Growing basil isn’t difficult, and with the vast number of recipes that call for this fresh herb and the wonderful flavor it imparts on good food, it’s a great addition to any garden. The best thing about basil is that it’s generally an attractive plant and it doesn’t take much space. So even if you don’t have a dedicated “garden”, most people can still find a bit of room somewhere in their landscaping to squeeze in a basil plant or two.
Basil can either be grown from seed or purchased as young plants from a nursery. For those who want instant gratification, of course, it’s easier to simply buy your basil plants. However, I prefer to grow my own from seed. I get a great sense of accomplishment from knowing that I started my plants from their very inception. To grow basil from seed, just find a warm place in your home and start the seeds in little pots about 8 weeks before you want to plant outside. Basil germinates pretty reliably, so you shouldn’t have much trouble.
The key to great basil plants is to pinch them back. How does this work? Whenever you want to cut some basil, always make the cut immediately above a set of leaves. As the plant regrows, the stem will then “branch out” into two stems wherever it has been cut or pinched back. The result is a fuller, bushier, and healthier basil plant.
If your plant ever begins to form tiny white flower at the tips, you know it’s definitely time to pinch back or cut back radically! Letting your basil go to seed will result your plants eventually dying off sooner than they need to. Your basil may look a little thin and sad after you’ve cut it back significantly, but just keep it well watered (or you can also add a little fertilizer, if you want) and it will grow back even bigger and fuller than before. So for great basil plants, just keep trimming and pinching, and don’t let any flowers form!
