How to cut back basil

Trim a basil plant every two to three weeks and pinch off the flower buds as soon as you see them. Trust me, the plant loves this and it will only encourage more vigorous growth while providing you with plenty of fresh basil leaves to stretch those culinary wings.

Prune regularly for the best flavor. About every four weeks, prune basil back to just above the bottom two sets of leaves. If the plant is allowed to flower, it will lose flavor.

Pinch off basil leaves at the stem.

When picking basil leaves, be gentle to avoid tearing them or damaging the stems they are attached to. Pinch basil leaves at their base, where they meet the stem. Gently pull away the entire leaf from the stem. You can also cut leaves with a small pair of scissors.

Harvest basil from the top down, using a pair of clean scissors or shears to remove up to one-third of the plant’s height. Cut the stems about 1/4 inch above a leaf to prevent leaving unsightly stubs. You can also harvest the plant by pinching the stems with your fingernails.

Harvesting Larger Amounts: Harvest the leaves from the top down, cutting back up to a third of the total plant height. Be sure to cut or pinch right above a leaf pair rather than leaving a stub. In a few weeks, your basil plants will be ready to harvest again.

A Fresh Storage Method

Cover the bottom of an airtight food storage container with sea salt, and alternate single layers of clean, dry basil with more sea salt. This method comes in handy if you have only a few plants. The leaves hold their color and flavor but don’t pick up the salt flavor.

Watering Established Basil Plants

The top should feel cool and dry, while the bottom should be cool and moderately damp. In the ground, this is a bit harder to determine but the plant needs deep watering at least once per week in full sun situations where the soil drains well.

Yellow and drooping leaves are the first physical signs of an overwatered basil plant, but the real problem is below the soil surface where roots can rot. Pluck off any yellow or brown leaves on the plant so these unproductive plant parts stop using up the plant’s energy.

Basil grows best with at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.

Basil is also a great additive to your infused water! It pairs well with both fruits and veggies and adds a fun twist to your water. Here are some of my favorite basil water pairings.

Since holy basil targets metabolic stress, it can also help with weight loss and cholesterol levels.

Basil contains water soluble flavonoids called rientin and viceninare which can help to protect white blood cells. Basil has also been known to help fight free radical damage.

Basil is an excellent source of vitamin K, manganese, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It’s also a good source of calcium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Basil isn’t simply for internal use. When basil’s oils are extracted to make an essential oil, it is used for treating cuts, wounds, and skin infections.

The leaves are also commonly used in cooking, though some people eat the leaves raw. Holy basil tastes spicy and bitter. There are many ways to incorporate holy basil into your daily life. You can cook with it, take it in supplement form, or make a tea with it.

When taken by mouth: Basil is LIKELY SAFE when consumed in food amounts. When taken by mouth as a medicine, basil is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Basil herb and basil oil contain estragole. Estragole is a chemical that might increase the risk of getting liver cancer.

Aiding its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, basil helps prevent acne. It also soothes and calms the skin, swelling and pain that may come with acne. The astringent benefits of Basil also help in tightening the pores while cleansing it, leading to flawless skin.

The anti-inflammatory properties of basil leaves lower the swelling of pimples by alleviating the inflammation. Mix basil oil with rose water and lemon juice and apply this regularly to get rid of acne forever.

Brightens skin tone

To make a brightening face mask, mix equal amount of grounded tulsi leaves with milk. Apply this paste on your face and neck and post 20 minutes scrub it off. This mask will give you skin-lightening effect.

Make a paste by heating some chopped basil leaves until it becomes a paste. Mix it with one teaspoon of honey and one lemon in a bowl. Use it as a face mask. Let it sit on your face for 15-20 minutes and wash it off with cold water.

In aromatherapy, Sweet Basil Essential Oil is reputed to stimulate, clarify, calm, fortify, energize and uplift the mind. When used medicinally, Sweet Basil Essential Oil is reputed to ease minor skin irritations, cramps, joint pain, muscular aches, spasms, gout, flatulence, and exhaustion.