There’s no better way to add a kick of flavor to a delicious meal than with fresh basil. But, Harvest Basil is a complicated task. if you’re like me, you can sometimes find it hard to master the art of growing your own basil and then harvesting it (and not just because my apartment gets too much sunlight). This summer, I finally mastered the art of growing and preserving my own basil. If you’re wondering how I did it (or, better yet: how you can do it), here are nine tips for harvesting your own basil this summer:
Don’t wait too long to start harvesting.
Harvest only what you need. Don’t wait too long to start harvesting. If you have more basil than you need, just pick off leaves as needed, and don’t worry about harvesting the whole plant. Pinching off leaves rather than pulling on them will help prevent damage to the plant’s stem and roots.
Use scissors or pruners to cut individual leaves or stems from plants at any point in their growth cycle. This way, they’ll continue to produce new growth throughout their lifespan instead of becoming leggy and falling over after producing a few flowers or fruit pods. Cut plants back as soon as they start producing flower buds or fruits — this will allow them to focus on producing more leaves instead of seed production or fruit production (which can take away energy and nutrients from leaf production). You can also trim plants back whenever they get too large for their
Pick the top leaves first.
Harvest it on a daily basis. Basil should be harvested every day. If you wait too long between harvests, the plant will start to flower and go to seed. When that happens, the flavour of your basil will change drastically and its oils will begin to dissipate. This means that you’ll have fewer leaves to harvest each day and more time spent picking them off the ground than if you were harvesting them daily from the beginning.
Don’t pull out entire plants when harvesting. If you want large-sized leaves, don’t pull out the entire plant — just the top few inches of stem with leaves attached at their base (known as “cutting back”). The lower portion of the stem will eventually produce more new growth at its base which can be harvested later on down the road when needed again for cooking purposes.
Harvest your basil just before it flowers.
To harvest your basil at its best, you should wait until it has grown to a height of 6 inches. Make sure that the plant is healthy and hasn’t been stressed by lack of water or heat. Wait until the leaves are still green, not yellowing or wilting, and be sure to harvest on a dry day when there’s no threat of rain. Harvesting basil just before it flowers will give you more flavorful leaves for cooking with—once the plant flowers, its flavor begins to decline!
Use clean shears, and don’t break off branches by hand.
Use clean shears.
When you’re snipping away, keep your shears and knife clean for a couple of reasons: one, so that the basil doesn’t get dirty and two, because you don’t want to accidentally cut yourself. When I was learning how to harvest basil at my parents’ house, my mom told me this super easy trick: if you use a paper towel and wipe down your shears or knife after each cut, they’ll stay nice and clean! She suggested doing this once per week or so—but honestly I do it every other day because I’m paranoid about getting sick from dirty utensils (and also because it’s just as easy).
Use sharp shears/knives!
It seems obvious but many people don’t think about it when they’re harvesting herbs: make sure both your shears and knife are SHARP! Using dull blades can cause ragged cuts on the herb leaves which could bruise the plant’s sensitive tissues underneath, causing brown spots on the surface of your beautiful basil plants.
Hang upside down to dry.
Hang upside down to dry.
If you have a large pot or bucket, you can hang your basil upside down to dry in there. However, if you don’t have anything like this, then use a paper bag instead! Just put two or three stems of fresh basil into the bottom of the bag and fold over the top twice. Hang in a well-ventilated area with good air circulation and keep it out of direct sunlight for about 2 weeks; this should be enough time for them to dry out completely (but not so long that they start getting moldy).
Make a bouquet of fresh basil.
- Use a vase
Place fresh basil in a vase and add water (the more water, the better). You can also add other flowers to make it look more beautiful.
- Use a glass jar or bottle
Fill any unused glass jar or bottle with water, then place your freshly cut basil inside it. Make sure there’s enough room for air to pass through so that the stems don’t rot faster than you can use them!
- Use olive oil and vinegar bottles for storage
If you have an unopened bottle of olive oil or vinegar lying around, simply use that as storage for your basil stems instead of letting them wilt away on your countertop or kitchen sink! The airtight seal keeps moisture out and prevents mold from growing on top of them too quickly—which means less waste!
Freeze the leaves in ice cubes and olive oil.
If you grow your own basil or have a friend who does, it’s likely that you’re going to have more than you know what to do with this summer. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to preserve fresh herbs so that they last longer than just one meal.
One option is freezing the leaves in ice cubes and olive oil. To do this, simply fill a ziploc bag with as many basil leaves as will fit (about three cups), then add olive oil until it covers the herbs by about half an inch. Carefully seal the bag and freeze for at least 24 hours before using them in recipes like soups or stews that call for fresh herbs. Once thawed out again, dip out some cubes and enjoy!
Make pesto and freeze it.
The summer season is here and you’re probably already thinking about basil. Why not take advantage of this flavor-packed herb by making some pesto? It’s one of the easiest ways to save money and eat healthy, so give it a try!
Making pesto couldn’t be easier; all you have to do is mix basil leaves with pine nuts (or walnuts), garlic, olive oil and salt. But if your goal is freezing your pesto so that you can enjoy it year round without having to make it yourself every time, there are certain precautions that need taking.
First off, before anything else happens with your frozen stash of homemade pasta sauce: label each container clearly so that no one accidentally eats something that was supposed to be frozen for later use! Once this step has been completed successfully (and any other necessary label information has been added), fill up as many ice cube trays as possible before placing them in the freezer overnight for 24 hours at least. When ready for use later on down the road during warmer months or winter holidays when fresh basil isn’t available locally anymore – simply pop out individual cubes from their respective tray(s) whenever needed!
Preserve your basil in vinegar or salt.
If you’re growing basil, you’ll want to preserve it so that you can use it later. You have three options:
- Preserve your basil in vinegar or salt. This is great for using in salads and on sandwiches, as well as cooking. To do this, wash a bunch of basil leaves and pat dry thoroughly. Then remove the stems from each leaf (you can save them for stock!). Put the leaves in an airtight container and cover with vinegar or salt brine (1 part salt + 5 parts water). Keep refrigerated until ready to use—they should keep indefinitely!
- Preserve your basil in oil. This is also good for cooking with; just make sure not to add too much oil if doing so would make it difficult for recipes like sauces not to separate over time because too much fat won’t mix properly with water-based liquids like milk or broth when heated up again before serving.”
You should harvest basil as soon as it starts growing, because otherwise it will flower and die!
You should harvest basil as soon as it starts growing, because otherwise it will flower and die!
If you don’t harvest it, it will flower and die.
Conclusion
If you follow all these tips, you should have a bountiful crop of fresh basil at your fingertips all summer long. Whether you dry it, freeze it, or preserve it in vinegar or salt—or try out a new way to store your harvest—you’re sure to enjoy the benefits of being more prepared with basil this season. And while many people think growing basil is easy (which it is), knowing how to harvest will make your garden even more productive than ever before!
