Growing Basil - When to Pick and Uses
HOW TO PICK BASIL Ideally, you will be picking basil before the plant flowers. If the plant begins to flower, you can cut off the stem on which the flower is growing to force the plant to keep producing leaves. Leaves will be tougher and possibly less tasty after blooms have occurred. 1/3 Method: Use a scissors to cut off the top 1/3 of the plant down to the set of leaves below those being harvested. I end up getting two large handfuls of basil every week or two depending on weather. Basil will branch into two new stems where you cut off the existing stem creating even more leaves to use! Single Leaf: Pinch off individual leaves as needed. Watch for buds forming if you are not using basil regularly. For fullest flavor, use fresh basil immediately. Basil can also be dried for later use. You may use a dehydrator, low temp oven, hanging stems, or cookie cooling rack. If laying to dry, flip the leaves every few days until dried to prevent mold from formi...