Vital Reminders on How to Harvest Sweet Basil Leaves

Sweet Basil with olives, onions, garlic, or tomato. It goes well especially with healthy Mediterranean cooking. But this Indian herb should be harvested the right way. Otherwise, less benefits will be derived from it. For it’s full potential, here’s how to harvest sweet basil properly.

Simply put, the right way to harvest Sweet Basil is by picking off the leaves needed, cutting them some inches off the top of the herb plant. As leaves are picked, the herb grows more fully. Gently picking Sweet Basil leaves does no harm to the herb, and this is the only safe way on how to harvest sweet basil leaves properly. It is best to pick basil leaves before the herb flowers to make it bushy.

Part of how to harvest sweet basil correctly is storing. Dry the leaves and crush them. Then, sweet basil leaves, after picking and drying , should be stored in air-tight containers and kept in a dark place. Another place to store packed sweet basil leaves is in freezers, but places with room temperature are preferred by most folks. Properly harvesting sweet basil is useless if it is not stored correctly.

The proper time to harvest sweet basil leaves is in the morning—after the dew has evaporated and dried. This is among vital steps on how to harvest sweet basil to make sure the herb continuous to have productive leafing. The more harvests done, the better it is for the growth of the sweet basil herb. However, once the plant is still young, pick just the right amount to avoid getting the herb leafless. For mature sweet basil plants, pick off leaves on top.

Another pointer on how to harvest sweet basil leaves is never to wash them after picking, if one is after its aromatic oil. Sweet basil leaves can turn green salads, veggie soups, pastas and pizzas, pork, chicken, and seafood into perfect tasty dishes with its clove-like, peppery, and minty aroma from its oily essence.

Of course, part of how to harvest sweet basil leaves successfully is caring for the herb plant while it grows. It’s number enemy are Aphids, more so if sweet basil is grown indoors. When grown outdoors, watch out for slugs, bugs, and beetles which devour sweet basil leaves.

Sweet basil leaves are popularly versatile as an ornamental, aromatic, and even medicinal herb and they are easy to grow with the right care. In particular, know how to harvest sweet basil leaves the right way.