How To Harvest Basil ?
Basil herb is quite popular in preparation of many delicious cuisines. Not only it is used in various cuisines to add flavor, but also it is used as a medicinal herb to treat different kinds of diseases. It is very important to note that proper harvesting determines the quality of basil that we would be using. A basil plant should only be harvested after it has grown to its full potential. |
There are different varieties of basil, but the most common ones are sweet basil, lemon basil, Thai basil, cinnamon basil and red Rubin basil.
The correct time to harvest basil is in the morning hours before the sun becomes strong. The reason for this is that the sun's heat will not affect the delicate flavor of the essential oils present in the leaves. Slice off the new growths in each of the branch of the basil plant before they are replanted or transplanted in a yard. The transplanting can be done in a new container as well. The basil plant must stand about a foot in length at this point. When you start with a smaller sized plant, ensure that it has at least 4 to 6 sets of leaves. One can utilize the basil nips for cooking.
The latest growths must be cut after every 3 weeks. To see the entire beauty of the plant, allow the flower buds to blossom. For those, who wish to use the herb for cooking, they would have to nip off the flower buds as soon as they appear. Flowering tends to take away the energy of the plant and therefore, the pungent smell of the leaves reduces.
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