How to Prune Basil From Top to Bottom

Basil is a tender, annual, aromatic herb that grows from a single stem. It's a culinary herb with fragrant leaves that are used extensively as a condiment, paired with tomatoes, and also as a drink flavoring. If you grow basil, your goal is for the plant to produce as many leaves as possible. To make this happen, learning how to prune basil is required.

Pruning basil increases both stem and leaf growth. Sweet basil, the variety grown most often, can be shaped into a rounded bush 18 to 24 inches tall and wide. Basil grows easily from seed but it needs warm soil to germinate. is sensitive to temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, and grows best in temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit and above. In northern climates, basil has a relatively short growing season. In more southern climates, the growing season may last a little longer, however constant warm temperatures encourage flowering.

For the best harvest, pruning should begin early to get the plant started off right with a branching habit. Each time you cut back a stem, two new stems will branch out from that cut, so consistent trimming is important to help the plant reach its most productive form. Follow these instructions for growing your basil into a full, bushy plant with plenty of delicious leaves.

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When to Prune Basil

Basil is a plant that starts out with one central stem so you want to begin pruning fairly early, when it is 6 to 8 inches tall and has three to four sets of opposite leaves. It can be tempting to harvest those early green leaves, but pruning too early can rob the plant of the energy it needs to grow. Snipping or pinching back the central stem to 1/4 inch above the first set of leaves will create two new branches. As the plant begins to bush out with multiple stems, you can prune up to half of each stem. Be sure to always pinch or cut just above a set of leaves. Harvest any leaves on the portion of the stem you have pruned off.

To encourage additional branching and more leaves, you will need to prune your basil regularly throughout the growing season. This herb will grow quickly during warm weather and should be checked daily when temperatures approach 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When grown from seed, sweet basil will reach maturity at 65 to 70 days and flowering will increase. Pinch back flower buds as they form as part of your pruning regimen.

The best time to harvest most aromatic herbs, which include basil, is in the morning after dew has dried or in the early evening before dew has fallen. The essential oils that give the herb fragrance and flavor are at their peak concentration during these times. Since pruning your basil will include harvesting, these times are also best for pruning tasks.