Woman's Smart Hack Keeps Garden Herbs Like Basil Fresh and Flavorful

There are few things better than a bit of fresh basil during a summer meal. And while it's really incredibly easy to grow your own basil, most novice gardeners get frustrated by how quickly it goes to seed (AKA: bolts), rendering it inedible because of how bitter the leaves can get.

Now, one gardener is sharing their basil secret, which keeps their plant tasting great all summer long. The good news is, you don't need a green thumb to pull this one off. All you need is to know exactly when (and where) you need to trim your plant back.

Watch this video to learn more.

The secret to @auyannaplants' success lies in over harvesting her basil so that the plant never has a chance to bolt. To do this, she constantly picks off the top bunches of leaves right as they begin to produce flowers.

The flowers are a signal for the plant that the growing season is over, and that it's time to go to seed. By removing these buds, she's telling the plant that it's not done yet, and that there's still plenty of time to devote energy into producing more of those yummy leaves.

Related: Here's How to Grow Basil From a Seedling

Before you start snipping away, you're going to want to learn how to harvest your basil.

Pizzeria Owner Shows Followers How to Harvest Basil the Right Way

Another great tip for keeping your basil happy enough to keep producing all summer comes to us from a pizzeria owner, who grows fresh basil at his home for his chefs.

He says that you need to avoid picking from plants don't have flowers, and instead focus on ones that are beginning to bolt. From there, he says you'll need to follow that stem down to the base where it's coming out of the soil, and then count up to the third node on the plant.

Cut everything above that node off, taking it inside to be used for your meals. The basil will continue to grow from the stem that remains, producing more of those leavy branches that you can cut again at a later date.

This method not only helps you to grow even more basil in the garden, but it also helps with keeping your bolting plants from turning bitter before you get a chance to use them!

Keep Basil from Bolting With This Hack

As you can see, there are a few different ways you can make sure your basil keeps growing, even as temperatures warm up, signaling to the cool weather herb that it's time to go to seed.

Additionally, you'll be able to add even more flavor to your dishes by harvesting your crop a bit more frequently.

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