handy to have fresh basil right at your fingertips to add to salads and your favorite pasta sauces. Plus it’s such a beautiful decorative accent for your kitchen and a lovely way to bring the beauty of summer inside.
So whether you decide to grow some basil from seed or purchase a plant at your local nursery or grocery store, you can enjoy fresh basil all summer long using this simple pruning technique when harvesting basil. Plus you will have plenty to share too!
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