We grow quite a lot of basil and I've learned some simple tricks that have provided us with a bigger and better harvest! Here's how you can get more out of your basil harvest.

Correct & Regular Pruning

Pruning will encourage a nicely branched plant with plenty leafy growth. You can start pruning the basil plants when they are around five to six inches tall. To prune, look along the main stem of the plant. You should see a small set of tiny leaves (growth nodes) growing out the side of the stem, with two large leaves just below it. Cut the middle of the main stem between these two leaves, just above the little nodes. This will encourage the growth of two new stems. As these new stems grow, you'll notice other small nodes on various stems. Repeat the pruning process whenever you see the suckers and the plant will become fuller/bushier and more abundant with each pruning.

Prevent the plant from flowering

When the plant flowers the leaves can become a bit bitter and far less enjoyable. If you are busy and don't have time to prune and you see a flower head developing you can quickly pinch it off to prevent the flowering. Of course if you want to save seeds or simply enjoy the gorgeous basil in flower leave it to flower away!

Drying Basil

Basil can be one of the trickier herbs to dry as it has a high moisture content and if done improperly it can go moldy before it has dried. You can use a food dehydrator at a very low setting but I do prefer to air dry all of our herbs when possible. This is how we do it.

• Harvest mid morning after the dew has evaporated but before the heat of the sun.
• Find a dark (or dimply lit), dry and warm room. You want to avoid humidity at all costs.
• Using mesh screen pluck the basil leaves from the stem and lay flat. Make sure there is ample space between the leaves and good air flow around them.
• The leaves will be brittle and crisp when they are fully dry.
• Once dry, store them in airtight jars in a cool, dark location.

You can make a herb drying frame using insect netting and wood, re-purpose an old bug screen or look for one of these handy 8 layer pop up drying racks. (Amazon affiliate link) I love them so much I have three!

I really do love Basil

Collecting herbs and inhaling all of those exquisite aromas is so therapeutic. When you grow plenty of herbs, it's best to have a system where you eat some fresh and preserve the rest for later use. We use herbs in excess when we cook, it's so liberating to not have to see them as an indulgence that comes in a small expensive jar from the store.

“Pounding fragrant things, particularly garlic, basil, parsley, is a tremendous antidote to depression. But it applies also to juniper berries, coriander seeds and the grilled fruits of the chilli pepper. Pounding these things produces an alteration in one's being, from sighing with fatigue to inhaling with pleasure. The cheering effects of herbs and alliums cannot be too often reiterated. ” ~ Patience Gray, cookery author

---

[@walkerland ]
Building a greener, more beautiful world one seed at a time.
Homesteading | Gardening | Frugal Living | Preserving Food| From Scratch Cooking|

You can also find me at: walkerland.ca | Facebook

Photo copyright: @walkerland