Should I Pinch Basil Flowers?

Getting the Most From Your Basil

• The best way to get the most production from each of your basil plants involves cutting them back. Once the stalk has six pairs of leaves, the plant thinks it's time to bud. You don't want this to happen, because it will interfere with the growth of the leaves, which are what you want. Cut the plant back to the bottom two leaves. You can use the four leaves you cut off for flavorings, knowing that a lot more is coming. Keep each stalk with no more than four sets of leaves.

The Problem With Blossoms

• Once a basil plant sends up a flower spike, the growing energy goes to flowering, and the leaves will be fewer and smaller. Clip the flowering spike off as soon as you notice it. When one plant blooms, the other ones will follow, so keep looking for the flowers, and remove them promptly.

Bigger Harvest

• Your basil plants should have produced plenty of basil if you have cut off the two to four leaves every few weeks. Start harvesting the plants a few weeks before the first expected frost. Cut the plants just below the bottom leaves, and hang them upside-down to dry. You can also stick a bunch in cool water for kitchen use for up to two weeks -- just make sure you change the water every few days.

When You Want Basil to Blossom

• If you've planted basil in your flowerbeds, let it blossom and enjoy the bloom spikes. You can still use the leaves for flavorings.