Here's How to Harvest Basil and Pick the Very Best Leaves (2024)

Knowing how to harvest basil is essential because it makes your plant last as long as possible. Basil is a garden staple, and whether you grow it in a garden or container, it is relatively easy to care for. Choose from basil varieties, including sweet basil, Thai basil, and lemon basil, and all are frequently found in kitchen gardens.

Basil is an annual herb but learning how and when to harvest leaves from your plant ensures it stays healthy and maximizes the yield so you don't end up with a prematurely barren herb. Read on to learn when to harvest basil and the proper way to do so.

When to Harvest Basil

There are several timing elements to keep in mind when harvesting basil leaves. First, start pruning leaves once your plant reaches 6 to 8 inches tall. Additionally, once temperatures outdoors (if that's where your plant lives) hit 80 degrees Fahrenheit, leaves should start coming in more abundantly, and it's a great time to start harvesting. If your plant has put out at least four sets of leaves, it's safe to start harvesting.

For plump, happy leaves, harvest early in the morning. For the best flavor, harvest before the plant flowers. Harvest as much as possible because this encourages your plant to produce new leaves rapidly. You can harvest even more leaves than you need and dry or freeze them. This way you are helping your plant make new leaves and stay full and vibrant.

Once the summer winds down and the weather gets cooler, do any final harvesting before the first frost arrives. If possible, move your potted basil plant indoors to a warm, sunny spot and you'll likely be able to extend your basil harvest into the fall and winter months.

The Right Way to Prune Basil Leaves

There are two ways to prune basil: harvesting leaves or full stems. Harvest leaves if you need a small amount for a recipe. Harvest entire stems for larger amounts of basil for specific recipes, such as pesto.

Harvesting Leaves

• Pluck each leaf right at its base where it hits the stem.
• Harvest from the top of the plant so your basil stays fuller, rather than harvesting lower leaves and creating a sparse bottom.

Harvesting Stems

• Use scissors to cut the stems, working from the top down.
• Cut stems about 1/4 inch above a node.
• Remove flower buds as they form.
• Remove no more than a third of the plant's height at one time.

How to Store Fresh Basil

If you trim extra basil for the health and yield of your plant, you can store the extra harvest. Opt for the stem-trimming method when you harvest more. Place extra stems in a small jar of water and keep them at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. Stored this way, your basil should last at least four to five days until you have another recipe calling for fresh basil. Avoid refrigerating extra basil, as the cold turns it brown.

For more creative storage take a mold or an ice cube tray filled with olive oil and chopped fresh basil. Freeze these, then pop one or two cubes into a pan when you start cooking for a delicious, basil-infused oil to lend any recipe tons of extra flavor.

Tips for Growing and Harvesting Basil

• Basil requires heat and lots of light to grow. Plant it in a location where it gets six to eight hours of full sun each day. Wait to grow until the daytime temperatures remain above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and night temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit before planting it outdoors.
• Unlike other herbs, basil needs frequent watering. Water it deeply but make sure its soil is well-drained.
• To keep your basil plant regrowing after harvesting from it regularly, fertilize it with an all-purpose fertilizer every month.
• Harvest basil first thing in the morning when the temperatures are relatively cool but the leaves are dry.
• Remove basil leaves from the top of the plant. Remove each leaf where it meets the stem.
• Prevent your basil from blooming by pinching off the top sets of leaves as soon as the plant reaches about 6 inches tall.